The Kings on Prime Video
Four Kings on Prime Video – Four Kings by George Kimball is a book about the legendary boxing rivalry between Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran during the 1980s, a period often called the “last great era of boxing”.
Kimball, a sportswriter who covered all nine of their fights, provides an insider’s account of their historic clashes, the era’s atmosphere, and the impact these four fighters had on revitalizing the sport.
Storyline for The Kings on Prime Video
A four-part series featuring four champions who ushered in a boxing renaissance.
The series showcases the dominance of Roberto Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard and their battles in and out of the ring.
The first episode, titled “Ghetto to Glory to Gold” is a callback to a newspaper article that profiled the telegenic Ray Leonard, who was the main attraction of the 1976 U.S. Olympic boxing team.
It dives into how and why the shy kid from Maryland with a style that evoked the great ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson seemed to have been handpicked to fill Ali’s shoes.
And just like Ali would overshadow his contemporaries no matter how great they were, so too would Leonard as each of the other fighters would be introduced as potential threats at a distance.
With the backdrop of the culture-shifting 1980 U.S. presidential election, these men, most especially Leonard and Durán, are also small but important players in shaping perceptions of how their hometowns and their countries were viewed by the world.
What’s unique about this series is that instead of watching in-person discussions and tours through the lives of these legends in real time, our visuals are archived fights, television and radio interviews and artistic renderings of the subjects in action.
Episodes of The Kings on Prime Video
S1.E1 ∙ Part One: Ghetto to Gold to Glory
Ray Leonard’s meteoric rise brings him success in and out of the ring while Marvin Hagler takes the hard road to the top. Tommy Hearns’ knockouts makes him hard to ignore. But it’s Roberto Duran whom Leonard targets to prove his mettle.
Episodes of The Kings on Prime Video S1.E2 ∙ Part Two: Flesh & Blood
Tommy Hearns is crowned champion. Ray Leonard fights Roberto Duran, leading to a notorious ending. A riot breaks out following Marvin Hagler’s victory. The stars align for one of the greatest fights of all time: Leonard vs Hearns.
S1.E3 ∙ Part Three: The Will to Win
Leonard ascends the throne. A serious eye injury forces his retirement. Duran hits rock bottom but has a miraculous comeback. Leonard and Duran out of the way, the stage is set for one of the greatest fights of all time: Hagler vs Hearns.
Episodes of The Kings on Prime Video S1.E4 ∙ Part Four: A Champion Never Quits
Ray Leonard comes out of retirement to fight Hagler. Hagler is disgusted with the judges’ verdict and quits. Hearns devastates Leonard in their rematch. Leonard and Duran stage a final fight and the Kings’ legacy is assured. Series Finale.
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