Ironically, one of his best career displays ended up becoming a losing effort when, in 1981, he was stopped in round 14 by a peak Sugar Ray Leonard. Despite missing out on a career-defining victory, Hearns scored plenty of wins to edge him into the Hall of Fame. Let’s have a look at a bunch of fives from the Kronk KO king.
WON TKO2 Pipino Cuevas, 2-8-1980
What was expected to be an interesting clash of styles ended as a mash-up in Michigan as Hearns used his fierce levers to pummel the shorter Cuevas. Ending a four-year reign as WBA champion, Cuevas’ career slid off the rails and he never recovered. For Hearns, things were just getting started.
WON PTS12 Virgil Hill, 3-6-1991
Boxing without a concerned Emanuel Steward in his corner, marked as an underdog by the bookmakers, things were certainly up and against Hearns as he mixed with Virgil Hill, a WBA light-heavyweight champion, making an astonishing 11th defence. Unbeaten at 30-0, Hill was understandably a resounding favourite, which made Hearns’ points win all the more remarkable.
WON TKO10 Dennis Andries, 7-3-1987
Boxing above 160 pounds for the first time, ‘Hitman’ Hearns jumped up to 175 to take on UK hardman Dennis Andries. Tommy’s power travelled north as he dropped Andries numerous times to take home the WBC light-heavyweight trophy by 10th-round TKO. Hearns became a three-weight world champion.
WON PTS15 Wilfred Benitez, 3-12-1982
Stepping up to take on Benitez at 154 pounds, the HBO-televised event in New Orleans saw Hearns take on Puerto Rican boxer Benitez, who was riding high after a win over Roberto Duran. Hearns was deducted a point and had to adapt across the duration before snatching a majority decision win to become the new champion.
WON TKO2 Roberto Duran, 15-6-1984
Roberto Duran already had 82 fights under his belt when, in 1984, he took on defending champ Hearns in Las Vegas. Undersized but carrying vast amounts of experience, Duran was dealt with in emphatic fashion. It was one of Hearns’ most comprehensive finishes when he dropped Duran twice in the first and uncorked a thumping right hand in the second to send Duran to the canvas like a felled tree.
