Tommy may have planned to box but Hagler did not give him either the distance or the time to do so.Great tactics from Marvin rather than stupidity of Hearns fight imo.
This. I'd always heard about how badly rocked Hagler was by Hearns and believed it until I watched the fight. Marvin looked like he barely registered that punch. He paused for a nano second, took maybe a quarter step back then continued walking Tommy down. He wasn't stunned, staggered or hurt and by and large dominated the remainder of the fight. I don't see a rematch being much different. Hearns has the tools to box Hagler and maybe win that way but Tommy was a warrior who'd want to blast out Hagler no matter what. And he'd lose 10 out of 10 trying that against Hagler. Marvins just wrong for him in my view.
Well, by the time Hearns could box and was hitting Hagler easily. Tommy was too tired in round 3. Hagler was exhausted and even a tired Hearns jab was making Marvin's head snap back. Tommy came out throwing huge punches. A little wild, which set up not landing his right hand clean and landing it awkwardly.
I think Hearns had a chance, but not to knock out Marvin. More TKO. He hit him very easily. That is one thing which was different about this fight. Neither guy had trouble hitting the other, but Hearns really hit Hagler with anything he wanted. That is why I give Hearns a chance to win. Hagler was strong and would always come forward, but I think Hearns jab and landing the right would cause swelling, which was the key to Hearns winning a rematch.
If Hearns doesn't break his hand the fight goes longer. He hit Hagler with plenty of clean rights after the hand break and had a chance there if the hand wasn't fractured in a few places. I see Hagler using same fight plan, why would he change it? It worked. And Tommy was such a bad as* that I do really see him wanting to knock Hagler out and would be right back in a give one take one situation as before... The fight goes longer, Hagler KO 7
Hearns should have been Hagler's last fight. He was never motivated again after that fight. Not really. I think had he retired after Hearns, he would be rated much better than having fought Leonard and losing.. Even though he fought Leonard.
So true,, not once did Hearns ever mention a rematch. Why? there was no point, Hagler always goes through Tommy
Watch the fight again, after 90 seconds of standing his ground and fighting Marvin in the first round Hearns was on his back foot the rest of the fight trying to get away except when Hagler pinned him on the ropes. He'd never beat Hagler and he and Stewart knew it , which is why no one clamored for a rematch
Hearns talked a rematch non stop. He craved it. The Hagler - Mugabi/ Hearns - Schuler card was to try and build interest up in the rematch. Hearns was actually offered incentives for ko'ing Schuler early. The fight was pretty much sealed until SRL threw a spanner in the works. If he didn't come back we have the rematch.
With the fight going longer Hearns has an outside chance of cuts coming into play. One wouldn't bet on it but it's not completely impossible. Both were on the way down, Hagler more so.
Hearns wanted it. Very much. Hagler was the one who seemed to shy away from it. Hearns fought Shuler to get the rematch.. I remember the KO magazine of the time saying Hagler and Hearns roar to a rematch. Something like that. I thought Hagler's style was not great for Tommy, but I never thought Hagler was greater than Tommy.. Stylistically it was not a great style for Tommy, but I thought a year later more a natural middleweight and fighting less crazy he could win. He might still fight off the back foot, but he would not have a broken hand. Hearns fought at times off his backfoot. It was normal at times, but he still connected. Remember he needed room to punch.
This is true. Ray ended the rematch with Hagler to Hearns and Hearns fought Dewitt in October and then Dennis Andries in March 1987 for the WBC Light Heavy title.
I am not too sure. Look, I know Hearns punch and the one thing I was interested in was Tommy at a slower pace and landing to the side a little more. preferably when Hagler turned to righty, that could work. I think he could have knocked down Marvin. It sounds crazy. Marvin is fortunate Hearns broke his hand. I am not saying he wouldn't have won, but it would have been harder and Hearns would have kept on landing the right hand hard and swelling Marvin's face.
No way, Hagler knocks out Tommy every time. Hearns can't take the punishment, best he could do would be about 7 or 8 rounds before he takes a nap