The four superstars — Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran — figured in a mesmerizing merry-go-round that lasted until 1989.
Growing up in the 1980s, boxing was often shown on television.
Back then, the administration made sure that big fights were broadcast live from the United States and elsewhere.
On the boob tube, one could see “Live Via Satellite” emblazoned and this was a sign something special was taking place or about to take place.
I think this brief episode in our lives only bolstered the Filipinos’ love for the sport of boxing.
Hey, during this time, the world stood still when there was a huge bout on TV, way before Manny Pacquiao made the roads visibly cleared whenever he fought in Las Vegas.
It was a time when the heavyweights were no longer the kings of boxing.
Muhammad Ali had walked into the sunset while his replacement Larry Holmes, though a very capable champion, didn’t even have the charisma for the people to love him.
Mike Tyson was still sharpening his skills in the first quarter of the decade and would only make an impact towards the latter stage when four guys weighing 160 lbs and below took boxing to the next level.
The four superstars — Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran — figured in a mesmerizing merry-go-round that lasted until 1989.
It kicked off in June 1980 in Montreal when Duran dealt Leonard his first loss as a pro. Five months later in Louisiana, Duran quit in the eighth round, crying the now infamous “No mas, no mas (No more, no more).”
Interestingly, the royal rumble ended in December 1989 when Leonard and Duran, obviously past their primes and just fighting for money, brawled to a dull 12-rounder.
Six months earlier, Hearns and Leonard had battled to draw, their performances a far cry from their September 1981 slugfest that saw Leonard rallying to score a 14th-round stoppage.
The major fights involving these gifted punchers aside from the ones that I mentioned were these: Hagler vs Duran in November 1983, Hearns vs Duran in June 1984, Hagler vs Hearns in April 1985 and Leonard vs Hagler in April 1987.
Among the four, my favorite was the shaven-skulled Hagler, who unfortunately passed away at age 66 just a few days ago in his New Hampshire home.
It’s not because I didn’t like the other three. It’s just that Hagler, I felt, was the ultimate warrior.
His split decision loss to Leonard was an aberration.
What stood out was Hagler’s dramatic third-round knockout of Hearns in what remains to this day, a must-see for sports fans.
Going into that fight, I felt Hagler was going to have his head chopped off by Hearns.
My troubling concern was based on Hearns’ frightening second-round demolition of the iron-chinned Duran less than a year earlier.
I thought at that time what would happen if Hearns connect with that right hand of his on Hagler, the one that was loaded with particles taken from an atomic bomb.
As expected, fight fans were divided. There were the diehard Hearns followers. And there were Hagler devotees. But in our place, there were more Hearns believers, making me sick to the stomach going into the final minutes before the opening bell rang.
After a violent first round, I knew Hagler needed to come up with something to win. He had been badly cut and in the third canto and the ring doctor took a look at the wound and miraculously said he could continue.
Moments later came the shot I was waiting for.
A grazing right to Hearns had him dancing backwards and another Hagler right to the cheek sent the Hitman, winded and buzzed, down and into the protective arms of referee Richard Steele. Hagler’s dream run finally came to a full stop two years later when Leonard upset him.
Incensed by the scoring, Hagler left the sport and never returned.
And just like that, Leonard, Hearns and Duran wound up facing each other in a string of money-grabs the next few years.
Hagler didn’t want any of that.
