If Hearns had boxed Hagler...

Personally I believe Hearns got caught up in the moment, went to war and lost because of it.
Hagler could be taken out of his game, as much smaller and less powerful Duràn proved.
Hagler to his credit forced the fight.
But Hearns made it much easier for him by fighting with emotions instead of tactically.
By the time Hearns realized it was the wrong strategy and tried to move, the damage was done and the fight was practically over.
It was possibly the greatest 1st round in history.
But the rest of the fight was pretty much one sided , with the only real drama was if Hagler would ko Hearns before the cut he received got the fight stopped.
It's not the greatest fight in history, or even of the 1980's TBH.
Hagler vs Mugabi was much more competitive and suspenseful.

 

I think you have a point in that Hearns could have lasted longer if he’d come out dancing and on the defensive, but could he have moved well enough at 160 to stay away from a Hagler intent on going right at him? I’m not sure
Hagler was going to make a war out of it whatever happened, I don’t think Hearns could survive

 

Oh, Marvin, how could they ever make me not love you?

 

At the time of this fight i was relatively new to boxing. I saw three Hearns fights and three Hagler fights. Hearns fights i saw were Hearns vs Sutherland, Duran and Hutchings. Hagler fights saw were vs Roldan, Duran, and Hamsho 2. I understood that Hearns was having hand troubles during the Sutherland fight and that Sutherland was coming down from light heavyweight and Hearns was a Super Welterweight champ. Based off the Hearns vs Duran fight and the Hutchings fight i thought that Hearns with a healed right hand was unstoppable, and that Hagler although a very Good middleweight champ, would be no match for the supernatural speed and power of Hearns. It took me years to realize that Hagler didn't win just because Hearns broke his right hand in rounds one. Hagler knew how dangerous Hearns was, how could he not, after watching the Duran destruction? Hagler knew that Hearns would never be happy with just a win, but would be gunning for a KO, after all, Hearns clarified that the Hitman was back! He told Hagler in a press conference that he would take him out in three rounds! Hagler knew it was all or nothing! I underestimated how tough Hagler was and how effective being a heavy handed switch hitter could be. Watching Crawford destroy people in that same fashion opened my eyes to how tough such a fighter can be. That being said, I think Hagler would have got to Hearns either way and stopped him. If not for Leonard coming out of retirement, Hagler and Hearns 2 was going to happen. Then we would have been able to find out for sure.

 

It was Hagler. The Leonard fight Steward claimed he had others in his ear and was doing second runs as well as sparring closer to the fight than they agreed upon. He claims this was why he came in too light. It was their first superlight and i think both of them learnt valuable lessons.

 

I notice one thing in that fight. It seems like Hagler really protected his chin, not saying that he didn't have a good one. But Hearns broke his right hand landing it on Hagler's head, the gash on Hagler was his head. I remember reading an article long ago about a boxer whose name escapes me but someone said he takes a very good punch to the head but not the chin. I think from a physical standpoint hitting someone in the chin is the most vulnerable area than hitting him on the forehead for example. I think even George Chuvalo said about his Iron chin that he chewed lots of bubblegum to strengthen his jaws, but he also said that he really never got hit on the chin as much as people think.

 

Hearns hurt Hagler in the opening 10 seconds of the 1st round. Marvin wobbled for an instant. Hagler tucked his chin and refused to back up.
That right by Hearns would have Knocked out a Steer.

 

He couldn't.........................that's why the fight was what it was.

 

Was not in Hearns DNA to retreat from a fighter who shows him no respect .

 

Hearns adopting a more cautious boxing gambit would only have delayed the inevitable.

 

The fight was always going to come down to Hearns rt hand vs Haglers chin. No matter how many times they go at it. Hagler KOs Tommy every time. The round in which he does it in isnt relevant.

 

I'm the biggest Hearns fan on here and I know Marvin would always have Tommy's number. Broken hand, massages, being on the defensive, and etc. I don't think Tommy would have ever lasted the full 15 against Marvin. Styles make fights.

 

How about if he hadn't broken his hand (assuming he really did)?

And if he did, how can you consider the result of the actual fight conclusive, and not have wished for a rematch?

 

Style match up Hagler could take what Tommy dished out. Not many can say that.
Pressure iron chin, and his own big power I think Marvin gets the job done eventually.

 

I think he did, I think he tried to hide it or downplay that it was broken atfter as well, so you can say pretty much for sure that it was.
He did seem not to try hitting as hard with his right in the second and third.
I think Hagler would have been able to take Hearns’ best no matter what though, like someone said it was hags chin v Hearns right, Hagler was almost impossible to ko at that point so I think he always wins that battle, Hearns not being a natural middleweight doesn’t help him either