What do you think?
Rate this book
The War: Hagler-Hearns and Three Rounds for the Ages
"Excellent."— Times Literary Supplement The battle between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns is remembered as one of the greatest fights of all time. But in the months before the two finally collided on April 15, 1985, there was a feeling in the air that boxing was in trouble. The biggest name in the business, Sugar Ray Leonard, was retired with no logical replacement in sight, while the American Medical Association was calling for a ban on the sport.
With Hagler–Hearns looking like boxing's last hurrah, promoter Bob Arum embarked on one the most audacious publicity campaigns in history, hyping the bout until the entire country was captivated. Arum's task was difficult. He'd spent years trying and failing to make Hagler a star, while Hearns was a gifted but inconsistent performer. Could Arum possibly get a memorable fight out of these two moody, unpredictable warriors?
The Hagler–Hearns fight is now part of history, but The War by Don Stradley explores the many factors behind the event, and how it helped establish what many feel was boxing's greatest era. No book, not even George Kimball’s classic, Four Kings , has focused solely on this legendary fight involving two of those "Four Kings" that boxing fans have revered for their skills and willingness to take on challenges that many fighters do not take in today's boxing landscape.
With additional commentary from many who were there, Stradley shows the unlikely path taken by two fighters searching for greatness. They didn't care how many punches they endured, as long as it led to stardom. When the fight was over, however, each learned that fame inflicted its own kind of damage.
With Hagler–Hearns looking like boxing's last hurrah, promoter Bob Arum embarked on one the most audacious publicity campaigns in history, hyping the bout until the entire country was captivated. Arum's task was difficult. He'd spent years trying and failing to make Hagler a star, while Hearns was a gifted but inconsistent performer. Could Arum possibly get a memorable fight out of these two moody, unpredictable warriors?
The Hagler–Hearns fight is now part of history, but The War by Don Stradley explores the many factors behind the event, and how it helped establish what many feel was boxing's greatest era. No book, not even George Kimball’s classic, Four Kings , has focused solely on this legendary fight involving two of those "Four Kings" that boxing fans have revered for their skills and willingness to take on challenges that many fighters do not take in today's boxing landscape.
With additional commentary from many who were there, Stradley shows the unlikely path taken by two fighters searching for greatness. They didn't care how many punches they endured, as long as it led to stardom. When the fight was over, however, each learned that fame inflicted its own kind of damage.
- GenresSports
ebook
First published September 14, 2021
67 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 12, 2022
A book that lives up to the fight it describes
The decade of the 1980’s is considered by many to be the best decade for boxing. Two of the sport’s stars in that decade, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, fought in 1985 in a frenzied brutal bout that is still talked about more than 35 years later. That includes this excellent book by Don Stradley.
The bout itself was not long, as the title infers as Hagler knocked out Hearns late in the third round. But the action before the punch that felled Hearns, especially in the first round, was back and forth between both fighters and even was stopped by referee Richard Steele as he was concerned about a cut suffered by Hagler. Stradley interviews many journalists who were working at the fight and their recollections make for compelling reading. This is especially noteworthy when most of them share what they saw live that just couldn’t be capturers by the viewers of the fight on television or in the theaters and arenas showing the fight via closed circuit broadcasts, which were the main way to view a fight at the time.
The writing of the build-up of the fight was excellent as well. The promoters, most notably Bob Arum, felt a large media blitz was needed considering that this was not a heavyweight championship fight, nor did it include Sugar Ray Leonard, who had recently announced his retirement.
This is especially important as without his retirement, “The War” may never have happened as Hagler wanted a fight with Leonard and without that chance now, he was angry. Hearn, working his own goals of winning the championship in multiple weight divisions, saw this as his chance to do so. When the fight finally occurred, no one was disappointed save for Hearns.
As someone who sat in a hockey arena on April 15, 1985 and saw this fight, every over the top accolade written about this fight has merit. Stradley’s account of the eight minutes of boxing was not only bringing back memories of that night, but I also found my pulse quickening when recounting that first round when both fighters hurt the other one. Anyone who has any interest in this legendary bout should read this book.
The decade of the 1980’s is considered by many to be the best decade for boxing. Two of the sport’s stars in that decade, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, fought in 1985 in a frenzied brutal bout that is still talked about more than 35 years later. That includes this excellent book by Don Stradley.
The bout itself was not long, as the title infers as Hagler knocked out Hearns late in the third round. But the action before the punch that felled Hearns, especially in the first round, was back and forth between both fighters and even was stopped by referee Richard Steele as he was concerned about a cut suffered by Hagler. Stradley interviews many journalists who were working at the fight and their recollections make for compelling reading. This is especially noteworthy when most of them share what they saw live that just couldn’t be capturers by the viewers of the fight on television or in the theaters and arenas showing the fight via closed circuit broadcasts, which were the main way to view a fight at the time.
The writing of the build-up of the fight was excellent as well. The promoters, most notably Bob Arum, felt a large media blitz was needed considering that this was not a heavyweight championship fight, nor did it include Sugar Ray Leonard, who had recently announced his retirement.
This is especially important as without his retirement, “The War” may never have happened as Hagler wanted a fight with Leonard and without that chance now, he was angry. Hearn, working his own goals of winning the championship in multiple weight divisions, saw this as his chance to do so. When the fight finally occurred, no one was disappointed save for Hearns.
As someone who sat in a hockey arena on April 15, 1985 and saw this fight, every over the top accolade written about this fight has merit. Stradley’s account of the eight minutes of boxing was not only bringing back memories of that night, but I also found my pulse quickening when recounting that first round when both fighters hurt the other one. Anyone who has any interest in this legendary bout should read this book.
December 26, 2021
A fight and event of this magnitude deserves a 2020 book dedicated to it.
Written some 35 years later Don Stradley captures the importance of the event and highlights the difference between the era of ‘closed circuit viewing’ and the modern ‘PPV model.’
I’m glad that the book was written coincidently with Marvin’s passing. The tribute paid to him ended the book perfectly.
I would have liked some glossy images of the event within the book, but the excellent cover image and wax like finish of the books cover is beautiful.
Written some 35 years later Don Stradley captures the importance of the event and highlights the difference between the era of ‘closed circuit viewing’ and the modern ‘PPV model.’
I’m glad that the book was written coincidently with Marvin’s passing. The tribute paid to him ended the book perfectly.
I would have liked some glossy images of the event within the book, but the excellent cover image and wax like finish of the books cover is beautiful.
December 17, 2021
I was and still am a Hagler fan. When I saw this book I was stoked to read it! This book covers both Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler and their lives/careers leading up to their unforgettable fight.
“The War” is appropriately titled. Some people have this fight as one of the best ever, or the first round as one of if not the best rounds in boxing history.
Round One had Hagler landing 50 out of 82 punches, and Hearns landed 56 out of 83 punches. These warriors combined for 165 punches thrown in 180 seconds!!!!
Read this book!
RIP Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
“The War” is appropriately titled. Some people have this fight as one of the best ever, or the first round as one of if not the best rounds in boxing history.
Round One had Hagler landing 50 out of 82 punches, and Hearns landed 56 out of 83 punches. These warriors combined for 165 punches thrown in 180 seconds!!!!
Read this book!
RIP Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
January 7, 2022
In this incredible book, Don Stradley reminds us how Marvellous Marvin Hagler vs Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns did so much for boxing (and Las Vegas) by putting on their 8 minute ‘war’ that made history. A fight that, originally, nobody wanted to see turned into a fight everyone wanted to see which turned into a fight that everyone now treasures.
January 9, 2022
Does the greatest fight justice .
Don Stadley is a brilliant author that brings to life this period of boxing history . I was lucky enough to speak to Don via zoom recently about the book and he was incredibly interesting guy . He answered all the questions fired at him like he had be sent them weeks ago .
The detail of behind the scenes stuff is insightful and at times incredibly frustrating as the politics of boxing are the same then as now …so if your a fight fan then you love Hagler Hearns ..so get the book.
Don Stadley is a brilliant author that brings to life this period of boxing history . I was lucky enough to speak to Don via zoom recently about the book and he was incredibly interesting guy . He answered all the questions fired at him like he had be sent them weeks ago .
The detail of behind the scenes stuff is insightful and at times incredibly frustrating as the politics of boxing are the same then as now …so if your a fight fan then you love Hagler Hearns ..so get the book.
December 8, 2021
The author reflects that for young people today, "but should they be so lucky, perhaps in their own lifetimes there will be another pair of hungry fighters so perfectly matched, and a promoter who can sell the hell out of them, and then the boxing world will be left breathless all over again."
Wonderful stuff. I loved this book. A compelling story of two amazing men and what happened when they came together in 1885.
Wonderful stuff. I loved this book. A compelling story of two amazing men and what happened when they came together in 1885.
May 11, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: HOW MEN FOUGHT BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF FIRE OR THE INVENTION OF THE WHEEL
*****************************************************************************
I’ve been in love with boxing since I started watching it on TV with my Dad when I was eight-years-old… then started going to fights with him as I got older… then as a young man I went to fights by myself… I even did some fighting while I was in the military… when I became a Father I had my son watch fights on TV with me and then started taking him to fights with me. I’m now a Grandfather… and after sixty-years of an intimate relationship with boxing… I have to say the greatest three rounds (let alone the opening three rounds!) of boxing I ever saw was on April 15, 1985 for the World Middleweight Championship at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns !
This was not the typical fight where the combatants danced around… and felt each other out at the opening bell. There was no meaningless feints and showmanship… NO SIR! The champion Marvelous Marv came storming straight out… straight in towards Hearns like a perfectly programmed high-tech heat-seeking-missile! And just like a heat-seeking-missile… the champion hit his target… and Hearns reacted with some shrapnel of his own. Blood oozed from Hagler’s forehead… but the first three rounds were relentless … no ceasefires were negotiated or deployed… no peace talks were even contemplated. The end result was Hagler not only knocking out Hearns in the third round… and it was actually in a minute 49 seconds not the previously stated 2 minutes 1 second… because reporters forgot to subtract the time that the fight was halted for the ring doctor to check Hagler’s bloody forehead.
Hagler so totally destroyed Hearns… that after the fight was mercifully stopped… “A friend of Hearns, Quentin Hines, scooped him up in his arms like an infant and carried him back to his corner. Hearns was too dazed to object, but it was a startling image, one that was caught by photographers and appeared in several newspapers the next day. Many were disturbed by it, while others saw something poetic in the helpless fighter.” It should be pointed out to potential readers that this was during the time “tree-huggers”… and some medical people were trying to have boxing banned.
The author starts out by setting the stage for the historical fight that’s about to be held/described… then goes back in time individually with each of the future champions life story. All the similarities such as both hanging around a shoddy boxing gym as youngsters… and just constantly showing up… and both dedicating themselves to the only thing they found that could positively change their lives… BOXING! Then as time goes on… the author points out in detail… certain innate differences in the two combatants. Hearns with his partying entourage… and Hagler with a lean-mean-no-fluff-almost-prehistoric-doggedness-dedication to boxing. On one hand Hearns never thought he got full credit for his accomplishments… most likely because he lost the biggest stage fights of his life… and Hagler… who never thought he was fully appreciated… and saw conspiracy theories around every corner.
Admittedly… I was a very big Marvelous Marv (he legally changed his name to Marvelous Marv) fan… but I must state for the record… how impressed I was with how fair I thought the author was to both fighters… literally “THE-GOOD-THE-BAD-THE-UGLY” of both men… were laid out equally on the table for the world to see. The third main character in this book was Bob Arum who was the promoter of this epic historical fight. He literally could stand toe to toe with P.T. Barnum. This was before pay per view was as common as a cell phone. Much time is spent on him battling for TV… or closed circuit… or pay per view… sales… way before they were a household name. When he set up a coast to coast pre-fight publicity tour with both fighters to try and sell the nation on buying tickets… the day to day… and then lifelong hatred/dislike (and I believe all based on jealousy as well as pure competitiveness) between Hagler and Hearns is covered Ad Nauseam. Even though it might have softened a bit decades later… it never really disappeared.
How great was this fight… this march into a three round ring of boxing heaven and hell?? It’s still held up to the boxing G-ds even today by boxing historians and loving pugilistic fanatics as the greatest three rounds in history! Sports teams such as the New England Patriots at the direction of the most decorated Super Bowl winning coach… Bill Belichick… have actually showed the full three round fight to their teams before a crucial game to fire them up… and show them what is necessary to win… and what you must dedicate and endure.
Note 1: there are a number of typos in this book… but the one that I found the most embarrassing is when the author is telling how Hagler wanted to be an actor and was considered for a role in the TV movie and then series… based on the books of the late great international best-selling author Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser For Hire”… as Spenser’s trusty sidekick… “Hawk”. The author of this book misspells Spenser multiple times!
Note 2: I read every one of the Spenser series books… and Marvelous Marv would have been perfectly cast as “Hawk”.
Note 3: The most touching and classy incident in the book… was after Hearns was destroyed and defeated… and the hatred between the fighters obvious… Hearns on his own after the fight… though still not himself… walked into the reigning champions locker room to congratulate him with these words:
“YOU’RE THE BETTER MAN, MARVIN,” HEARNS SAID. “YOU’RE NOT ONLY THE BETTER MAN, BUT YOU’RE A GREAT FIGHTER. I MEAN A TRULY GREAT FIGHTER.”
“THANKS,” HAGLER SAID, “YOU’VE GOT A LOT OF CLASS TO COME IN HERE AND SAY THAT.”
Note 4: I believe that the infamous speech by Teddy Roosevelt… “THE MAN IN THE ARENA”… couldn’t describe Hearns’ career any better.
Note 5: I’m a little perplexed why this book used the title “THE WAR” when that was the marketing title (see the attached picture of my ticket to that fight with “THE WAR” emblazoned on the top… along with fight memorabilia from that fight with “THE WAR” emblazoned on it also!?) of the LEONARD – HEARNS fights a few years later??? June 12, 1989.
Note 6: The dust cover for this book has a painting (not a picture) by Amanda Kelley… of Hagler and Hearns… that is breathtakingly eye-catching. It is perhaps the most uniquely beautiful boxing painting I have ever seen… far outweighing Leroy Nieman.
*****************************************************************************
I’ve been in love with boxing since I started watching it on TV with my Dad when I was eight-years-old… then started going to fights with him as I got older… then as a young man I went to fights by myself… I even did some fighting while I was in the military… when I became a Father I had my son watch fights on TV with me and then started taking him to fights with me. I’m now a Grandfather… and after sixty-years of an intimate relationship with boxing… I have to say the greatest three rounds (let alone the opening three rounds!) of boxing I ever saw was on April 15, 1985 for the World Middleweight Championship at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns !
This was not the typical fight where the combatants danced around… and felt each other out at the opening bell. There was no meaningless feints and showmanship… NO SIR! The champion Marvelous Marv came storming straight out… straight in towards Hearns like a perfectly programmed high-tech heat-seeking-missile! And just like a heat-seeking-missile… the champion hit his target… and Hearns reacted with some shrapnel of his own. Blood oozed from Hagler’s forehead… but the first three rounds were relentless … no ceasefires were negotiated or deployed… no peace talks were even contemplated. The end result was Hagler not only knocking out Hearns in the third round… and it was actually in a minute 49 seconds not the previously stated 2 minutes 1 second… because reporters forgot to subtract the time that the fight was halted for the ring doctor to check Hagler’s bloody forehead.
Hagler so totally destroyed Hearns… that after the fight was mercifully stopped… “A friend of Hearns, Quentin Hines, scooped him up in his arms like an infant and carried him back to his corner. Hearns was too dazed to object, but it was a startling image, one that was caught by photographers and appeared in several newspapers the next day. Many were disturbed by it, while others saw something poetic in the helpless fighter.” It should be pointed out to potential readers that this was during the time “tree-huggers”… and some medical people were trying to have boxing banned.
The author starts out by setting the stage for the historical fight that’s about to be held/described… then goes back in time individually with each of the future champions life story. All the similarities such as both hanging around a shoddy boxing gym as youngsters… and just constantly showing up… and both dedicating themselves to the only thing they found that could positively change their lives… BOXING! Then as time goes on… the author points out in detail… certain innate differences in the two combatants. Hearns with his partying entourage… and Hagler with a lean-mean-no-fluff-almost-prehistoric-doggedness-dedication to boxing. On one hand Hearns never thought he got full credit for his accomplishments… most likely because he lost the biggest stage fights of his life… and Hagler… who never thought he was fully appreciated… and saw conspiracy theories around every corner.
Admittedly… I was a very big Marvelous Marv (he legally changed his name to Marvelous Marv) fan… but I must state for the record… how impressed I was with how fair I thought the author was to both fighters… literally “THE-GOOD-THE-BAD-THE-UGLY” of both men… were laid out equally on the table for the world to see. The third main character in this book was Bob Arum who was the promoter of this epic historical fight. He literally could stand toe to toe with P.T. Barnum. This was before pay per view was as common as a cell phone. Much time is spent on him battling for TV… or closed circuit… or pay per view… sales… way before they were a household name. When he set up a coast to coast pre-fight publicity tour with both fighters to try and sell the nation on buying tickets… the day to day… and then lifelong hatred/dislike (and I believe all based on jealousy as well as pure competitiveness) between Hagler and Hearns is covered Ad Nauseam. Even though it might have softened a bit decades later… it never really disappeared.
How great was this fight… this march into a three round ring of boxing heaven and hell?? It’s still held up to the boxing G-ds even today by boxing historians and loving pugilistic fanatics as the greatest three rounds in history! Sports teams such as the New England Patriots at the direction of the most decorated Super Bowl winning coach… Bill Belichick… have actually showed the full three round fight to their teams before a crucial game to fire them up… and show them what is necessary to win… and what you must dedicate and endure.
Note 1: there are a number of typos in this book… but the one that I found the most embarrassing is when the author is telling how Hagler wanted to be an actor and was considered for a role in the TV movie and then series… based on the books of the late great international best-selling author Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser For Hire”… as Spenser’s trusty sidekick… “Hawk”. The author of this book misspells Spenser multiple times!
Note 2: I read every one of the Spenser series books… and Marvelous Marv would have been perfectly cast as “Hawk”.
Note 3: The most touching and classy incident in the book… was after Hearns was destroyed and defeated… and the hatred between the fighters obvious… Hearns on his own after the fight… though still not himself… walked into the reigning champions locker room to congratulate him with these words:
“YOU’RE THE BETTER MAN, MARVIN,” HEARNS SAID. “YOU’RE NOT ONLY THE BETTER MAN, BUT YOU’RE A GREAT FIGHTER. I MEAN A TRULY GREAT FIGHTER.”
“THANKS,” HAGLER SAID, “YOU’VE GOT A LOT OF CLASS TO COME IN HERE AND SAY THAT.”
Note 4: I believe that the infamous speech by Teddy Roosevelt… “THE MAN IN THE ARENA”… couldn’t describe Hearns’ career any better.
Note 5: I’m a little perplexed why this book used the title “THE WAR” when that was the marketing title (see the attached picture of my ticket to that fight with “THE WAR” emblazoned on the top… along with fight memorabilia from that fight with “THE WAR” emblazoned on it also!?) of the LEONARD – HEARNS fights a few years later??? June 12, 1989.
Note 6: The dust cover for this book has a painting (not a picture) by Amanda Kelley… of Hagler and Hearns… that is breathtakingly eye-catching. It is perhaps the most uniquely beautiful boxing painting I have ever seen… far outweighing Leroy Nieman.
November 10, 2023
A very good book on the fight between Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler in 1985 that despite lasting only three rounds, has been called one of the best of all time and nicknamed, "The War." There was 165 punches thrown...in the first round alone - about a punch per second. The 1980s was a good decade for boxing, but not always known at the time after Sugar Ray Leonard retired. In 1985, everybody was looking to take the title of best boxer in the world around that time, but none had the spotlight of Ali or Leonard quite yet. The 80's are often looked at with four boxers all fighting one another often - Leonard (he came out of retirement twice), Hearns, Hagler and Roberto Duran. The book takes a little while to get going, but when it does it moves quick. In fact, there is only about 10 pages on the actual fight, with much of the book talking about stuff pre-fight and post-fight. Hard to believe now, but it's the only time these two fighters were matched up. The ninth chapter of this book is some of the best sports writing I've ever read. Good stuff and a must for boxing fans.
February 19, 2024
I arrived to this book with my father in mind. As a 90s baby some of my earliest sports memories consisted of the indulging in boxing’s twilight years with my dad, struggling to stay up for the main event and somehow waking up in my own bed after my dad tucked me in. My dad would always talk about the 80s era of boxing with the names of Duran, Leonard, Hagler and Hearns, repeatedly stating that the “War” was the best fight he ever saw or should I say more accurately “they don’t fight like this anymore.”
This book did much more than explain the intricacies and motivations for the two fighters going into the match, but the reality of boxing at the time and how Vegas became the epicenter for big matches. Fitting to have read this after the recent Vegas Super Bowl spectacle and the renewed interest of sports franchises to call the city home. I also arrived to this book anticipating to have a renewed respect for Hagler, a sports hero before my time that I somehow found incredibly relatable. Undersized, hard working, determined, and under appreciated. However, Hearns emerged as a new boxing hero, someone much more than a powerful right hand. Highly recommend this work for any sports fan and anyone who has felt they were denied the recognition they deserved and in need of encouragement to keep training and preparing for that special moment!
This book did much more than explain the intricacies and motivations for the two fighters going into the match, but the reality of boxing at the time and how Vegas became the epicenter for big matches. Fitting to have read this after the recent Vegas Super Bowl spectacle and the renewed interest of sports franchises to call the city home. I also arrived to this book anticipating to have a renewed respect for Hagler, a sports hero before my time that I somehow found incredibly relatable. Undersized, hard working, determined, and under appreciated. However, Hearns emerged as a new boxing hero, someone much more than a powerful right hand. Highly recommend this work for any sports fan and anyone who has felt they were denied the recognition they deserved and in need of encouragement to keep training and preparing for that special moment!
May 13, 2023
Stradley does a really good job providing details on behind-the-scenes aspects of this rivalry (including the aborted '82 fight) and the business dealings it took to finally bring this fight together in '85. Much of this info is stuff I read for the first time in this book, so kudos to Stradley for his research. I also appreciate that, though he is in awe of the fight itself, Stradley does not view the key figures in this book with rose-colored glasses.
As for the narrative of the fight itself, I actually prefer George Kimball's account in Four Kings a little bit better. If you like heavy doses of superlatives, you might find Stradley's account more to your liking. Regardless, boxing fans need to read this.
As for the narrative of the fight itself, I actually prefer George Kimball's account in Four Kings a little bit better. If you like heavy doses of superlatives, you might find Stradley's account more to your liking. Regardless, boxing fans need to read this.
November 16, 2022
Enjoyable read on one of the handful of fights in my lifetime that crossed over into an American pop culture event. Unlike the megafights between non heavyweights that would come later; Trinidad- De La Hoya, Hagler-Leonard, and Mayweather-Pacquiao, Hagler-Hearns delivered. Stadley gives readers the backgrounds of both fighters, the business of the fight, its position in popular culture at the time, the fight itself, and the aftermath. The fight is available on YouTube and I highly suggest if you haven't seen it do so now.
January 19, 2024
liked Marvin Hagler. The author explains why he was popular in areas but he wasn’t popular in the business. Hearns was liked and was seen as second tier. They both need a big fight. The author sets that up.
They do promos together trying to get media attention. It works. The fight had a lot of hype to live up to. The author gets into the fight with vivid descriptions of punches and cuts. He gets into the results. What was the aftermath of such a fight? It’s here. How did this change boxing? How did this change them? The answers are here.
They do promos together trying to get media attention. It works. The fight had a lot of hype to live up to. The author gets into the fight with vivid descriptions of punches and cuts. He gets into the results. What was the aftermath of such a fight? It’s here. How did this change boxing? How did this change them? The answers are here.
July 3, 2022
Hagler was my second fave fighter (after Ali) of all time - tough, undersized, blah, blah, blah. Hearns also well liked by me.
This book is probably 25 pages too long, and is a little too gossipy for my taste - but I enjoyed it. “The fight” was a pivotal event for me (I was 17) and I remember trying to find out the results on radio. Different times.
If you like boxing and want a little stroll down mid-80’s memory lane this is a fine book.
This book is probably 25 pages too long, and is a little too gossipy for my taste - but I enjoyed it. “The fight” was a pivotal event for me (I was 17) and I remember trying to find out the results on radio. Different times.
If you like boxing and want a little stroll down mid-80’s memory lane this is a fine book.
November 26, 2022
I actually listened to this walking around as an audiobook and it was great! Excellent detail about two of the best boxers of their time, who, after much delay, fought THE MOST ICONIC FIGHT of all time. It was electric. It was furious. You knew it couldn’t last long. And this (audio) book gave great background on Hagler and Hearns. Two nice guys with fists like granite. Not a bad choice for my first audiobook experience…it was like listening to a very detailed podcast.
September 19, 2024
A book that makes both Hagler and Hearns into real people. The real strength of this book is its ability to conjure the gritty 1980s Las Vegas of oil-wrestling and aged lounge lizards. One gets a good sense of the times this fight took place in. The definitive work on what some would say is the greatest three round fight in boxing and the author gets extra credit for digging up the continued references to the fight in popular culture.
March 19, 2022
Great account of this historic fight and all that lead up to it and what came after. I do however think that this book, in my humble opinion, is for a more advanced boxing fan than someone with a passing interest. I am a longtime boxing fan and thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 23, 2024
This was an engaging account of the Hearns and Hagler fight. The author brings the struggle to put on this fight to life and the aftermath as well. It moves quickly and is engaging. The denuemount was a little slow.
January 12, 2022
No Comment
I have a comment but Amazon doesn't like my opinions. Xxx xxx xxx xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX
I have a comment but Amazon doesn't like my opinions. Xxx xxx xxx xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX
January 21, 2022
good but long
it benefits you, I think, to know the fight before trying to learn the story behind this. I couldn’t imagine reading about it first then watching it.
it benefits you, I think, to know the fight before trying to learn the story behind this. I couldn’t imagine reading about it first then watching it.
February 18, 2022
I had to stop reading this because of numerous grammatical errors. The subject matter is incredibly interesting, as I've been a box in ng fan for many years. The author is just not a good writer.
August 4, 2022
Great book
That was a great fight of the century. One of the greatest book in the world. It was great I'm glad I read it
That was a great fight of the century. One of the greatest book in the world. It was great I'm glad I read it
September 11, 2022
Good story about the greatest first round, and greatest short fight, ever. Read the book and then watch the fight.
January 5, 2024
Enjoyable read, never gets boring and, despite knowing a fair bit about both the combatants, I learned some stuff.
January 14, 2022
A whole book about 8 minutes of boxing? Yep, and it’s one of the best books I read in 2021.
The era of the Four Kings continues to occupy a revered place in boxing lore. A large part of that reverence stems from the willingness of the contenders to fight each other but also the personalities and achievements of Leonard and Duran in particular. Not all crowns are equal and Hagler and Hearns are undoubtedly somewhere below Leonard and Duran in their place in the boxing pantheon. However, they both elevated their legacy and the sport when they faced each other in April 1985.
Hagler v Hearns took place at a time when boxing was struggling to recover from Sugar Ray Leonard’s retirement and a growing focus on the dangers of the sport. The book tells a number of stories all centered around three rounds of boxing that are simply unforgettable in their intensity and drama.
At it’s heart, the book is a character study of two fighters seeking fame, fortune and recognition. Two men who had enormous talent but lacked the natural charisma of Leonard, the compelling energy of Duran and who just couldn’t seem to break through the barrier that separates champion from superstar. Above all, it’s about two men who were searching for greatness and were willing to leave everything behind in the ring to achieve it.
It also tells the story of boxing in the 1980’s, it’s rise with Leonard, and it’s fall before Iron Mike Tyson would again draw US TV audiences in the same kind of manner. It captures the politics, the money, the frustration, the marketing and above all the audacity of Bob Arum in promoting a fight that wasn’t as natural a sell as Leonard v Anybody but which proved a huge success using any metric.
And of course it’s also a story about 8 minutes of boxing. The first round in particular has gone down as one of the greatest rounds of all time. The second and third offer no less drama, intensity, and passion. Stradley captures this through commentary and reflections of many of those present and paints the scene in Vegas, the glitz and glamour, the danger and the risk, in wonderful compelling detail.
The Hagler–Hearns fight played a significant role in cementing the legacy of the Four Kings. The War tells the story of the fight and the fighters but also captures what the fight meant to the sport and the sport meant to America at a time when boxing, and even middleweight boxing, could bring the country to a standstill.
Read the book, watch the fight, pick up Four Kings by George Kimball and watch the recent Four Kings Showtime documentary. Then thank me after.
The era of the Four Kings continues to occupy a revered place in boxing lore. A large part of that reverence stems from the willingness of the contenders to fight each other but also the personalities and achievements of Leonard and Duran in particular. Not all crowns are equal and Hagler and Hearns are undoubtedly somewhere below Leonard and Duran in their place in the boxing pantheon. However, they both elevated their legacy and the sport when they faced each other in April 1985.
Hagler v Hearns took place at a time when boxing was struggling to recover from Sugar Ray Leonard’s retirement and a growing focus on the dangers of the sport. The book tells a number of stories all centered around three rounds of boxing that are simply unforgettable in their intensity and drama.
At it’s heart, the book is a character study of two fighters seeking fame, fortune and recognition. Two men who had enormous talent but lacked the natural charisma of Leonard, the compelling energy of Duran and who just couldn’t seem to break through the barrier that separates champion from superstar. Above all, it’s about two men who were searching for greatness and were willing to leave everything behind in the ring to achieve it.
It also tells the story of boxing in the 1980’s, it’s rise with Leonard, and it’s fall before Iron Mike Tyson would again draw US TV audiences in the same kind of manner. It captures the politics, the money, the frustration, the marketing and above all the audacity of Bob Arum in promoting a fight that wasn’t as natural a sell as Leonard v Anybody but which proved a huge success using any metric.
And of course it’s also a story about 8 minutes of boxing. The first round in particular has gone down as one of the greatest rounds of all time. The second and third offer no less drama, intensity, and passion. Stradley captures this through commentary and reflections of many of those present and paints the scene in Vegas, the glitz and glamour, the danger and the risk, in wonderful compelling detail.
The Hagler–Hearns fight played a significant role in cementing the legacy of the Four Kings. The War tells the story of the fight and the fighters but also captures what the fight meant to the sport and the sport meant to America at a time when boxing, and even middleweight boxing, could bring the country to a standstill.
Read the book, watch the fight, pick up Four Kings by George Kimball and watch the recent Four Kings Showtime documentary. Then thank me after.
August 3, 2023
I paid $25 to watch this fight on closed circuit tv. The match lasted less than 3 rounds and was worth every penny. This book captures the Hagler and Hearns perfectly. Title fits the book perfectly. A great read.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews