Could Hearns have beaten Hagler if he didn't try to knock him out?

I've always wondered what would have happened if Tommy had paced himself instead of trying to brawl with Marvin. There's no doubt in my mind that Tommy knocking out Duran had an influence on his approach in this fight. Would Hearns have had a shot at winning?

No I dont think so Tommy would have found it hard to keep away from Marvin for 12 round's may have gone 6 or 7 round's?

Impossible at Middleweight , how could Hearns keep Hagler at bay , its not what Tommy could do to win its what Hagler wanted to do , and that was to flatten him, still two Absolute legends and a fight for the ages.

Yes he could have, he was disciplined to do it against Benitez and certainly later against bigger opponents. He just had a right hand from the gods that could strike people down and he wanted to use it. Problem was Hagler had a granite chin and too the punches no one else could have taken.

Im not sure , Marvin was just a bad style for Tommy , rock chin and power , it really was my favorite fight even though Tommy lost.

As someone said, I just think Hagler was all wrong for Tommy. Eventually I think Hearns if he had fought the way op said would have succumbed to Hagler's power, might not be the 3rd round with a different strategy but eventually yes Hagler would have gotten to him in the later rounds.

Agreed, Hagler had just a bad style for Hearns. Btw dia bando, use some punctuation m8, cause it's tough reading some of your posts.

I like Hearns but Hagler was a bit to much for him two great fighter's;D

Tommy's chin always let him down in his biggest fights (Leonard & Hagler). Hagler would have gotten there sooner or later. 15 rounds is a LONG time to stay away from Marvin. It's disappointing the Hagler let his ego get in the way with Sugar Ray and allow the fight to be 12 rounds instead of 15. Hagler would have KO'd Sugar in the 13th or 14th if he would have.

Hearns almost had him and by round 3 Hagler was getting desperate and Hearns fell for the 3 card trick. Hagler was a natural Middleweight and could withstand the Hearns power while Duran was a blown up Lightweight. (Big difference) Hearns needed to calm down after the first round and box, use his reach and continually move. Instead he wanted to mix it with Hagler and played into his hands. The marvelous one was close to losing this fight, but he simply outsmarted Hearns and Hearns allowed him to do it. Should've been a rematch and Tommy Hearns would've fought a different fight.

Hagler did like 15 round fight's in the 80's i hated him what a fool, I was the man was a great fighter he would, just beat the shit out of his opponent's.

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Originally Posted by THE THIRD MAN

Hearns almost had him and by round 3 Hagler was getting desperate and Hearns fell for the 3 card trick. Hagler was a natural Middleweight and could withstand the Hearns power while Duran was a blown up Lightweight. (Big difference) Hearns needed to calm down after the first round and box, use his reach and continually move. Instead he wanted to mix it with Hagler and played into his hands. The marvelous one was close to losing this fight, but he simply outsmarted Hearns and Hearns allowed him to do it. Should've been a rematch and Tommy Hearns would've fought a different fight.

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If Hearns could have some how lasted another round or 2 he may have won because of Hagler's cuts.

Despite Hearns' reputation as afearsome puncher, he started off in the amateurs as a slick stylist, and he was never outboxed in his career ....... even by Ray Leonard and Wilfred benitez, two of the finest pure boxers you will ever see in the ring.

I think there is no question that Hearns could have outboxed Hagler (the Marvelous One was aften strangely passive against pure boxers, and Hearns was by far the better technician. Tyhe question would really be whether Marvin would have caught up with Tommy - because there is no way Hagler wins a points decision gainst Hearns

Hagler was defeated by two tough Philly fighters early in his career but he got his pound of flesh in the rematch. One of them was tough Willy Monroe. Hagler was cut in a bad place by Hearns who got excited when he saw Marvin bleeding badly. This changes most fights and fighters panic. Marvin did not and Hearns thought it would be over soon. Marvin got in close and Hearns made the mistake of obliging him because he thought he had the great one in big trouble and he did but Hearns simply wounded a tiger and got bit. The truth is that Haglert is a workman and Hearns did not learn from the Leonard defeat because Marvin made him fight a fight he should not have fought, Hagler's fight. It was for all sense and purposes a great fight the first, the second and the twenty second time I watched it and all I could coclude was that the tiger devoured the cobra.

Very possible, especially against the snail like 1985 version of Hagler, but ultimately, I think Hagler would have been too physically strong & put Hearns under so much pressure that Tommy's stamina would have let him down at some stage.

Did Hearn's try to KO Hagler?

Marvin initiated the brawl. That was smart b/c Hearns had the reach advantage and weak chin. So pressure him...don't let him outbox you from the outside. Make it an inside fight.

As for Hearns, he reacted not so much by trying to KO Hagler but by catching him with a big right as he came in. The result: probably the most we've ever seen Hagler in trouble. With that wobble, of course Hearns would throw some more bombs to see if he could finish him. But even then, he was doing this either against the ropes or as he backpedaled.

As Hagler kept bulling forward, Hearns indeed started to move and box, throwing big long rights while in a backward slash posture: /.

Then he's pinned against the ropes but that isn't exactly where someone who is looking for a KO wants to be, Ali v Foreman notwithstanding. The rest of the fight he backpedaled even more so I don't see trying to KO Hagler as the culprit.

Hagler's fury was the culprit.

Hagler would box when his opponent would brawl,and would brawl when they would try to box,Marvin had the lot chin punch power hell of a jab. Hearn's Punch power good jab good left hook, but not a great chin.
Tommy was a great fighter, but Marvin had his number over 12 or 15 round's :sheep:

Hearns didn't choose anything that night. Hagler MADE him fight, and, if he hadn't, he'd have been run out of the ring.
Hagler would always beat Hearns. He proved it in a slugfest, and he'd do it in a boxing match. Because Hagler was just as good a boxer, a harder puncher (punch after punch, rpund after round) and a much stronger more determined more durable man.

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Originally Posted by Sleepwalker

I've always wondered what would have happened if Tommy had paced himself instead of trying to brawl with Marvin. There's no doubt in my mind that Tommy knocking out Duran had an influence on his approach in this fight. Would Hearns have had a shot at winning?

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I think Tommy, with his size and reach, could have won a decision had he fought a stick and move fight. Problem was that was not his style. Seek and destroy was Tommy's game plan and well, we saw what that got him.

Hearns went for the knock out and he should have used his boxing more. Manny Steward also said that Hearns legs were weak so he could not try to box, he also injured his right hand so circumstances were him. Hearns did nearly win because the fight was about to be stopped so his aggressive tactic nearly worked.

I think Hearns breaking his hand in the first was the difference more than anything. Hearns showed everybody he had the power to hurt Hagler. And he did. But once he broke it, it was over. He couldn't hurt Hagler after that.

Styles make fights...and Hagler certainly was a tough style for Hearns. That being said...Hearns had great reach and a great jab. He COULD fight a technically great fight...but as others have mentioned...that was not his style. He had dynamite in those hands and wanted to use them. But these guys where warriors...and neither of them was going to back down. In a weird way...it reminds me of Morales vs. Barrera. I always felt that Morales had the superior skills and physical tools (reach, jab, etc.) compared to Barrera. But when the bell rang...a technical game plan just flew out the window. He wanted to brawl against Marco...which I always felt was to his disadvantage. Part of it was their great disdain for each other...but it came down to them being two warriors who where going to leave all out in the ring.

If he couldn't keep Leonard off of him, he wouldn't have been able to keep Hagler off of him. Yeah, if they fight 100 times, Hearns wins some of them...stays away for the whole fight, cut-eye TKO, etc. But by far the most common outcome, if Hearns goes into stick-and-move mode, is that it still ends with Hearns flat on his back; it just takes longer.

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Originally Posted by LobowolfXXX

If he couldn't keep Leonard off of him, he wouldn't have been able to keep Hagler off of him. Yeah, if they fight 100 times, Hearns wins some of them...stays away for the whole fight, cut-eye TKO, etc. But by far the most common outcome, if Hearns goes into stick-and-move mode, is that it still ends with Hearns flat on his back; it just takes longer.

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Yes I think you got it right, Hagler way to strong for Hearns.