A look back at Hagler v Hearns — a night when ferocity and fury clashed

‘Eight Minutes of Fury’ is the title of Pat Putnam’s peerless account of one of boxing’s all time classic encounters, involving Tommy ‘The Hitman’ Hearns and Marvelous Marvin Hagler in what remains the greatest three rounds of boxing there’s ever been — and likely ever will be.

The setting was a specially built outdoor arena and ring erected on the tennis courts of Caesars Palace hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the date was 15 April 1985, and watching the fight back today still renders you stunned at the ferocity unleashed by two of the sport’s all-time greats, who on this night crashed into one another like men bent on taking possession of the other’s heart.

Hearns at 26 was the young pretender looking to seize from Hagler’s head the undisputed middleweight crown, which Hagler himself had torn from the head of Britain’s Alan Minter five years previously at London’s Wembley Arena. Hagler’s imperious performance that night was denied its rightful acclaim. Instead, when Minter’s trainer Doug Bidwell stopped the fight in the third round after Hagler opened up two vicious cuts over Minter’s eyes, beer bottles and cans rained down on the ring, forcing Hagler to depart the arena like thief in the night, protected by his team and security.