The first round of Marvin Hagler vs Tommy Hearns is widely considered one of the best first rounds in boxing history…..

The opening moments of a boxing match can be a mixture of many things; a veritable melting pot of emotions, apprehension, excitement or perhaps realization. That’s what makes boxing so special, anything can happen in the opening stanza, and quite often we are treated to some truly amazing scenes in the first round.

The most compelling first round in my mind has to be Marvin Hagler vs Tommy Hearns. The two met in 1985, during the modern golden era of boxing, and the result was an instant classic that is still widely debated today. The bout was a back-and-forth war, with both men hurt in the wild opening exchanges.

Hearns had slowed after such a savage pace in the first round, and looked to be on shakey legs. Both men were visibly tired by the third; the blistering action in rounds one and two were clearly taken the toll on “The Hit Man” and “Marvelous”. A rally of heavy punches from Hagler and Hearns went out cold.

The fight will go down in the history books, not only as one of the best first rounds, but as one of the best fights ever. Check out the best first rounds in boxing history with some heavy first round knockouts too. The video is courtesy of Jeff Jackson on youtube: