24/10/2021
Still one of my favourite fighters
On this day...
'When I came to perform, I did just that. I came to put on a show and leave the people with an everlasting thought in their mind about what I did in the fight.' - Thomas Hearns
Multiple-weight World Champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee, Thomas 'Hitman' Hearns celebrates his 63rd Birthday today.
Thomas Hearns was born in Grand Junction, Tennessee and was the third child of 9 siblings. At the age of 5, Hearns' family moved to Detroit, Michigan and it was there that Hearns discovered boxing at the age of 9. He walked into a local club that all the local boys frequented and he was instantly hooked.
As an amateur, Hearns had enjoyed great success and won multiple championships but somewhat surprisingly, wasn't known as a powerful puncher. It wasn't until Hearns linked up with the legendary trainer, Emanuel Steward that his explosive power was realised.
Under the tutelage of Steward, Hearns made his professional debut as a Welterweight in 1977, aged 19. Hearns' debut saw him score a 2nd round knockout over Jerome Hill. It was clear from the start that Hearns' 6ft 1in frame and 78in reach would cause problems in a division of typically shorter fighters, as well as providing him with plenty of scope to progress through the divisions with relative ease.
The following two and a half years would see Hearns shred his way through the division, winning all of his first 28 bouts and with only two contests going the distance. His dedication paid off, seeing him earn a shot at the WBA Welterweight World Championship against Mexico's Pipino Cuevas.
The contest took place on the 2nd August 1980 at the Joe Louis Arena in Hearns' hometown of Detroit and the local hero fought brilliantly, scoring a 2nd round stoppage to claim the championship.
Hearns made three successful defences of his crown, all inside the distance before facing the 1976 Olympic Gold Medallist and reigning WBC Welterweight Champion, Sugar Ray Leonard in a hotly anticipated unification clash for the Undisputed Welterweight Title in 1981.
The fight took place at the Caesar's Palace Outdoor Arena in Las Vegas and saw Hearns take command early on in the contest. Hearns made full use of his jab and scored well with his right hand throughout. Leonard had moments of success but going into the 13th round, Hearns was ahead on the scorecards.
Leonard made a miraculous comeback however and knocked Hearns through the ropes towards the end of the 13th round and despite making it to his feet, Hearns never fully recovered and was finished off in the following round.
Hearns bounced back from defeat and moved up to the Super Welterweight division thereafter, winning all three bouts at his new weight before earning himself a shot at the WBC world title against Puerto Rico's Wilfred Benitez. Despite suffering an injury to his right hand midway through the contest, Hearns boxed superbly to claim a 15 round majority decision victory.
After successfully defending his title against Italy's Luigi Minchillo, Hearns faced the legendary 'Hands of Stone', Roberto Duran in 1984. Despite being 2-1 favourite, few people would've expected Hearns to dominate the way he did, scoring two knockdowns in the opening round, before knocking Duran out in the 2nd with a vicious right hook to the jaw. Many consider the lop-sided victory over one of the all-time greats in Duran as Hearns' finest performance.
Hearns made just one more title defence, a 3rd round stoppage victory over Fred Hutchings before moving up in weight once again, this time to the Middleweight division. Hearns jumped straight in the deep end, challenging the long-reigning undisputed Middleweight World Champion, Marvin Hagler for the title in his first outing at the new weight.
The contest took place on the 15th April 1985 at the Caesar's Palace Outdoor Arena in Las Vegas and would go down in history as one of the most brutal and blisteringly exciting battles ever seen in the squared circle. 'The War,' as it would later become known, saw both men trading leather relentlessly from the opening bell and the crowd roared with appreciation, knowing full well they were witnessing history in the making.
In the first round alone, Hagler sustained a deep cut to the forehead that left a steady stream of blood cascading down the contours of his face and into his eyes, while Hearns suffered a broken right hand from hammering his fist into the Champion's skull.
Unfortunately for Hearns, he would go on to lose via 3rd round stoppage after suffering a heavy knockdown from a right cross square on the chin. Although Hearn managed to beat the count, he was in no condition to continue. Despite his loss, Hearns assured his name would remain in the history books by his part in an epic battle between two of the most exciting fighters the sport has ever known.
Once again, Hearns bounced back from defeat and the following year The Motor City Cobra had regained his WBC Super Welterweight Title with an 8th round stoppage defeat of Mark Medal. One year after that, Hearns jumped up three weight classes to capture the WBC Light Heavyweight crown by claiming a 10th round stoppage over Dennis Andries.
Hearns then dropped back down to the Middleweight division to face Juan Manuel Roldan for the vacant WBC Middleweight Title. Not only did Hearns knock out Roldan in the 4th round to capture the title, but he also became the first boxer in history to win a world title in 4 divisions.
Hearns would lose his title in his 1st defence however, when he suffered a shock 3rd round stoppage defeat to Iran 'The Blade' Barkley. Hearns was in total control of the contest, inflicting serious punishment on Barkley before he was dropped twice in the 3rd round and found himself in no condition to continue.
Not to be deterred, Hearns claimed the inaugural WBO Super Middleweight World Title in his next outing with a hard-fought majority decision victory over James Kinchen. Then, in 1989, Hearns faced his old foe, Sugar Ray Leonard for the 2nd time.
With both men having moved up to the Super Middleweight division, where Leonard had recently claimed the WBC Title, the two men met at Caesar's Palace and slugged it out for the 2nd time.
The contest ended in a controversial draw, with many at ringside booing the decision, believing that Hearns had done enough to win the fight. Even years later, Leonard would humbly go on to state, 'Hearns should have gotten the decision. I admit that.'
Hearns continued to notch up the wins, as well as adding the WBA Light Heavyweight Title to his ever growing collection of straps with a unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Virgil Hill. He would however lose his title in his first defence his old foe, Iran Barkley, who claimed a split decision victory in their 2nd meeting.
After the loss to Barkley, Hearns moved up to the Cruiserweight division and although he fought infrequently- 12 bouts in 13 years, he managed to add the lesser known WBU and IBO Cruiserweight Titles to his list of accolades.
Hearns finally retired in 2006, aged 47 with a final professional record of 61-5-1 (48 wins by KO) and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of his time; A man who possessed tremendous punching power and has provided fans with countless hours of classic fight footage to be enjoyed forever more.
Honours Include;
1975 National Golden Gloves Bantamweight Silver Medal
1976 National Golden Gloves Lightweight Silver Medal
1976 National AAU Lightweight Silver Medal
1977 National Golden Gloves Light Welterweight Champion
1977 National AAU Light Welterweight Champion
USBA Welterweight Champion
WBA World Welterweight Champion
WBC Light Middleweight World Champion
Ring Magazine Light Middleweight World Champion
Lineal Light Middleweight World Champion
NABF Middleweight Champion
WBC Middleweight World Champion
NABF Super Middleweight Champion
WBO Super Middleweight World Champion
WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion
WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion
NABF Cruiserweight Champion
WBU Cruiserweight World Champion
IBO Cruiserweight World Champion
Ring Magazine Fight of The Year 1981
Ring Magazine Fight of The Year 1985
Ring Magazine Round of The Year 1985
Ring Magazine Fighter of The Year 1980
Ring Magazine Fighter of The Year 1984
Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of The Year 1980
Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of The Year 1984
International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee
Ranked 18th of Ring Magazine's Greatest 100 Punchers of All Time
Happy Birthday Champ, Many Happy Returns.
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