Thomas Hearns

**^{This event was more taxing for one of them than the other.}**

Most Americans have April 15th circled on their calendars as a reminder to file their taxes.

Forty years ago – April 15, 1985 – fight fans had that date circled for a far different reason: The long-awaited Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns vs. “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler Middleweight Championship Fight was scheduled at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

"The Fight" Poster — **^{“The Fight” promotional poster.}**

Billed as “The Fight” it soon became known as “The War” after three action-packed rounds of prolific punching.

Hearns broke his right hand on a punch during a furious first round and opened a cut over Hagler’s right eye. Hagler weathered that storm and kept driving forward to eventually knock Hearns’ out in the third round following referee Richard Steele momentarily stopping the fight for the ringside doctor to give Hagler clearance to continue. (Do yourself a favor and watch the entire fight [just over eight minutes] below.)

Thomas Hearns & Marvin Hagler — ^{Marvin Hagler, right, follows through following a punch at Thomas Hearns during the first round of their Middleweight Championship fight in Las Vegas on April 15, 1985. (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)}

Both The Ring magazine and KO Magazine deemed Hagler-Hearns the “Fight of the Year” and called Round 1 the “Round of the Year.” Many boxing fans still consider the first round the best in the sport’s history and the totality of the three rounds among the best ever.

Yahoo!Sports gave the fight the retrospective look (at this link) last week as the 40th anniversary approached and it’s well worth your time.

The photographer, Sports Illustrated‘s Walter Iooss Jr. is among the all-time great sports photographers. Remember “The Catch” photo? Yep, that was him. Check out his website here.

^{The entire Hagler-Hearns fight from April 15, 1985. The first round is still considered one of the greatest in boxing history.}

Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.

Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you by the early kickoff on Sunday.

**^{One of them fists may have detached the other guy’s retina in their first of two epic fights.}**

Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns — ^{“Sugar” Ray Leonard, left, and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns pose before their September 1981}**_{Welterweight unification bout at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.}**

In the early 1980s, professional boxing’s middle weight classes were teeming with talented fighters that made for plenty of must-see boxing. Two of those were 1976 U.S. Oympic gold medalist “Sugar” Ray Leonard and then-undefeated knockout machine Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns.

The pair first met on September 16, 1981 in a bout to unify the Welterweight division. Hearns battered Leonard to the point of his left eye swelling nearly closed (and it may have been the cause of his eventual detached retina, story here). Leonard stormed back in Rounds 13 and 14 when he eventually peppered Hearns repeatedly on the ropes forcing the referee to stop the fight.

The two fought again at Caesars Palace on June 12, 1989 in a bout to unify the Super Middleweight division. It went the full 12 rounds and ended in a split draw.

Now, for your viewing pleasure (thanks to the beauty of YouTube) both fights in their entirety.