Eugene Hart - Thoughts & Opinions?

He was in a wheel chair early in his life and his arms developed strength, he had a great double and triple left hook, he rocked Vito early but Vito was tough stood in the trenches and then ko'd Hart

 

I also believe he is lefthanded .

 

i once read some piece on the great philly middleweights and hart was included in that list.

they interviewed one of his former opponents and he was supposed to discribe the power that hart had. the former opponent then discribed harts power the following way: he said that when some other guy knocked you out, sometimes you would wake up in the dressing room wondering what happened.

but with hart it was like you got hit and the next thing you realize you are standing at the cashier in a supermarked a week later wondering what happened!!
now that sounds scary.

but i guess he lacked the chin to go any higher.

 

yeah I've always wondered about this guy as well.

Apparently he & Denny Moyer both fell out of the ring when they fought in 1971 which resulted in a no-contest.
I've heard a lot of stories about his punching power and being from Philly you just know he's gonna be one tough sob.

I have his bouts against Trottman, Dittmar, Briscoe & Hagler if anyone's interested in a trade.

 

Tremendous left hooker. On film at least, it looks like the most lethal middleweight hook of all time - both heavy and fast. You had to have either a great chin or some good evasion skills to beat Hart, who wasn't exactly scientific in his approach. If you had some good firepower, you could beat him that way as well; his chin wasn't all that. A dangerous opponent for anyone though.

 

Both Antuofermo and Hagler credited Cyclone Hart's hook as the hardest punch they'd ever been hit with.

Quote Vito: "If he couldn't hurt me, then nobody can. He wrapped his hooks around his whole body, and made my head spin around" (or words to that effect). Hagler's early reputation for an iron chin was established by taking Cyclone's Sunday punch, reportedly just after the bell rang to end a round. (Doc McCoy, since you have the footage, maybe you can confirm this?)

 

Yes, it was at the end of the fifth or sixth round. Hagler is hit by a left hook to the ear and, from what I can tell, was hurt by the punch. He closed the distance and weathered a couple more shots from Hart, then the bell rang. From memory, Hagler was slumping against the ropes but that was only because the referee barged him as the bell rang. Hagler walked back to his corner normally and seemed fine.

 

End of Rd5 and like Manassa said it was a solid left-hook followed by a grazing right hand then Hart set Hagler up for a crushing over-hand right. Hagler was against the ropes and took another left-hook at the bell before the referee seperated them and Marvin pushed Eugene away disdainfully and sauntered back to his corner.

Hart came out winging to the body at the beginning of rd 6 and was scoring effectively before landing another hard left hook which had Marvin retreating to the ropes and covering up tight. Hagler put some combinations together mid-round however and scored a great straight left which now had Hart backpedalling and Marvin forcing the issue. Good round to follow up the tough ending to rd 5 for Hagler.

Judging by Hagler's reaction to the initial left-hook I wouldn't be surprised if he saw stars for a second or three but he was clear-headed by the time he went back to his corner. Hart could get some good leverage into that left hook.

 

I like Hagler's knockdown of Hart, and the preceding moments. Good boxing skills by Hagler, he's evasive and sharp. Going to put the fight on now I think

 

Manassa and Doc, thank you both very much for the details! It's greatly appreciated. (I've never had the pleasure of viewing this fabled event, although I've read much ink about it.)

 

I can send you a copy on DVD if you like. PM me.

 

Eugene was like a stick of sweating dynamite, you either handled him extemely carefully, or he just might blow up in your face ! I suppose Battling Briscoe to a draw was his best performance, that must of set the Spectrum alight, Bennie Bombed him out in the 1st in the rematch, plus losses to his Philly Rivals "the worm" monroe and "Boogaloo" watts showed Eugene lacked those other skills vital to compliament his humongus left hook, needed in the top flight, but they didnt come much more exciting then cyclone , When you see him Blast out Stan Kitten Hayward in the 1st you could be watching Thomas Hearn's Clone, a real "Dont Blink" Fighter,