If Durán’s motives remain unclear, the characters of all four fighters are vivid. Durán is the half-crazy man with large appetites and a warrior’s view of the world. Hagler, defined by his remarkable self-discipline, is a wary, suspicious character who seems incapable of fully enjoying his success. The least likable is Leonard, a gifted man whose Machiavellian manipulations undermine his integrity. It’s Hearns, the Detroit “Hit Man,” who seems the most affable and well-balanced.
That last conclusion will sound strange to those who remember Hearns as a semi-articulate fighter who entered the ring trying to decapitate his opponents. But this chance to get behind the ominous image making is one just more reason for fight fans to pick up Four Kings.
Related:
Flashbacks, March 17, 2006, Flashbacks: April 28, 2006, Flashbacks: October 6, 2006, More 
- Flashbacks, March 17, 2006
The Boston Phoenix has been covering the trends and events that shape our times since 1966. These selections, culled from our back files, were compiled by Chris Brook and Ian Sands.
- Flashbacks: April 28, 2006
These selections, culled from our back files, were compiled by Chris Brook and Jessica McConnell.
- Flashbacks: October 6, 2006
These selections, culled from our back files, were compiled by Dan Peleschuk, Ian Sands, and Eva Wolchover.
- Review: The Rocket that Fell to Earth
On July 18, 1992, in a celebrated post-game meltdown at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the pitcher formerly known as the Rocket expressed his displeasure over a column I had written.
- ‘Great’ is definitely the wrong word
When I come across an obvious factual error in a book, my initial inclination is to wince in sympathy for the soon-to-be-embarrassed author. Unless, that is, the mistake is infuriatingly egregious, in which case I’m more apt to throw the book up against the wall in disgust.
- Sweet science Saturdays
The trick to finding the Portland Boxing Club for the first time is not giving up right at the end, when you’re getting close.
- Sporting Eye
There were 7800 official entries and between 2000 and 3000 others along for the ride. By our crude calculations, the leaders were a mile and a half into the course by the time the last runner crossed the starting line.
- Bookman
Larry McMurtry, the best I can tell, remains the only man to have both won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction and written an Academy Award–winning screenplay.
- Beating a dead horse
I got home about 3:45 after eating breakfast at Riker’s on the corner of Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue
- Fore!
The new guy showed up as a guest at the Lakeside Golf Club in 1932, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, he won the club championship the first time he entered it.
- Ken Norton: A victim of tradition
This article originally appeared in the October 5, 1976 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
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Books
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, Howard Cosell, Howard Cosell, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Marvin Hagler, Marvin Hagler, Less
