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Pete Hamill, American journalist and novelist, writes in his Foreword to George Kimball's book "This book is about the last Golden Age of boxing. That is, it is about a time when the matches themselves transcended the squalor of the business side of the sport, and focused only on the men who fought." Despite knowing it will not settle the debate, I don’t think it ever could be, BoxingGuru has decided to put together a scoring system that ranks Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, and against attributes any boxer needs to become as legendary as them. The points are out of 10, if maximum points were awarded to one of the ‘fab four’ members, it would not mean they were merely the best in their group with that respective attribute, but the best in the world. Leaving the points tally for each boxer here would still be a poor reflection into the illustrious career each of them had, therefore we have added further decisive factors that warrant extra points.
Fast forward three decades, the show delves deep into the enduring rivalries of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, as well as Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno. Through a compelling blend of archival footage showcasing their electrifying clashes that mesmerized global audiences, and exclusive interviews offering poignant insights into their personal struggles with mental health beyond the spotlight, Four Kingsrevisits a pivotal era in British sports history.
He gave me a better fight than all the boxers did in the last 10 years’: Fury reflects on win over Ngannou An underrated battle that has long lived in the shadow of their stunning first encounter. Both men were older and wiser, but when the fists flew you were reminded of their youth. An unsatisfying ending hasn’t helped this fight’s standing, with a split draw being declared. There would be no third fight to settle the score. Despite comparing them, all 4 fighters’ conditioning should be appreciated as they were the top athletes of their time. Two-thirds of their combined fights with one another went the distance proving they can still perform at a top-level and put on a show in deep waters. Readers, who may not know about the "Queensberry rules for the sport of boxing", (written in the 19th century these are the rules, on which the rules of modern boxing are based), as well as other facts might have a harder time with this book; boxing fans however will be mesmerized by the riveting content Kimball manages to tie together to complete a beautiful picture of the boxers, the sport and the times. These four men defined an era in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Showtime Sports, in a statement. “Their individual stories, forever linked by the spectacular battles they waged, reflect a tumultuous period in American culture and history. THE KINGS takes the viewer beyond the glorious action of some of history’s most memorable prizefights to illuminate each man’s dramatic journey and the societal context that made them stars of sports and popular culture.”
Sugar Ray came out of retirement having had one fight in five years — Hagler who hadn’t been beaten for 11 years never fought again. Kimball obviously knows his stuff and if there's any slight criticism from me it's that the book is very (obviously) American-centric: I felt that Duran was made to seem difficult to understand or know simply because he spoke another language or came from somewhere outside the USA. Pretty sure a guy who spoke his mind as freely as Duran did (always quoted in broken English, too) must have articulated his thoughts in easily-translatable Spanish somewhere. How was Hearns, Leonard and Hagler's Spanish? But anyway - it's a small whinge. And the tiny bit of Duran's autobiography which was quoted in the book didn't leave me salivating for more! The last factor is one most use to separate the four, however, it deserves more detail than looking at the records and realising Leonard beat everyone. Indeed he did thus earns 3/5 points and not top marks due to his first fight against one ‘fab four’ member resulting in a loss at the hands of Duran as well as an unconvincing win against Hagler that people still dispute the result of to this day. Thanks to being a game champion and carving out one of the closest fights in boxing, Hagler scores 2 points here as the fight, and win against Hearns is the best out of the nine fights the group had and arguably the best in boxing. The other two greats dismally score 1 point apiece as they only had 1 yet emphatic win during this competitive time.
Some deem this to be the Wilmington native’s best attribute but also believe it to be ‘Marvelous’ Marvin’s worst. Those people include me. Although he could get off short hooks on the inside or ranged jabs on the outside, Hagler never had the speed to go with these punches. Hearns did though as did Duran which made them a couple of the best offensive fighters in the sport’s history. FOUR KINGS: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing” was published, to widespread acclaim, by Mainstrean Press in the United Kingdom and by McBooks Press in the United States, and immediately became the best-selling boxing book in both countries. Four Kingswill examine the notorious rivalry between British boxing legends Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno. One of the very best boxing books I've ever read. Superbly written and riveting. The four boxers portrayed here were some of my favourites of all time. Everyone a true warrior The book's highlights lie in the nuanced insights gleaned from conversations with key figures in the fighters' lives. For instance, Kimball shares fascinating details about Hagler's rise to prominence through his interactions with trainers Goody and Pat Petronelli, shedding light on the motivations and bonds that drove Hagler throughout his career. Kimball's portrayal of Hagler's frustration and the subsequent controversial decision in his fight against Leonard underscores the fighter's unwavering commitment and business acumen, solidifying his status as a legend in boxing.
British director Mat Whitecross was commissioned by American network Showtime to make a documentary of those epics. The first 10/10 attribute in this rank goes to Bleacher Report’s fifth-best defensive fighter in the sport’s history. Leonard had everything in this department, foot feints, timing, punch awareness. Sports fans and boxing enthusiasts alike will love this compelling study of the resurgence of boxing in the early 1980s - and the four 'greats' who effected that change. Four Kings captures the contests, fighters and the period with a wonderful perception and vividly conjures up those by-gone smoky and raucous ringside nights in Vegas... New Showtime sports documentary “The Kings” chronicles the golden age of boxing, focusing on four big names from the ea: Roberto “Manos de Piedra” (“Hands of Stone”) Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard. Apart from Hagler, who retired at 33, sadly the others carried on far past their best and got themselves beaten up by inferior opponents.Kimball also devotes attention to Roberto Duran's career, shedding light on his rise and providing engaging anecdotes and inside details. However, the reader may feel that more insights directly from Duran himself could have added further depth to the narrative. Factor in Duran’s achievements at his natural poundage of 135, and the fact that he later managed to win a major belt at middleweight, and Roberto deserves to be placed in the ALL-TIME Top-10 – as he is in fact placed my many historians. Do Leonard, Hagler or Hearns deserve to be placed so high in terms of all-time? Maybe Leonard. Arguably the best performance anywhere on this list. Duran had taken Hagler to the limit over 15 rounds in his last fight. But Hearns would put himself in Marvin’s sights by shattering their shared rival in two brutal rounds. An astonishingly dominant display from the Kronk gym mainstay.
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