Lesnar vs Carwin and Historical Context

The heavyweight fight from Saturday night brought back memories of another great fight from the 80’s, the epic showdown between Thomas Hitman Hearns and Mavelous Marvin Hagler. While the narratives aren’t totally symmetrical they share a lot of the same virtues in my book. Both bouts were abbreviated but epic in nature, 7 to 8 minutes of fury that gave the viewer their PPV money’s worth despite lacking in length. The Hagler v Hearns bout lasted only a few rounds but it had a resonance that has echoed in memories and history, a fate that Lesnar v Carwin should enjoy. In both there were wild swings of momentum. Hagler went from being in big trouble in the 1st round to triumphantly and definitively finishing the fight just minutes later, a storyline that Lesnar repeated. Seeming cardio issues played a role in both, with Hearns and Carwin both emptying all reserves in a bid to seize glory. Both veered into a certain sloppiness, but that didn’t detract away from the enjoyment. Hearns didn’t win his fight with Hagler, but that fight as much as any helped to cement his stature in boxing circles, elevating him from great fighter to legend of the sport. While the same isn’t true of Carwin – even the kindest reading of his efforts so far would be a far cry from legend- but his efforts in the Lesnar match have elevated him from the flotsam and jetsam of the heavyweight picture and into a much larger profile in the company. Hagler’s win cemented his preeminence as the king of the middleweight division, if but for a short time until his loss to Sugar Ray Leonard. Lesnar’s win did much the same in launching him to heavy kingpin status in the wake of Fedor’s loss.

For those of you not familiar with Hearns v Hagler, check it out below: