1. Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns - April 15, 1985
Real fights are often sacrificed for big events. Sometimes, those events are better than expected. But, more often than not, fans are left disappointed or wondering why they wasted their time, like the recent match between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Jermell Charlo.
So, when a real fight is also a major event, the combination can be noteworthy.
Nothing else needs to be said about the middleweight match labeled as 'The Fight' between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas "Hitman" Hearns. It was a seminal moment for the sport. Both fighters were at the top of their game, highly ranked on the pound-for-pound list and vying for one of the more prestigious titles in boxing- the undisputed middleweight championship.
To promote the fight, Hagler wore a hat with the words war inscribed. There were those who may have thought it was just for promotion, but when the sound of the first bell rang, it was clear that Hagler wasn't joking around.
The first round should be put into a time capsule for generations to come to witness. Even 30-plus years later, the round is still jaw-dropping and a marvel to behold.
Hagler would stop Hearns in three rounds and finally earn the recognition he had hungered for his entire career.
It's rare for fighters to put so much on the line on the biggest of stages. Hagler-Hearns, much like Ali-Frazier, is analogous to boxing. It's part of the sports lexicon.