As one of the ‘Four Kings’, Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns has delivered some of the most exciting boxing fights in history.
Debuting in 1977, Hearns would go on to become a five-division world champion, retiring with a professional record of 61-5-1.
In a career that included Hearns knocking out Roberto Duran in incredible fashion, Hearns etched his name into boxing history.
However, in order to have one of his most famous fights, Hearns had to deliver an impressive performance.
Thomas Hearns stopped Pablo Baez to set up Sugar Ray Leonard brawl
After defeating Jose Cuevas in August 1980, Hearns became the WBA World Welterweight title holder. Making two successful defenses against Luis Primera and Randy Shields, Hearns would be paired with Pablo Baez.
Hearns had the much more impressive record when he met Baez. The ‘Hitman’ went into the bout looking to extend his professional record of 31-0. As for the challenger Baez, he had a 10-9-2 record.
Meeting in Texas in June 1981, Hearns would perform on the same card as future rival ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard, the WBC welterweight champion. A win for both champions would set up a unification bout between the pair.
Hearns was able to extend his unbeaten run in Texas. After being the sharper fighter in the opening rounds of the bout, a relentless onslaught would cause the referee to intervene in round four.
Baez crumbled to the canvas after the referee stopped the fight, as Hearns had been hammering power shots into the title challenger with little response.
‘Sugar’ would also be able to get the job done on the same card. Winning the WBA World Super Welterweight title, Leonard stopped Ayub Kalule in round nine.
Despite becoming a super welterweight champion, Leonard would move back down to welterweight to face Hearns in a unification bout.
Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard had a ‘Fight of the Year’ in 1981
In a headline bout at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Leonard and Hearns met for the first time in September 1981.
With Hearns’ WBA title on the line, and Leonard’s WBC belt, the bout was to unify the welterweight division.
The back-and-forth brawl would go on to be considered one of the greatest of all time. The Ring Magazine named the battle 1981’s ‘Fight of the Year’.
However, Hearns would succumb to his first loss in the bout. Despite having success in the bout Hearns would be stopped in the 14th round of the fight, as Leonard unified the belts.
The two would have a controversial rematch in 1989. Despite Leonard getting knocked down twice in the fight, the rematch would end in a split draw, meaning Hearns could not claim revenge.