The War, Don Stradley
The War, Don Stradley
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

The War
Hagler-Hearns and Three Rounds for the Ages

Author: Don Stradley

Narrator: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Unabridged: 9 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/12/2022


Synopsis

The battle between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns is remembered as one of the greatest fights of all time. But in the months before the two finally collided on April 15, 1985, there was a feeling in the air that boxing was in trouble.

With Hagler–Hearns looking like boxing's last hurrah, promoter Bob Arum embarked on one the most audacious publicity campaigns in history, hyping the bout until the entire country was captivated. Could Arum possibly get a memorable fight out of these two moody, unpredictable warriors?

The Hagler–Hearns fight is now part of history, but The War explores the factors behind the event, and how it helped establish what many feel was boxing's greatest era. No book, not even George Kimball's classic, Four Kings, has focused solely on this legendary fight involving two of those "Four Kings" that boxing fans have revered for their skills and willingness to take on challenges that many fighters do not take in today's boxing landscape.

With additional commentary from many who were there, Stradley shows the unlikely path taken by two fighters searching for greatness. When the fight was over, however, each learned that fame inflicted its own kind of damage.

About Don Stradley

Don Stradley is the author of The War: Hagler-Hearns and Three Rounds for the Ages, Berserk: The Shocking Life and Death of Edwin Valero, Slaughter in the Streets: When Boston Became Boxing's Murder Capital, A Fistful of Murder: The Fights and Crimes of Carlos Monzon, Schooled, a dual biography of Lebron James and Jim Morris, and a chapter in The Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists by Bert Sugar and Teddy Atlas. Stradley is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in publications including The Ring, Ringside Seat, and ESPN.com. Along with his boxing coverage, he's written about baseball, NASCAR, and professional wrestling. When not writing about sports, he's written about the movies for such magazines as Cinema Retro and Noir City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Adam on December 26, 2021

A fight and event of this magnitude deserves a 2020 book dedicated to it. Written some 35 years later Don Stradley captures the importance of the event and highlights the difference between the era of ‘closed circuit viewing’ and the modern ‘PPV model.’ I’m glad that the book was written coincidently......more

Goodreads review by Jason on December 17, 2021

I was and still am a Hagler fan. When I saw this book I was stoked to read it! This book covers both Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler and their lives/careers leading up to their unforgettable fight. “The War” is appropriately titled. Some people have this fight as one of the best ever, or the first rou......more

Goodreads review by Ben on January 09, 2022

Does the greatest fight justice . Don Stadley is a brilliant author that brings to life this period of boxing history . I was lucky enough to speak to Don via zoom recently about the book and he was incredibly interesting guy . He answered all the questions fired at him like he had be sent them week......more

Goodreads review by Calum on January 07, 2022

In this incredible book, Don Stradley reminds us how Marvellous Marvin Hagler vs Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns did so much for boxing (and Las Vegas) by putting on their 8 minute ‘war’ that made history. A fight that, originally, nobody wanted to see turned into a fight everyone wanted to see which turned......more

Goodreads review by Steve Hunt on December 08, 2021

The author reflects that for young people today, "but should they be so lucky, perhaps in their own lifetimes there will be another pair of hungry fighters so perfectly matched, and a promoter who can sell the hell out of them, and then the boxing world will be left breathless all over again." Wonder......more