The War: 40 Years Later and Still Marvelous!

[elmersalsa]

It was Monday night of April 15, 1985 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV. The place that cemented itself as the Mecca of Boxing.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the Undisputed World Middleweight Champion, defends his crown against the fearful Hit Man Thomas Hearns, the WBC World Super Welterweight Champion.

Three years earlier, Hagler and Hearns were supposed to duke it out, but Hearns injured his right hand and bowed out of the fight. Marvelous became furious because to him, a fight with Hearns represented big bucks. The kind of bucks that he ever wanted. With the great Sugar Ray Leonard out of the picture because of an eye retina retirement, Marvelous found himself lonely for a mega million dollar fight.

Then, in December 1982, Leonard, a master of mind games, played Marvelous like a dumb ass in a big ceremony hosted by ABC sportsman Howard Cossell. Marvelous with his wife in attendance, left heartbroken when Leonard said that a fight with him is not going to happen. So two guys did not want none of Marvelous in the year 1982.

Marvelous was so frustrated and mad at Hearns because of the pull out. Marvelous says: "For 1 million dollars, I would have cut that little pinky and made the fight!" .....And now Sugar Ray refused him by retiring.

Then, came the great Roberto Duran! Duran came back from the dead in a spectacular resurrection after the No Mas fiasco against Leonard. He was considered finished when another great, Wilfred Benitez of Puerto Rico took him to school beating him in 15 rounds.

Duran as of the year 1982 was concerned, was finished. Dead. Forgotten. And made it worse when Kirkland Laing of all places, gave him a boxing lesson in Detroit in July.

Duran resurrected when in June 1983 regained his throne as the king of boxing by brutalizing Davey Moore for Moore's WBA World Jr Middleweight Crown. The performance was so spectacular that promoter Bob Arum didn't hesitate to match him with Marvelous in a super fight in November 1983.

Marvelous beat Duran by unanimous decision. It was a close fight. It was Marvelous's first million dollar affair. But, even though the fight was close, Marvelous got criticized big time!

Then, Thomas Hearns knocks out Duran in ONLY 2 rounds! It was one of the most devastating knockout scenes in boxing history. With one shot, Hearns claim as the best fighter pound per pound in the world infuriated Hagler.

Before they both collide in the arena, Hagler, age 30, and with a record of 60-2-2 with 50 knockouts, trained himself like if it was the fight of all fights. "This is War!", he said. And a war it was!

Hearns, age 26, with a record of 38-1, with 34 knockouts, came to prove that his win over the legendary Manos de Piedra wasn't no fluke.

When both collided that night, the electricity wasn't as great as other great fights in history. But, when the bell rang, Hearns and Marvelous tire each other like a grudge match about a woman. Both threw some serious bombs that would have flatten any other Middleweight. Marvelous got a big gash in the middle of his forehead. His shaven skull was like a brick.

For 3 glorious rounds they gave the crowd everything and more. It was just 3 rounds, but a beauty. A masterpiece. A fight for the ages! Marvelous gave Hearns a wicked right hand shot like if he was Superman and Hearns, went down from exhaustion and from the shot. Referee Richard Steele of America stopped the contest, and Marvelous have his finest hour establishing himself as an all-time pound per pound great and perhaps the greatest middleweight boxer of all-time!

But, what a fight!

Your comments, please!

[goose 5]

My money was on Hagler . I still can't believe one judge gave Hearns round 2.

[p4p1]

Promoted by Bob Arum. We must remember to thank him for bringing these two legends together.

[scorpio83]

Happy Big 40th Anniversary of the war between the Marvelous One and the Hitman!

[Ambling Alp II]

Promoted by Bob Arum. We must remember to thank him for bringing these two legends together.

[Caractacus]

FROM WHAT i remember that was like one of the first really big fights that you
did not have to go to a theater downtown to watch it 'closed-circuit".
you just go down to your cable company and rent a 'converter box"
for your television set
and watch it in the comfort of your own home.

[Caractacus]

what do you think the deal was with the Hit Mans legs ?
I remember Emamnuel Stewart said he lost because someone (unbeknowst to him)had been massaging Hearn's legs before the fight
and thats why he lost.
I think it was just a case of 'nerves' that had affected Hearns legs just before..
because he had actually asked someone to message his legs.

[elmersalsa]

what do you think the deal was with the Hit Mans legs ?
I remember Emamnuel Stewart said he lost because someone (unbeknowst to him)had been massaging Hearn's legs before the fight
and thats why he lost.
I think it was just a case of 'nerves' that had affected Hearns legs just before..
because he had actually asked someone to message his legs.

That could be true that Tommy Hearns' legs were soften because of the massages. It probably took the sturdiness to throw his big shots. I don't doubt none of Emanuel Steward's opinions. He was a class act. He knew his fighters like his own hand.

[elmersalsa]

Promoted by Bob Arum. We must remember to thank him for bringing these two legends together.

Now you see why I don't respect you, right?