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Alot of posters on here seem to think that the 80's FAb 4 of duran, leonard, hearns, and hagler are overrated and think that floyd would be able to beat them.
I am writing this to show newer boxing fans the real history of these guys and why they are considered boxing legends
Lets first start off by looking at the 70's:
Leonard and hearns were outstanding amateurs, sugar ray was amazing at the olympics. In 1976 he was like a modern day micheal phelps.
Leonard was a flashy fighter and could throw dizzying amount of punch combinations.
Hearns was a huge welter, freak of nature reach that was like a big heavyweights, and had the best boxing skills of anyone i ever saw. His jab would control the entire fight till he landed the right and the fight was over. His right hand was the most effective punch i think i the last 40 years.
Duran was a best a lightweight where he was the undisputed champ and reeled off a record of 71-1 with a lone decision loss to estaban dejesus, who he savagely destroyed in 2 rematches. If you wanna see a true monster with hate in his eyes look at the third fight between the two. Duran hates this guys and wants to end his career. Brutal beatdown
Hagler was the most dodged and robbed guy in the middleweight division. He didnt turn pro with alot of fanfare so he started from the bottom and just beat people down till he got to the top. If you don't know about hagler, think a combination of hopkins and margarito that could switch between southpaw and righty with a super concrete chin.
Heading into the 80's
Hearns and leonard were both welter champs and undefeated. They were headed towards a superfight.
Duran had bumped up to welter and became SRL #1 contender
Hearns continued to knock guys out and was 32-0 with 30 ko's
Hagler got robbed on a draw in his first title try but came back with vengeance vs Alan minter over in england. He destroyed Minter so bad that the crowd threw trash into the ring after hagler mauled minter in 2 rounds for the middleweight belt.
Superfight #1
Duran vs SRL. The fight was a huge marketable fight and duran was seen as a monster and SRL as the boxer. Most assumed SRL would just box and try and make it a boring fight. Duran was like a mayorga when it came to pre-fight trash talk. To get under SRL's skin he used the N-word and even spit at SRL's girl. SRL was enraged and vowed to beat down duran.
Sure enough in the first round SRL came out flat-footed and wanted to trade with duran. Sure enough SRL fought all 15 rounds tooth n nail with duran but it was duran's style and he won a very close decision. That night Duran showed he was an animal and SRL showed he just wasnt a pretty boy slick fighter, he could **** with duran all night long
Superfight #2
Duran vs SRL 2 a few months after the first one was a completely different fight. This time SRL didn't fall for duran's antics and stayed calm and outboxed duran till duran quit with the famous "no mas" Duran would lose a few more after this and be considered done by most boxing fans.
Superfight #3
Hearns vs SRL
THis was the big one. undefeated hearns who was 32-0 with 30 ko vs pretty boy SRL the biggest name in the sport. Most thought that SRL could outbox hearns and if hearns landed the right the fight would be done. But the exact opposite happened. Hearns outboxed the mighty SRL early and Leonard had to resort to brawling in the middle rounds to get back into the fight. by the 9th hearns had regained control and was jabbing and hooking SRL to death.
By the end of the 12th hearns was comfortable up on the cards and SRL had a shattered cheekbone and eye orbital. SRL corner before the 13th famously said "You're blowing it kid" SRL came out battered and bruised and dug down deep and showed true greatness by stepping on the gas and ko'ing hearns in the 14th. Classic visual is when SRL catches hearns and buckles him in the 14th and SRL throws his hands up in victory and proceeds to drop bombs on Hearns till the ref stops it. It was an amazing comeback.
Superfight 4
HAgler vs Duran
Hagler had been middleweight champ for a few years but couldn't land any big names. him and hearns were suppose to fight in 83 but hearns backed out with a hurt pinky finger. This made Hagler hugely upset. Duran had won a few and was still a name so the fight was made between him and hagler.
Most thought hagler would roll right thru Duran but during the fight duran's boxing skills were off the chart and he went all 15 rounds with hagler and after the final bell he just stared down hagler like hagler couldnt do anything to duran. Hagler threw his hands down and didnt even look at duran. Hagler won a decision but duran showed he was not done like everybody thought.
Superfight 5
Duran vs Hearns.
After duran's performance vs Hagler, Duran was put in the ring with hearns in what was thought to be an all action fight. This fight was a massacre. Hearns dominated and destroyed Duran in 2. Think manny-hatton fight. It was a disaster for duran and hearns showed he was still a monster and maybe the best fighter in the world. He just stopped duran in 2 after duran went 15 hard rounds with hagler and leonard.
Superfight 6
HAGLER-HEARNS
This fight had been brewing for about 3-4 years. Hagler got no respect and after he had such a tough time with duran and hearns detroyed duran many thought Hearns would become the 160 champ. HAGLER wanted this fight badly and even wore a hat that said WAR. When asked why he wore it he responded WAR because its on my mind. He didnt forget that Hearns backed out with a hurt pinky finger.
Hearns thought he could ko hagler if he could land the right. Hagler thought he had to get inside. Both guys had the strategy of going straight forward looking for the ko. And sure enough both came staright out and dropped bombs with hearns catching hagler and buckling him with a right early and hagler coming back and pinning hearns against the ropes. That was all in the 1st round. By the start of the third hearns had cut hagler and hagler needed to finish him to avoid a tko on cuts. Hagler hunted hearns down and put him to sleep in an epic 3 round fight. THink castillo-corrales but only 3 rounds and both being top 5 p4p guys. BEST FIGHT OF A GENERATION
Super fight 7
Leonard-Hagler
This was the fight that had been building for close to a decade. Leonard went into retirement for about 5 years because he couldnt fully recover from the facial and eye damage he received from Hearns. Hagler was a huge favorite going into this fight. SRL came out and boxed beautifully the first 4 rounds, but then hagler stepped on the gas and slowly wore SRL down. But leonard dug down deep like he had in the hearns fight and rounds 6,9,12 would flurry to steal the rounds from hagler and walked away with a split decision in the most iconic of the superfights. Hagler disgusted with the result never fought again. Leonard would briefly slip into retirement.
............End of the prime Superfight....Next few are just money fights
Moneyfight 1
Hearns vs leonard 2
Everyone wanted to see this rematch and it finally happened and i want to say yes they are past their prime but it was still a great fight. Hearns scored 2 knockdowns on leonard but as usual leonard dug down deep and rallied and almost ko'd hearns. the bout was ruled a draw though most thought hearns deserved a close win.
Hearns would later lose his 160 belt by ko to iran barkley who was a legit monster. Barkley was a rough customer who wasnt technical but he could take a beating and still knock you out. As Barkley was champ he was challeneged by old 39 year old duran. Duran shocked the world with his beautiful boxing and counter shots and took the belt from barkley. This setup money fight 2
Money fight 2
Duran LEonard 3
This was a pretty boring fight as SRL outboxed duran for 12 rounds. After this only hearns would win anymore titles outboxing a prime virgil hill twice for the 175 belt. Duran would fight for another 10 years and SRL would take some fights but would get beat by terry norris and camacho.
I hope that some of you younger guys realize that the Fab four never dodged each other, no catchweights, all had different promoters yet they entertained us for a decade with brilliant bouts.
Please now your boxing history or you are doomed to post ****** comments
-SUGAR ADAM ALI
I am writing this to show newer boxing fans the real history of these guys and why they are considered boxing legends
Lets first start off by looking at the 70's:
Leonard and hearns were outstanding amateurs, sugar ray was amazing at the olympics. In 1976 he was like a modern day micheal phelps.
Leonard was a flashy fighter and could throw dizzying amount of punch combinations.
Hearns was a huge welter, freak of nature reach that was like a big heavyweights, and had the best boxing skills of anyone i ever saw. His jab would control the entire fight till he landed the right and the fight was over. His right hand was the most effective punch i think i the last 40 years.
Duran was a best a lightweight where he was the undisputed champ and reeled off a record of 71-1 with a lone decision loss to estaban dejesus, who he savagely destroyed in 2 rematches. If you wanna see a true monster with hate in his eyes look at the third fight between the two. Duran hates this guys and wants to end his career. Brutal beatdown
Hagler was the most dodged and robbed guy in the middleweight division. He didnt turn pro with alot of fanfare so he started from the bottom and just beat people down till he got to the top. If you don't know about hagler, think a combination of hopkins and margarito that could switch between southpaw and righty with a super concrete chin.
Heading into the 80's
Hearns and leonard were both welter champs and undefeated. They were headed towards a superfight.
Duran had bumped up to welter and became SRL #1 contender
Hearns continued to knock guys out and was 32-0 with 30 ko's
Hagler got robbed on a draw in his first title try but came back with vengeance vs Alan minter over in england. He destroyed Minter so bad that the crowd threw trash into the ring after hagler mauled minter in 2 rounds for the middleweight belt.
Superfight #1
Duran vs SRL. The fight was a huge marketable fight and duran was seen as a monster and SRL as the boxer. Most assumed SRL would just box and try and make it a boring fight. Duran was like a mayorga when it came to pre-fight trash talk. To get under SRL's skin he used the N-word and even spit at SRL's girl. SRL was enraged and vowed to beat down duran.
Sure enough in the first round SRL came out flat-footed and wanted to trade with duran. Sure enough SRL fought all 15 rounds tooth n nail with duran but it was duran's style and he won a very close decision. That night Duran showed he was an animal and SRL showed he just wasnt a pretty boy slick fighter, he could **** with duran all night long
Superfight #2
Duran vs SRL 2 a few months after the first one was a completely different fight. This time SRL didn't fall for duran's antics and stayed calm and outboxed duran till duran quit with the famous "no mas" Duran would lose a few more after this and be considered done by most boxing fans.
Superfight #3
Hearns vs SRL
THis was the big one. undefeated hearns who was 32-0 with 30 ko vs pretty boy SRL the biggest name in the sport. Most thought that SRL could outbox hearns and if hearns landed the right the fight would be done. But the exact opposite happened. Hearns outboxed the mighty SRL early and Leonard had to resort to brawling in the middle rounds to get back into the fight. by the 9th hearns had regained control and was jabbing and hooking SRL to death.
By the end of the 12th hearns was comfortable up on the cards and SRL had a shattered cheekbone and eye orbital. SRL corner before the 13th famously said "You're blowing it kid" SRL came out battered and bruised and dug down deep and showed true greatness by stepping on the gas and ko'ing hearns in the 14th. Classic visual is when SRL catches hearns and buckles him in the 14th and SRL throws his hands up in victory and proceeds to drop bombs on Hearns till the ref stops it. It was an amazing comeback.
Superfight 4
HAgler vs Duran
Hagler had been middleweight champ for a few years but couldn't land any big names. him and hearns were suppose to fight in 83 but hearns backed out with a hurt pinky finger. This made Hagler hugely upset. Duran had won a few and was still a name so the fight was made between him and hagler.
Most thought hagler would roll right thru Duran but during the fight duran's boxing skills were off the chart and he went all 15 rounds with hagler and after the final bell he just stared down hagler like hagler couldnt do anything to duran. Hagler threw his hands down and didnt even look at duran. Hagler won a decision but duran showed he was not done like everybody thought.
Superfight 5
Duran vs Hearns.
After duran's performance vs Hagler, Duran was put in the ring with hearns in what was thought to be an all action fight. This fight was a massacre. Hearns dominated and destroyed Duran in 2. Think manny-hatton fight. It was a disaster for duran and hearns showed he was still a monster and maybe the best fighter in the world. He just stopped duran in 2 after duran went 15 hard rounds with hagler and leonard.
Superfight 6
HAGLER-HEARNS
This fight had been brewing for about 3-4 years. Hagler got no respect and after he had such a tough time with duran and hearns detroyed duran many thought Hearns would become the 160 champ. HAGLER wanted this fight badly and even wore a hat that said WAR. When asked why he wore it he responded WAR because its on my mind. He didnt forget that Hearns backed out with a hurt pinky finger.
Hearns thought he could ko hagler if he could land the right. Hagler thought he had to get inside. Both guys had the strategy of going straight forward looking for the ko. And sure enough both came staright out and dropped bombs with hearns catching hagler and buckling him with a right early and hagler coming back and pinning hearns against the ropes. That was all in the 1st round. By the start of the third hearns had cut hagler and hagler needed to finish him to avoid a tko on cuts. Hagler hunted hearns down and put him to sleep in an epic 3 round fight. THink castillo-corrales but only 3 rounds and both being top 5 p4p guys. BEST FIGHT OF A GENERATION
Super fight 7
Leonard-Hagler
This was the fight that had been building for close to a decade. Leonard went into retirement for about 5 years because he couldnt fully recover from the facial and eye damage he received from Hearns. Hagler was a huge favorite going into this fight. SRL came out and boxed beautifully the first 4 rounds, but then hagler stepped on the gas and slowly wore SRL down. But leonard dug down deep like he had in the hearns fight and rounds 6,9,12 would flurry to steal the rounds from hagler and walked away with a split decision in the most iconic of the superfights. Hagler disgusted with the result never fought again. Leonard would briefly slip into retirement.
............End of the prime Superfight....Next few are just money fights
Moneyfight 1
Hearns vs leonard 2
Everyone wanted to see this rematch and it finally happened and i want to say yes they are past their prime but it was still a great fight. Hearns scored 2 knockdowns on leonard but as usual leonard dug down deep and rallied and almost ko'd hearns. the bout was ruled a draw though most thought hearns deserved a close win.
Hearns would later lose his 160 belt by ko to iran barkley who was a legit monster. Barkley was a rough customer who wasnt technical but he could take a beating and still knock you out. As Barkley was champ he was challeneged by old 39 year old duran. Duran shocked the world with his beautiful boxing and counter shots and took the belt from barkley. This setup money fight 2
Money fight 2
Duran LEonard 3
This was a pretty boring fight as SRL outboxed duran for 12 rounds. After this only hearns would win anymore titles outboxing a prime virgil hill twice for the 175 belt. Duran would fight for another 10 years and SRL would take some fights but would get beat by terry norris and camacho.
I hope that some of you younger guys realize that the Fab four never dodged each other, no catchweights, all had different promoters yet they entertained us for a decade with brilliant bouts.
Please now your boxing history or you are doomed to post ****** comments
-SUGAR ADAM ALI
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