Was Hagler v Hearns the greatest fight ever?

I always thought the greatest fight ever because of the intensity of the round and the way it exploded in round one. They sort of just exploded and fought their hearts out. I don't think fighters can plan to fight like this, since we have not had a round like this since.. I am not sure why it is so hard to get fighters to fight with this intensity from the first round on. but it is rare, especially the two best fighters at the time in a superfight.

 

Absolutely correct. Picking the best fight ever is like picking the best book, or painting, or song ever. IT's all highly subjective. It's just the one that grabs you and keeps you coming back to it over the years.

 

It's not in my top 5

 

I so remember the night of this waiting to hear the results and was crushed when my man Hearns was knocked out so early but was awed at the pace of the fight.Not only was the buildup of this fight surpassed by that amazing first round but one of the other feeds into this was the fact on how they both beat Roberto Duran.Hagler struggled with him and Hearns dispatched him easily..Great buildups.

 

Hagler Hearns topped those "classics" by miles/ nobody even KNEW Tommy's right hand was busted until AFTER the fight.

Schmeling Louis 1??? NOT EVEN!!

Duran Leonard 1 was a good fight but no more than that. and let's face it, there was way too much holding and I sure dont remember the crowd on their feet the way it was for hagler Hearns

nor did it have the press with their mouths open

Ali Frazier 1 was a big even but went flat in the middle rounds.

Leonard Hearns 1 was good but no Hagler Hearns to be sure as that fight was fought at a much higher level

the only other fights in the 80s that compare with it was Pryor Arguello for its sheer violence and incredible ending, and maybe Gomez Pintor

 

Marquez Vazquez wars were outstanding !!!

 

Schmelling Lewis I not even? LOL. we'll agree to disagree?

Great for this fight is the (magnitude) of the event.
America vs Germany
African-American vs The Aryan master race (Even though Max never wanted that..we both know it was billed as such)

Nothing hyped like May vs Pac where they had to sell their fight.
Yankee Stadium, right? Sold out, that's significant. Arthur Donovan was the go-to ref in that era.
And the hype that was made...if U and I were alive back then was
1. Max on the decline, but training like a madman
2. Joe was acting like a president (out golfing)

It seems if we were there, we'd be talking about how the young bull was gonna drub the dude on the decline, yet after the fight..It was SO significant, African-Americans across the nation sobbed, cried literally.
Hitler contacted Max's wife he was so jubilant. That's how great the (event) was.

When was the last time a leader of a nation contacted the spouse of an athlete?
Most important to me is, watching that fight it was obvious, Joe really had a bad habit of keeping the left low. It was in some since a sweet science fight, that Max took everything away from Joe. Then in the 4th I think? BAM, DOWN goes Louis. Max started peppering that jab. By the 6th, he would hold that jab out, then behind it comes that sweet right hand. CLEAN landing it over and over.
And the way he knocked Joe out, Damn! Joe shakes his head, like wake up man, then rolls over on to his belly.

 

Between two fighters most who know anything about the fight game would consider ATG's yes. But Ward vs Gatti / Corrales vs Castillo were more exciting because the fights were longer same with Chacon vs Edwards Chacon vs Lamon , Benn vs Mcclendon. But those fighters are not on any A T.G. list I'm aware of. Holyfield vs Qawi was very exciting. Same with Leonard vs Duran and Leonard vs Hearns 1. Three fights of Atg vs Atg. But to me personally, give me Pryor vs Arguello 1or Ali Vs Frazier one and three as the greatest fights between fighters universally considered ATG's . Those fights are more exciting than Hagler vs Hearns in my opnion.

 

Hagler vs. Hearns was unique. It was different than most fights ever are. Because of the way both guys fought the same tactic. If you put any two fighters in the ring and they fight with that intensity and energy, you will have a short fight and some surprising results. Someone is going to come out crushed and the winner will look spectacular. The fight was different than most fights in history. It just was not normal. It did not build up into a war, it was just a explosion at the beginning. Hearns was waiting to uncork his right and Hagler was waiting to swarm Hearns. I would have loved to have seen how Hearns would have done had his right hand not broke. Because I think he hurt Hagler early and that showed me had his right hand not been broken, he might have kept hurting Hagler over and over..

 

The only thing is I think Hagler vs. Hearns had more direct connecting punches than most. And they were both big punchers. It is like Tyson vs. Foreman. If they came out punching it will not go long. I don't even think that fight goes 3, I think it goes one or maybe 2. Angelo Dundee said once he was surprised Hagler vs. Hearns got out of round one.

 

It's one of the best fights, but I put it behind stuff like Ali vs Frazier 3 or Pryor vs Arguello 1.

 

Someone already said this, but I think Hearns breaking his hand (assuming that really happened) automatically disqualifies this as a candidate for best fight ever.

How can it be the best if there's a nontrivial chance that a hand injury affected the outcome?

 

As a Hearns fan.It made me feel better that he lost as a real warrior. So sad they never met again..It's almost like this was a freaky contest of guts.

 

Dempsey-Firpo...Sept 1923....best "fight" ever...

 

in many ways Hagler and Hearns fought a dumb fight.. Really all ego and no tactic. Hagler can say, I had to put pressure on Hearns, but he was hit clean by Hearns and rocked and Hearns left himself open to land his punches. I think the prefight hate or whatever got to both of them and they were in a brawl. A well skilled brawl. but a brawl. Marvin gambled that he could take Hearns punch and Hearns broke his hand, but Hagler could have very easily been knocked out being hit as clean as he did. It was a great fight. Sometimes the greatest fights are the ones where the fighters take the most chances. I think the fight is rare because usually you don't see great fighters who are heavy handed go for it like that at the bell. Something about the fight is different from all others. It really had to end early when you fight like that. And I am surprised that we never have had another one like that since.