Even though Hagler beat Hearns in 1985 who is considered more iconic? I like both guys, but if you go to youtube, Hearns has more fights on there and more tribute videos, and in a way he has a certain following that Hagler or even Leonard in a way does not have.. So who is more iconic or great? Hagler or Hearns? Sometimes I think Hearns resume is better. More greats on it. More range. Deeper competition.
I am a Hearns fan but I always thought Tommy had a better resume and better wins, but Marvin won the fight at middleweight. He used his natural size to help him. If you look at their resume Hearns fought better guys than Marvin. But it would have been nice for him to beat Marvin. He fought the wrong fight, but the fight goes down in history as the best ever.
While I agree about the resume I think the real factor is personality. Hearns just came off better than the grouchy Hagler and the fans warmed up to him more.
Being a knockout artist helps. Just AZZk Mike Tyson. His resume isn't that deep and his face is known all throughout the world.
Hearns also was in the spotlight for more years than Hagler. Hearns had more ups and downs, but his career has so much to it. Marvin had his reign against mediocre guys until he beat Duran and then Hearns, and then a short while later lost to Ray Leonard and retired, all at the same time Hearns and Duran kept fighting even if they were diminished.
I love both but Hearns was just a guy who you could never forget. That one-shot KO power was a gift from God and his boxing ability was just awe inspiring.
Hearns sticks in my mind more. Just more to his career. It is easy to make a Hearns tribute video because Hearns had so deep a career. Hagler's you would have to put guys none of us know really. Hagler did well when he was winning and dominant. Hearns was the real fighter of the two who could lose but come back even stronger. My image of Hearns is knocking out greats guys like Cuevas and Duran and outboxing Benitez and Hill, or losing to Ray and Marvin. He is the explanation of boxing. The biggest ups and the biggest downs and he still came back to fight. Marvin losses a decision and he quits boxing. Tommy never did that.
...But Marvin lost two times before Leonard and came back as strong as you possibly can. When he quit after Leonard, it's not like he was in the prime of his life. He was probably at the end of the road anyway.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZdLJAYzV9M[/ame] the mans charisma is just undeniable just look at him he looks like hes about to beat some ass
I would've thought it the other way around. When I was a kid who knew nothing about boxing, I knew who Marvin Hagler was, I didn't know who Tommy Hearns was. But thats just me.
I was the opposite. I knew who Hearns was in 1979 when he was fighting on ABC and CBS and then he beat Cuevas. His story was all over the tv in those years. Hagler became famous after he won his title and his reign was great and dominant, but Hearns career clips are more iconic as the title says. He has a long story of fighting the best guys in boxing whether it be Cuevas,Leonard,Duran,Benitez,Hagler, Hill. He kept on reaching. Hagler never really wanted to fight Spinks, which is exactly what Hearns would have done had he beaten Hagler.
Always thought Hagler was more iconic, at least so now but just didn't get the respect he deserved at the time.