A Tribute to Thomas Hearns
Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, the name of the most notable and iconic champion to come out of Detroit’s Kronk Gym, the legendary and intimidating birthplace of some of the most talented prizefighters ever.
Hearns was provided with the opportunity for greatness by competing in the Golden Age of the legendary ‘Fabulous Four’ alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran. These men dominated 1980’s boxing, cementing themselves in boxing folklore with their historic encounters in boxing’s last truly great era.
However, Hearns would have been a stand-out great in any era. His warrior’s mindset, destructive nature and phenomenal talent would have made him a force to be reckoned with in any era in boxing history.
Hearns was born on 18 October, 1958, in Memphis, Tennessee. His mother, Lois Hearns, a single parent, moved her family to Detroit, Michigan when Hearns was five. Young Tommy began boxing at age 10, becoming a renowned amateur hailing from Emanuel Steward’s Kronk Gym.
“The Motor City Cobra” had a stellar amateur career with a record of 155–8, having fought the likes of Aaron Pryor, Howard Davis Jr, Bobby Joe Young and Ronnie Shields. He won the National Amateur Athletic Union and Golden Gloves titles in 1977, the same year he laced up his first pair of gloves in the paid ranks.
Once Steward taught Hearns about the benefits of leverage and the proper technique to generate power, how to use his 6-foot-1 inch height and 78 inch reach to devastating effect, that demonic long right cross of Hearns started wreaking havoc, and ‘The Hitman’ was born. Hearns hit as hard as any welterweight that ever lived.
With a piston-like jab, he had one of the best ‘sticks’ in boxing history. “That jab is a thing of beauty, it’s not just fast, it’s hard too,” said Leonard when reflecting on their iconic first fight.
With the famous decimating right hand which came behind the jab, Hearns was utterly formidable. There was also the laser-guided precision and fast-twitch explosiveness, which made his jab, right cross and hooks to the body all the more devastating with the speed, power and accuracy at which they were delivered.
Moreover, his boxing ability was elite. Hearns was more than just a power puncher. It was his pure skill and ring IQ which enabled him to compete as a world-class light-heavyweight.
Hearns was a truly phenomenal fighter. Athletic, tall and powerful. His slim body-frame, coupled with his style, made him a unique fighter who became a true all-time great.
Hearns turned professional in November 1977 with a second round knockout victory against Jerome Hill. Hearns’ first 17 opponents failed to hear the final bell, before Alfonso Hayman managed to last the 10 round distance in April 1979. Over the next year, Hearns blazed through the welterweight division, going through men such as Harold Weston, Bruce Curry, Angel Espada and Eddie Gazo.
With a record of 28–0 with 26 KO’s, Hearns’ first title shot came against long-reigning WBA welterweight champion, Jose Pipino Cuevas, in August 1980.
Cuevas was the champion for 4 years with 11 title defences and ten knockouts under his belt. This fight was unlike anything the untested Hearns had faced before, or so they expected. The fight concluded and Hearns was still untested. The Hitman’s power, speed, size and ranginess proved too much for the long-reigning, dominant champion, scoring a 2nd round KO.
Hearns was voted Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1980.
In 1981, the much-anticipated classic billed as “The Showdown” between Leonard and Hearns took place for the undisputed welterweight championship.
Heading into the bout, Hearns had left behind a venomous trail of destruction with 30 KO’s in 32 fights.
Leonard won via TKO in the 14th round, inflicting Hearns’ first professional loss in one of the greatest fights of all time, showcasing two in-prime all-time greats displaying their greatness in an ebb and flow of dramatic action.
Even in defeat, Hearns was a winner because he showed everybody he was more than just a slugger who could bang. He had heart and great boxing skills. Leonard was perceived as the superior boxer by far. However, Hearns used his jab to out-box Sugar Ray for long periods of their fight. Hearns had his immense toughness and unbelievable courage contained in his lean, long frame preventing him from crumbling in the seventh round when Leonard was teeing off on The Hitman and battering his hurt opponent from pillar to post. An ordinary man would have been bed-bound for a month after taking the beating that Hearns took in rounds six and seven, but Hearns is no ordinary man.
Nobody realised how much of a great boxer Hearns was more-so than Leonard. Speaking to Ring Magazine, Leonard recalled: “I don’t remember anyone being superior to me with their feet, but Tommy used his feet in our first fight. His height and reach, plus his movement, gave me problems. I said to myself, “This son-of-a-bitch can box too.””
If it wasn’t for Leonard pulling off one of the greatest victories in history, Hearns was capable of dominating at 147 pounds for a long time, until the point when he would outgrow the division. Hearns had appeared unbeatable, knockout power in either fist on the end of his tremendous reach. Leonard’s win on this night was truly great, and pointed more towards Leonard’s standing as one of the true all-time greats of boxing and the greatness of one of the most complete fighters in history, rather than any deficiencies on Hearns’ behalf.
For a man who has also beaten Hagler, Duran and Wilfred Benitez, Leonard stated years after his retirement in an interview with The Independent regarding beating Hearns, “I think that was my defining moment, the pinnacle.”
That is true testament to Hearns’ ability and what it takes to have beaten a peak Hearns.
Following his first loss, aged only 22, Hearns moved up to have three tune-up fights at middleweight, before challenging defensive genius, WBC super welterweight champion, Benitez. Hearns used his rangy jab and underrated boxing ability to control Benitez and win a majority decision with some room to spare, and then embarked upon a period in his career when he staked a serious claim to be the greatest super welterweight in history.
Hearns made three successful defences of his title, which included a coldcocking of one of the toughest men to ever enter a boxing ring, the iron chinned Panamanian legend, Duran, in two rounds. Hearns was the only man to ever knock Duran out during the Panamanian’s legendary 30 year professional career. A harmless double jab to the body to disguise the savage overhand right, one of the greatest scored in history, which shockingly left the always-granite chinned Duran face flat on the canvas. After this, Hearns’ standing and reputation had fully recovered from his first professional career loss to Leonard.
Hearns was again awarded Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1984.
Having dispatched Duran and with Leonard ‘retiring’, there was one man left for Hearns to face and determine the king of boxing, and that was ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler.
Hearns moved back up to middleweight and they shared the most exciting and action-packed three rounds in boxing history.
The Hitmans’ unforgettable battle against the undisputed middleweight champion, accurately named “The Eight minutes of Fury”, is on everyone’s lips when talking about the most action-packed, mesmerising wars ever.
Hagler detonated a final right to the chin of Hearns in the third round and the fight was over.
Hagler later referred to that fight as ‘the very highlight of my career’.
Hearns lost to Leonard, the best welterweight since arguably the greatest fighter in history, Sugar Ray Robinson. There has not been a better welterweight than Leonard since. The other man to defeat Hearns was Hagler, and there has arguably not been a better middleweight than the ‘Marvelous’ one since he hung up his gloves either. During his prime, Hearns only lost to two all-time greats, the best to compete in their divisions, who adapted their styles to put up career best performances in order to defeat Hearns, and both felt a victory over ‘The Hitman’ was the highlight of their legendary careers.
Hearns proceeded to stop Dennis Andries to become WBC light heavyweight champion in 1987, before dropping back down to middleweight in the same year and ensuring that victory over Juan Domingo Roldan meant Hearns became WBC middleweight champ, becoming the first four-weight division champion in history.
Hearns’ legend was established, but he did not stop there.
In 1988, Hearns also became the first five-weight division champion in history when he defeated James Kinchen to win the vacant WBO super-middleweight title.
He ultimately became a six-weight division champion, from welterweight to cruiserweight, in a career that spanned an incredible 29 years, from 1977 to 2006.
The fighters that Hearns defeated to become champion in six weight divisions were Cuevas, Benitez, Andries, Roldan, Kinchen, Virgil Hill and Nate Miller. Other men that Hearns fought included Leonard (twice), Duran, Hagler, Iran Barkley and Bruce Curry.
Quite simply, Hearns’ accomplishments and resume stand amongst the best in history, and make him a bona fide boxing legend.
What makes Hearns so adored by boxing fans is that he accomplished what he did whilst being one of the most exciting fighters in history, win or lose.
Hearns once said: “My thought was always to make sure the fans got their money’s worth when they saw me fight. I never wanted anybody to say Tommy Hearns gave a bad show.”
Mission accomplished.
Hearns is one of the greatest, most uniquely gifted and entertaining fighters to ever enter a boxing ring and his achievements, along with his lasting bond with Leonard, Hagler and Duran, will never be forgotten.
