Could Hearns have ever beaten Hagler?

[marbleheadmaui]

If John Mugabi, young and brimming with power of a natural middleweight can't knock out an older past his prime Hagler, I have a hard time thinking that Hearns would have ever stopped Hagler. Hagler was a very good boxer, more than people will give him credit, he would have eventually caught up to Hearns and has shown he had the power to stop him. So Hearns couldn't stop Hagler but Hagler could stop Hearns, and Hearns would have to fight super cautious behind the jab for 12 rounds but Hagler would have found a way inside it eventually and there's no way Hearns would have beat him with just that for an entire 12 rounds, that plus the fact Hearns had nothing to move Hagler backwards really, once Hagler took Hearns perfect right hand on the button and kept coming, the fight was over, cause Hearns wasn't going to win a decision with Hagler mauling him the whole fight.

Great point on the Beast. He hit Marvin clean a bunch of times and Marvin, well, he just kept on coming.

[Master]

Yes, Hearns had the tools and skills to stay away from Hagler and possibly win on points. He did injure his hand in the fight and his legs were weak as well. So he could do it and he always wanted a return as he felt he could beat Hagler. He did unofficially beat Leonard.

[roberto duran legend]

Tommy would NEVER ever beat MMH at middleweight not in a million years , as great as the Hitman was he landed his best punches before he damaged his hand , and Hagler just walked threw them ,both were in there prime at the time,Hagler always would have to much ammo against Tommy ,although Hearns should have got the decision over Sugar ray , they were both past there best by then ,there was only one man who beat Leonard in his prime

[armyash]

Just watched the fight again after reading this thread and WOW! that first round never gets boring

Hearns had his hands very low a lot of the time and was getting caught by silly shots even at long range. He was constantly on the move but he was never going to be able to keep Hagler off him for the entire fight fighting like that. Hearns was doing well at times landing that long jab maybe if he had have planted his feet and threw 2s,3s, and 4s more often he might have deterred Hagler very slightly or at least been able to slow the pace of the fight down and the tide might have started to turn in his favour the more tired Hagler became with the way he was fighting.

Hearns dodging some of those blows in the corner 1st round and still trying to fight his way out was pretty special. Hagler was a monster!

[electivemed]

Tommy beats Marvin in a return match. Hagler was taylor made for Hearns. Slow hands would have killed marvin in a return fight. If they box at all Tommy knocks Marvin down with combinations. The reason Marvin didnt get knocked out in the first fight is that he always had his neck in the "flexed position" waging war. In a return fight Marvin would be forced to box Hearns thus exposing his chin and relaxing his neck resulting in FLASH KNOCKDOWN's. Marvin was very lucky Hearns fought him the way he did in 1985. Hearns biggest problem is he had a bad trainer/manager. Both Hagler and Leonard's trainer out managed Hearns trainer. Had Hearns had Dundee as his trainer he beats everyone. Hearns was the best boxer, had the most FLASH power, and had the best footwoork of all his opponents. Hagler gets sliced up and stopped in a return match IMO
Hearns and Hagler wasnt a boxing match it was a street fight. Hearns has it all over Hagler from a boxing prospective. Not even close. Yes Marvin was stronger

[El Kabong]

Most times when Hearns landed bombs clean it was like a howitzer shell hitting a tin can vs Haggler it was more like a .45 round hitting a tank. Maybe if Tommy boxes the entire fight and stays away he lasts longer, but Marvin had his number in my opinion.

[electivemed]

Nobody beats Hagler in a shoot out at 160. Maybe Hearns. Fighting Hearns is like playing with matches next to a fire or trying to defuse a bomb. I can very easily see Hearns putting haglers lights out with one good setup punch. If hagler tried to get inside again Hearns would have held him in the second fight. Once hearns settled hagler down to a boxing match - hagler either gets KO'd, Tko'd by cuts, or out outpointed. a 5 year retired Ray Leonard outpointed hagler. Hearns wins an easy 5 point decision or tko on cuts. Leonard exposed Hagler bigtime. Even Hearns said Leonard would beat Hagler. Tommys weakness was his management not his skills. He was the class of that era with bad management. Can you imagine if Goody and Pat or Dundee trained Hearns. Dont get me wrong I love Hagler but he was tied for 3rd best with Duran in that fab 4. Hearns Leonard 1-2

[Dark Lord Al]

As much as id like to think Tommy would beat Marvin , its just not a good fight for him , he cant hurt Marvin , so the pressure gets to him sooner or later.

[LobowolfXXX]

He couldn't keep Leonard off him at 147; he wasn't going to keep Hagler off him at 160.

[electivemed]

Hagler could never replicate that performance. Hearns had more upside in a second fight. Hagler could'nt adjust. If Hagler came with the same hand speed from the Mugabi or Leonard fight then Hearns eats him alive. People judge Hagler off that one fight. As a boxer Hagler would'nt have a chance against Hearns. If he chose to box Hearns- Hagler gets knocked out or stoped on cuts. If he pressured Hearns- Hearns would hold him and not "exchange with Hagler" thus wearing down. Also I'm convinced theres a good chance Hearns hurts Hagler in a second fight. Not from a brawl but from long range. Hagler earned the first fight. But Tommy was the better fighter. Also Hagler was not the same fighter after the Hearns fight. Tommy was still in his prime.