in Thomas Hearns In my opinion, there are only two men – both of whom fought in a weight class in which he has never competed – who could be considered better than him.
Ironically, two of the fighters who defeated him ranked lower on Hearns’ top 10 list, which includes four men he faced during his Hall of Fame career.
One of the defining figures of boxing in the 1980s, Hearns was known for his distinctive look, broad frame, rapid-fire combinations and a right hand that remains one of the most devastating equalizers in the sport outside of the heavyweight division.
When the journalist asked him James Slater To name the top 10 fighters of all time, the 6ft 1in icon placed middleweight legend Marvin Hagler at number ten. Hagler famously stopped Hearns in his memorable three-round “war” in 1985.
Sugar Ray Leonard, who bested Hearns in one of the greatest fights of the decade in 1981, finished only sixth. Wilfried Benitez – who went the distance with Hearns in 1982 – opens the top five at Hearns, while Roberto Duran, who Hearns beat over two rounds in 1984, is one place higher in fourth.
Despite those defeats, “The Hitman” listed himself at third place, placing only two fighters above him. The top two positions went to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazierthe iconic heavyweights whose rivalry took over the sports world in the 1970s.
Over the course of 67 fights and 29 years, Hearns has 61 wins, five losses and one draw. The Detroit legend has held world titles at welterweight, super welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. Towards the end of his campaign he talked about the idea of facing Mike Tyson, but was rejected by trainer Emanuel Steward.
https://cdn-img.boxingnewsonline.net/uploads/content/1764884467373479969/Tommy-Hearns.jpg
2025-12-04 21:42:00
