The great Henry Armstrong had come agonizingly close to accomplishing the feat. Latter day legends Alexis Arguello and Roberto Duran had tried and failed. But finally, for the very first time, the mountain was conquered: four world titles in four different weight classes. And the man who did it was a legend in his own right: The Hit Man. The Motor City Cobra. Thomas Hearns of Detroit, Michigan.
Say what you want about Tommy’s career being defined by losses in two of the biggest fights in boxing history against Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Fact is, there’s no shame at all in losing to a pair of greats, two of the best to ever lace up the gloves. Especially the way Tommy did it. In both cases he never gave up, never stopped trying, never stopped fighting. In both cases he had to be saved from his own courage and will to win, a referee waving his arms as Ray and Marvin breathed sighs of relief, both sporting wounds of war from the lethal fists of The Hit Man.
And after those losses, Hearns never stopped asking for rematches with both men. It says a lot that Hagler had no interest in locking up with Tommy again, and that Leonard avoided doing so for more than eight years, agreeing to a return only after Hearns looked washed up against Iran Barkley and James Kinchen. Both could have made millions fighting “The Hitman” a second or third time, but neither was anxious to face again a determined competitor who sported a wicked left jab, a devastating right hand, killer instinct to spare and a passion for combat. At his best, Hearns was more than formidable; he was menacing, if not terrifying.
It almost happened against Juan Roldan when they clashed on this day for the vacant WBC middleweight title. Hearns — who had previously taken belts at welterweight, super welterweight and light heavyweight — was favoured to add a major milestone to his Hall of Fame career and be the first ever to win four divisional world titles. His advantages in height and reach and superior boxing skills were thought to give him a decided advantage. But at the opening bell the tough Argentinian, who had given Hagler a rough battle back in ’84 and had stopped Kinchen six months before, stormed out of his corner and forced Tommy into a toe-to-toe slugfest.
This was Las Vegas after all, so one could say Roldan was making the boldest of gambles, betting that non-stop aggression and Tommy’s unpredictable chin could combine to make him the highest of the high-rollers that night. But the plan almost back-fired less than a minute in when Roldan found himself taking a count after getting slammed to the floor by two hard right hands. Roldan rose and Hearns tried to finish the job but now it was Tommy’s turn to get tagged by hard right hands and suddenly it was a dazed Tommy hanging on and waiting for his head to clear. Roldan, winging one heavy right after another, chased Hearns all over the ring but then, just as the bell rang, he was clocked by a big right from “The Hit Man” and toppled face first. Roldan barely beat the count to end one of the wildest opening rounds in recent memory.
And after those losses, Hearns never stopped asking for rematches with both men. It says a lot that Hagler had no interest in locking up with Tommy again, and that Leonard avoided doing so for more than eight years, agreeing to a return only after Hearns looked washed up against Iran Barkley and James Kinchen. Both could have made millions fighting “The Hitman” a second or third time, but neither was anxious to face again a determined competitor who sported a wicked left jab, a devastating right hand, killer instinct to spare and a passion for combat. At his best, Hearns was more than formidable; he was menacing, if not terrifying.
This was Las Vegas after all, so one could say Roldan was making the boldest of gambles, betting that non-stop aggression and Tommy’s unpredictable chin could combine to make him the highest of the high-rollers that night. But the plan almost back-fired less than a minute in when Roldan found himself taking a count after getting slammed to the floor by two hard right hands. Roldan rose and Hearns tried to finish the job but now it was Tommy’s turn to get tagged by hard right hands and suddenly it was a dazed Tommy hanging on and waiting for his head to clear. Roldan, winging one heavy right after another, chased Hearns all over the ring but then, just as the bell rang, he was clocked by a big right from “The Hit Man” and toppled face first. Roldan barely beat the count to end one of the wildest opening rounds in recent memory.
It almost happened against Juan Roldan when they clashed on this day for the vacant WBC middleweight title. Hearns — who had previously taken belts at welterweight, super welterweight and light heavyweight — was favoured to add a major milestone to his Hall of Fame career and be the first ever to win four divisional world titles. His advantages in height and reach and superior boxing skills were thought to give him a decided advantage. But at the opening bell the tough Argentinian, who had given Hagler a rough battle back in ’84 and had stopped Kinchen six months before, stormed out of his corner and forced Tommy into a toe-to-toe slugfest.
This was Las Vegas after all, so one could say Roldan was making the boldest of gambles, betting that non-stop aggression and Tommy’s unpredictable chin could combine to make him the highest of the high-rollers that night. But the plan almost back-fired less than a minute in when Roldan found himself taking a count after getting slammed to the floor by two hard right hands. Roldan rose and Hearns tried to finish the job but now it was Tommy’s turn to get tagged by hard right hands and suddenly it was a dazed Tommy hanging on and waiting for his head to clear. Roldan, winging one heavy right after another, chased Hearns all over the ring but then, just as the bell rang, he was clocked by a big right from “The Hit Man” and toppled face first. Roldan barely beat the count to end one of the wildest opening rounds in recent memory.
