BoxRec

I still remember this great fight like it was yesterday. I cannot believe that 25 years have gone by. Great fight in a decade of unforgettable fights.

What are your thoughts of this fight?
Where were you when the fight happened?

Tommy is my all time favorite fighter and Marvin was his kryptonite. I've still never seen a buzz in a crowd like that for the opening round. they both promised war and everybody knew it was coming.

Seeing Tommy break his hand and someone walk through his best shots was incredible. And then hagler finished things before he got stopped on cuts. a great night for both fighters and fans.

I was in the 8th grade and living in Peru.

It was a Monday night and I had this book review and essay due the next day for my Spanish class. So I come home and the live satellite feed is already on as back in those days we would get a broadcast of the entire undercard. I sat there for 4+ hours until the climax of Hagler-Hearns ensued and stayed watching replay after replay of the fight.

Needless to say, I was too dizzy and tired to go through a book on Spanish American Literature that memorable night so the next day when my Spanish teacher, Mr Sotelo (whom we called "El Diablo") asked for my paper I made up same lame excuse, which of course he did not believe. I sat there waiting for my failing grade to come but instead he asked me to come see him at his office at dismissal time.

-This isn't like you -he told me when I walked in the office-, why don't you tell me the real reason you didn't do your project?

"El Diablo" Sotelo was like a father figure to us, a guy who loved to be a teacher but was street smart at the same time, so I knew I couldn't fool him and I told him: "Profesor, the truth is I stayed up late to watch Hagler-Hearns and just couldn't bring myself to write about Spanish literature"

-Nonsense -he replied- there is always time for literature... so you really like this boxing business, do you?

-Yes, sir, very much so

-Why don't you tell me about the fight then?-he asked

I then went on and embarked on a vivid account of the three most furious rounds I had ever witnessed as a young boxing fan.

He stared at me without saying a word or expressing any emotions and after a few seconds he said:

-First thing tomorrow you come and see me and I want a 5 page essay on what you just so passionately described

I passed Spanish Literature that year and often when I go to Peru I make time to visit "El Diablo". He still drives the same beat up old VW Beetle, he still teaches Spanish Literature in the same secondary school, and he is as great a man as he was 25 years ago.

elmersalsa wrote:I still remember this great fight like it was yesterday. I cannot believe that 25 years have gone by. Great fight in a decade of unforgettable fights.

What are your thoughts of this fight?
Where were you when the fight happened?

I was in nappies, just one year old at the time. No one had any inkling then I would go on to become BOTP's self-styled greatest ever contributor.

In truth, this is one of those many fights you look at & sigh you missed it live.

i watched it live as a 8 year old and i vividly remember me and my brother punching each other bare fisted afterwards to replicate the savagery of what we had seen.
The funny thing is my dad was a big boxing fan and altho i had seen hagler v sibson. I had no clue who tommy hearns was.

That was the fight that hooked me on boxing.

I would read my dads KO boxing magazine when i was 10 like it was a comic!

From 85-90 pretty much all hearns fights were free to watch live on the iTV channel.
As i grew into a teenager i saw hearns v medal, roldan, andries,barkley I, olajide, dewitt,ray leonard 2, hagler,kinchen, I saw them all!