The Four Kings (1980s)

From 1979 to 1989, four fighters dominated the welterweight and middleweight divisions and produced nine bouts between them — the so-called 'Four Kings' era. Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Durán, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns each defined a different facet of boxing: Leonard's textbook offence and footwork, Durán's hands-of-stone pressure, Hagler's switch-stance defensive technique, Hearns's reach and rear cross. The matchups: Leonard-Durán I (June 1980, Montréal — Durán wins UD); Leonard-Durán II ('No Más', November 1980 — Durán quits in the 8th); Leonard-Hearns I (September 1981, 'The Showdown' — Leonard TKO 14); Hagler-Hearns (April 1985, 'The War' — Hagler TKO 3 in the most exciting 7 minutes 52 seconds in boxing history); Hagler-Leonard (April 1987, 'The Super Fight' — Leonard split-decision win, the most controversial decision of the decade); Leonard-Hearns II (June 1989 — draw); Hearns-Durán (June 1984 — Hearns TKO 2). When the dust settled, all four had held world titles in multiple weight classes, and the welterweight and middleweight divisions had a decade of memories that no era before or since has matched.