They were the best in boxing in the 1980s, and over the course of several fights, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns all attempted to defeat each other.
Whether you call them The Four Kings or The Fabulous Four, the quartet produced fight nights that will never be forgotten.
Duran, of course, wasn’t just a man of the 1980s: His career began in 1968 and ended in 2001. Over the course of 119 fights, he boxed Leonard twice in 1980 before a third encounter in 1989, faced Hagler in 1983 and faced Hearns the following year.
Arguably his greatest moment came against Leonard during The Brawl in Montreal, which was his only victory against the elite trio. All three possessed world-class qualities: Leonard’s speed, Hagler’s versatility and combinations, and Hearns’ destructive power. But according to Duran, which of the three had the best chin? He revealed his choice while speaking to The Ring.
“I hit Hagler with a lot of punches and he kept coming. I didn’t find him as skilled as some of the opponents I faced, but he was the toughest.”
Having started his career at 119 pounds – one pound over the bantamweight limit – Duran won world titles at lightweight, welterweight and super welterweight before challenging Hagler for the undisputed middleweight championship in November 1983.
To Hagler’s surprise, Duran chose to box smartly rather than attempt to intimidate “Marvelous” Marvin. After 13 rounds, the champion was in danger of losing his titles, with Duran leading by two cards and the third tier. Hagler, however, dug deep and closed the show strong to retain his belts on points.
