Thomas Hearns was one of the legendary Four Kings, dominating the sport during the 1980s alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, and ‘The Hitman’ has revealed which of those names provided him with his toughest fight.
Hearns became boxing’s first five division world champion, but it is his wars with Leonard, Hagler and Duran that better define his career; having provided fight fans with a number of classic encounters that will be spoken about for generations to come.
Against that trio, Hearns registered a record of 1-2-1, with Duran being the only ‘King’ that he officially defeated, although his controversial draw in a rematch with Leonard is often seen as a victory, even in the eyes of Leonard.
Speaking with OSP TV, Hearns reflected on those bouts, stating that Leonard gave him the most challenging fights of his career.
“Ray Leonard, both of them [fights].
“People know that I won the [second] fight, he [Leonard] knows that I won the fight. The reason why it was so challenging is because we are both boxers, we both have good ability and what made a difference was who out-thought who in the fight and playing them mind games, it makes the fight that much tougher.
“You don’t know where he is coming from and he doesn’t know what you are about to do, you have got to figure out what is going to happen. In most fights you can go out there, use your jab and set your right-hand up, or set the hook up, but with Ray Leonard, I had watch my P’s and Q’s at all times.”
Hearns hung up the gloves in 2006, after a near three decade-long career in the ring, before being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.
