Hearns, now 59, lost a three-round war against Hagler in April 1985, widely regarded as one of the best fights not to go the distance in the history of the sport.
As the pair took center stage at a recent boxing event, Hearns made his intentions known to the 64 year-old former pound for pound king.
“I’m callin’ you out, Marvin,” said Hearns at the IBF Hall of Fame induction dinner, according to The Boston Globe. “I want you, and I want you bad.”
“Marvin, you’re right, we made history together, but it ain’t over. We can write history a second time. I know I can do it, can you?”
Hagler replied: “Tommy, you know you’re too old right now to be thinking like that,” which made the watching crowd giggle.
“Why don’t we make a movie together? I think that would be a great idea. … I would title it, ‘The War’,” he suggested instead.
Two legends of the sport, Hearns and Hagler join Sugar Ray Leonard at a trio of superstars revered for their rivalry during the 1980’s.
‘Hands of Stone’ Roberto Duran enjoyed a brief time in the number one boxer seat before Muhammad Ali regained the world crown for an unprecedented third spell by avenging his loss to Spinks.
Due to age and plenty of hard fights, Ali’s career began to decline quickly and it was back to Duran to lead the boxing world into the new decade.
Duran’s infamous ‘No Mas’ defeat to Sugar Ray Leonard then saw the baton passed once more until the flashy American retired from the ring at the beginning of 1982 due to an eye injury.
As the heavyweight division continued a transitional period, middleweight king Marvin Hagler was the face of the sport as ‘The Marvellous One’ demolished his way through all foes during the mid-80’s.
Hagler’s list of victims included Duran and Hearns until Leonard’s spectacular comeback saw the title switch hands for the first time five years.
Leonard’s resurgence was brief, once again due to retirement, although there was a new king of the world crowned later in that year when the invincible ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson unified the heavyweight titles to become undisputed.
