Could Hearns ever beat Hagler?

[80schamps]

Hmmm, I don't agree with that. Hearns is really the only fighter to have ever truly hurt and staggered Hagler properly. I'm not sure it was about that though anyway. It was that both were willing to go to war and try to kill each other straight away. Hearns lost that fight. Hagler rarely fought that way. It was an aberration that he came out the way he did and Hearns was all too willing to go along with it. If Hearns hadn't been so amped up from knocking out Duran in 2 just previous, i think he would have been more himself and not been so carried away with the Hitman persona back again. Basing your entire pre-fight strategy on a KO in 3 round against Hagler is not the way to win and that shot Hearns in the foot from the get-go. Hagler could be drawn into a chess-match easily, just as Hearns could be drawn into a war. In the war, Hagler has the upperhand while in the chessmatch, Hearns, I believe, has the upperhand. We shall never know though.

Hearns had the ability to beat anyone, IMO, at his best. He just fought the wrong fight too often. As GJC said, he bought into his Hitman persona too much and it was at an all time high going into the Hagler fight. He should have known that Hagler's history had showed that he wasn't going to be knocked out. Duran was a foot shorter with a foot less reach and a natural lightweight. Despite that, it was still a scary feat to KO him, but Hagler was a real middleweight. If Duran had been a natural middleweight at his prime, he wouldn't have been knocked out, to say the least.

I think he could have. As to whether he would have, well, that's another side of it. I'm just glad they did fight like that, because it gave us one of the great wars ever.

I often wonder man to man how Hearns would have done against Hagler at a higher weight? I'm sure at cruiserweight where he was at may have been a different story. He may push Hagler around. Hagler would'nt have been able to handle the weight as well as Hearns.

[fitefanSHO]

IMO, Hagler was more stunned than staggered against Hearns in the 1st.

Marvin's reaction to that shot was brief and relatively undramatic.

And just like that, it was past, and like it never happened.

The announcers made it seem like more than it was.

[LeG00N]

Yes.... if he would've box'd him.

Similar to the second half of the first Leonard fight.


It wouldn't be easy but Hagler would slow down a little bit after repeatedly getting caught with Hearns right over and over.

[fitefanSHO]

That episode of HBO Legendary Nights (Hagler-Hearns) gives me chills and makes me very emotional when I watch it. I hope HBO brings that series back and does new episodes, it was a real favorite of mine.

[Mintcar923]

Funny, if I look at Tommy and Marvin in separate fights at their best I'd think that Tommy was the better fighter. He seemed naturally quicker, maybe even more powerful, and just all-around more talented. It's obvious he employed the wrong strategy against Hagler when they had met. What he should have done was what Sugar Ray did. Had he had a similar strategy I think he'd have won in the same fashion. Perhaps he'd have even stopped him on cuts.

[StarshipTrooper]

Funny, if I look at Tommy and Marvin in separate fights at their best I'd think that Tommy was the better fighter.

And you would be wrong.

[joseph5620]

Funny, if I look at Tommy and Marvin in separate fights at their best I'd think that Tommy was the better fighter. He seemed naturally quicker, maybe even more powerful, and just all-around more talented. It's obvious he employed the wrong strategy against Hagler when they had met. What he should have done was what Sugar Ray did. Had he had a similar strategy I think he'd have won in the same fashion. Perhaps he'd have even stopped him on cuts.

As I've said many times before, if Hearns could have boxed he would have. Hagler didn't allow it.

[jabsRstiff]

Funny, if I look at Tommy and Marvin in separate fights at their best I'd think that Tommy was the better fighter. He seemed naturally quicker, maybe even more powerful, and just all-around more talented. It's obvious he employed the wrong strategy against Hagler when they had met. What he should have done was what Sugar Ray did. Had he had a similar strategy I think he'd have won in the same fashion. Perhaps he'd have even stopped him on cuts.

Actually, if Marvin Hagler was as fresh and ferocious against Ray Leonard as he was against Hearns, Ray would have not won that fight.

Again, Hearns' strategy went out the window when the much stronger man with the steel chin was all over him.

[joseph5620]

IMO, Hagler was more stunned than staggeredagainst Hearns in the 1st.

Marvin's reaction to that shot was brief and relatively undramatic.

And just like that, it was past, and like it never happened.

The announcers made it seem like more than it was.

I've always thought the same thing. Hagler was never in any significant trouble against Hearns.

[Scott9945]

Actually, if Marvin Hagler was as fresh and ferocious against Ray Leonard as he was against Hearns, Ray would have not won that fight.

Again, Hearns' strategy went out the window when the much stronger man with the steel chin was all over him.

Yes. There is no reasonable doubt that Hagler was much closer to his prime when he fought Hearns. Ray caught Hagler at the right time with the right strategy.