A Boxing Memory: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns

A Boxing Memory: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns

One famous scribe said the night Sugar Ray Leonard beat Thomas Hearns on that unforgettable night in Las Vegas was the fight that he reached boxing immortality. Leonard had to show a little of everything to turn back the challenge of his nemesis, the only fighter who could rightfully dispute Leonard’s claim that he was the best welterweight of his era.

It was billed as ‘The Showdown’ a classic boxer vs. puncher affair. Would the power of Hearns cancel out the dazzling skills of the ‘Sugarman?’ Leonard was the slightest of betting favourites, in a poll of 48 writers, 34 picked Leonard to win.

In 1981, we had simpler times, a world champion meant exactly that. It certainly carried far more validity than it does today. The baubles were thankfully reduced to just two, the WBA and the WBC were on offer as Leonard and Hearns traded punches for undisputed status at welterweight, but it could easily have been for the best fighter of their generation.

The fight very nearly got delayed, Odell Hadley, a sparring partner of Leonard accidentally struck Leonard on his left eye with his elbow and when the eye started to swell badly the next day postponing the fight was very much considered. But Leonard was insistent that the fight scheduled for 16th September would go on regardless.

Hearns, a stalwart of the Kronk Gym in Detroit, had developed into a truly frightening puncher since the amateur days, which were anything but. Out of his thirty-two wins, only two opponents had lasted the distance. The way he blasted out Pipino Cuevas in two rounds to win the WBA welterweight title in 1980 sent shockwaves through the sport. Luis Primera, Randy Shields, and Pablo Baez were all subsequently stopped by Hearns in defence of his world title.

Despite the silver spoon accusations, the former Olympic champion had a much tougher route to his showdown with Hearns. A win over Wilfred Benitez in 1979 to claim the WBC version of the welterweight title more than tested him. Leonard had to dig deeper than he had ever done before, and victory was only secured with six seconds remaining on the clock. Benitez beyond pushed him, and the severity of the fight and how it left his mind and body feeling prompted fleeting moments of walking away from the sport.

The brilliant marauding Panamanian Roberto Duran beat Leonard the following year in Montreal in one of the greatest fights in boxing history. Duran tested his soul in many ways. Leonard fought the wrong fight, and Duran was inspired, but Leonard still nearly saved his night with his late rally in a fight that at times defied belief in its ferocity. Leonard got his revenge on an infamous night several months later. Leonard didn’t make the same mistake twice, tactically spot on with the added taunts and showboating, resulting in Duran waving his fists in surrender. Both Leonard and Duran were very different fighters in New Orleans.

Leonard had another tough night earlier in 1981 when he moved up to light-middleweight to win a world title in a second weight division when he overcame a resilient champion in Ayub Kalule. In thirty-one fights, Leonard was the more battle-hardened fighter, which would prove pivotal against Leonard. The winner was always likely to be the fighter who could dig a little deeper in adversity. Leonard had already shown that, and Hearns hadn’t to anywhere near the same degree, and he was the fighter who was perceived to fade down the stretch.

The multi-million-dollar showdown was shown live in 298 closed-circuit venues, and HBO secured the delayed TV rights and over 23,000 packed into a converted temporary stadium on the tennis courts in Ceasars Palace. The usual mix of boxing dignitaries were present as were stars from other walks of life who wanted to be seen where it mattered. The undercard featured the likes of Marvis Frazier, Edwin Rosario, and the new sensation Tony Ayala Jr. Ayala won his fight and then proceeded to call out Leonard prior to the main event. Ayala never did get the big fight. Another story for another day.

Hearns 22 and three years younger than Leonard walked first, with Winner Takes All emblazoned on the back of his ring attire. Leonard, a little more simplistic, arrived with Deliverance. Both were right.

A great fight needs constant swings of momentum, Leonard and Hearns had that and more. Hearns built up an early lead over the opening five rounds, and the left eye with a combination of the damage Hadley had inflicted in sparring and the impressive effective jabbing of Hearns had Leonard’s left eye showing distinct signs of decay.

Leonard stalked his prey but couldn’t find the target. In rounds six and seven, he did. Hearns was battered relentlessly, but he didn’t fold, somehow stayed on his feet, and once that six-minute storm had passed, he regained control of the fight. Emanuel Steward considered stopping the fight in those two rounds of mayhem for his fighter, Leonard was perhaps only a few solid shots away from an early night. But Steward told Hearns: “You’ve got to be the boxer now. Get on the bicycle. Stick and move.” Hearns listened.

Hearns got on his toes, proving he was much more than just a puncher. A role reversal had the ‘Motor City Cobra’ heading into the championship rounds as the boxer, Leonard, needed to be the puncher to eradicate the points deficit he was now facing. Leonard was chasing without reward, his now swollen left eye badly hampering his work. With a handful of rounds remaining, Angelo Dundee in Leonard’s corner uttered those immortal words:

“You’re blowing it, son, you’re blowing it.”

Leonard came out for the final nine minutes inspired. In truth, he needed to be. Make no mistake, the fight was slipping away from him. Hearns had never been fifteen rounds before, and his body was telling him things he didn’t want to hear. Leonard seized his moment. The legs of Hearns suddenly betrayed him. A big right hand from Leonard wobbled Hearns badly, what Leonard couldn’t finish earlier in the fight, this time there would be no respite for Hearns. A clear knockdown was ruled a push before a count was finally administered when Hearns was knocked through the ropes practically defenceless, his cause now looking hopeless.

Steward said pre-fight: ”You’ll never see a clinch in the Kronk.” Words that would haunt him post-fight.

Surviving the 13th round was a minor miracle, but the end was near. At 1:45 of the 14th round, the referee Davey Pearl waved the fight off. Hearns had nothing more to give despite minor irrelevant protests at the timing of the stoppage.

All three judges, controversially to some, all had Hearns ahead by scores of 125-121, 125-122, and 124-122. Leonard found the punches when they were most needed.

“I proved I’m the best welterweight in the world. This fight surpasses all my professional accomplishments,” Leonard reflected after the fight. While the defeated Hearns said “I knew I was ahead. There was only one problem: I got hit with a good shot. I didn’t think the fight should have been stopped. I wasn’t hurt . . . but that’s the breaks.”

A rematch looked inevitable as both fighters had delivered a timeless classic that nobody would complain about if they saw it again. But it didn’t happen when it should have. Leonard spent most of the next eight years in retirement, and when they did finally meet in 1989, the rematch was a pale shadow of their first meeting. Both fighters were in decline, and while the super-middleweight contest still served up enough drama, excitement, and controversy to satisfy mere mortals, this was Leonard and Hearns. All deserved better.

Hearns was perceived desperately unlucky to only receive a draw after he had knocked down Leonard twice in their twelve-round contest. But Leonard had two very big rounds himself and came very close to stopping Hearns in the 12th and final round. But the elapsed time had taught Hearns how to clinch and survive, something he didn’t do in 1981. I was in the minority who didn’t have too much of a problem with the draw, but even Leonard now views that fight as a defeat.

But we remember the first fight far more than we do the watered-down rematch. In 1981, both fighters were at their fighting peak, and they gave us a fight that is perhaps unrivalled in the welterweight ranks. Maybe in any weight division. Despite losing Hearns more than played his part in a truly unforgettable fight, and his words probably sum up the night better than any wordsmith could:

“We put on a great show for them. If you never see another fight, but you saw this one, that would be enough.”