The Showdown: Sugar Ray Leonard's Finest Hour

[elmersalsa]

It was a night like tonight, September 16th, 1981 at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV when two young all-time great welterweights clashed for the Undisputed World Welterweight Championship.

It was called The Showdown, a super fight between undefeated WBA World Welterweight Champion, Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns of Detroit, MI, and the WBC World Welterweight Champion, Sugar Ray Leonard of Palmer Park, MD.

It was one of the most important and anticipated fights in boxing history. And the fight exceeded the expectations as an all-time forever classic. Hearns received $5 million dollars for the bout. Leonard received $8 million.

Hearns, 22, came into the scene a year before when he totally dominated and destroyed former long time champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico in only 2 rounds in Detroit. It was a brutal devastating knockout so awesome and breathtaking, that is still one of the greatest knockouts ever seen on film. Hearns in 1980 became a superstar and The Ring Fighter of the Year by winning all of his six fights of that year by knockout.

A devastating puncher, Hearns's record was 32-0, with 30 knockouts! He won his first 17 fights since turning pro in November 1977 by knockout. But, the most notable thing about his physique, was that he was a freak of nature with a height at 6'1" and a 78" reach. He looked very intimidating for the welterweights. Plus, he had a fast and sharp jab like a cobra. That's why he was called first as The Motor City Cobra, and when he started knocking out foes with great execution, his nickname was changed as The Hitman.

Only two men survived from his knockout list. And they were not welterweights. Among his notable wins by knockout besides the Cuevas' demolition, he stopped Bruce Curry, Saensak Muangsurin, Randy Shields, Eddie Gazo, Angel Espada and Harold Weston. A pretty good resume to say at least.

In the other corner, we had America's Darling, Leonard. At 25, he had much more experience in big super fights with greats like Wilfred Benitez and Roberto Duran. He came into the scene by winning the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. A fast, flashy and underrated puncher, was the crowd's favorite. He was deemed as the replacement of the great Muhammad Ali as the face of the boxing world.

Charismatic, articulate, and good-looking, he won the hearts of American boxing fans with his next-door neighbor smile and lovely tv 7-Up soda commercials with his cute little son Ray, Jr.

He started his career in February 1977, and quickly grew a national following in the United States. He won his first 27 fights, including the welter crown in November '79 against Benitez stopping him in 15 masterful rounds.

Then, in June '80, had his first ever defeat at the hands of the fearsome Duran losing the WBC crown by decision in one of the greatest fights in boxing history. But, in November, five months later, he regained the crown against Duran when the Panamanian mysteriously quit in the middle of the ring in 8 rounds.

It was a fight that everyone anticipated for years. A fight where the puncher became a boxer and the boxer became a legend.

Hearns started fast against a moving target like Sugar Ray, peppering Leonard with quick left jabs and vicious right crosses for the first 5 rounds. The fight changed tides in the sixth and seventh rounds when Leonard hurt the Hitman with a vicious left hook to the chin. Hearns wax hurt, but survived both rounds.

By rounds 8 to the 12th, Hearns surprisingly changed tactics by using his underrated boxing skills. He was out boxing the boxer. By the end of 12 rounds, Hearns had the lead in the scorecards and looked like he was going to win the fight by decision. His fans from Detroit exhaling him with chants of Tommy! Tommy! Tommy! Tommy! Tommy! Hearns like a music conductor hyped himself up.

In Sugar Ray's corner, Leonard's trainer, Angelo Dundee, told Leonard the words that forever be in the boxing lore: "You blowing it, son! You blowing it!"

Leonard, tired and exhausted with a shut left eye knew the mission. There wasn't time left. And all of the sudden, like a great champion, attacked Hearns in the 13th after another devastating blow in Hearns's chin. Hearns's legs betrayed him and Leonard gave Hearns a barrage of fast blows with vicious intentions. Hearns went down for the first time in his career. But, the referee, Davey Pearl, called it a push. Another barrage of fast combinations from Leonard at Hearns that was covering himself defenseless, and this time officially went down for the first time. Pearl gave Hearns the protection 8-count. Hearns was out but game.

The fourteenth round came and Leonard desperately was attacking Hearns. Hearns tried to hold on by retrieving and boxing his way out. But, his legs were gone. A right lead by Leonard and Hearns is again in bad shape. Ripping punches with viciousness by Leonard in Hearns's corner were wearing The Hitman down. The referee saw enough and stopped the fight.

Sugar Ray Leonard is the Undisputed Welterweight Champion of the World and became a legend and all-time great in one of boxing's greatest comebacks and all-time great fights. It was a great fight of an unforgettable night of an unforgettable decade. It was Sugar Ray's finest hour!

[gilgamesh]

We're getting like ESPN Classic on this forum.

Leonard
Duran
Ali
Tyson
rinse and repeat.

Leonard vs Hearns was a great fight. 2 great fighters in their primes. Not nearly enough matchups like that in Boxing history where the matchup happens exactly when it should've with both men capable of their absolute best.

[overhand_right]

Jesus Christ we're doing Leonard/Hearns again.

Tomorrow the Rumble in the Jungle.

The day after that it will be the Thrilla...

What amazing new insights do we have about these fights 25 years after the sub forum was created? Let's find out! Or let's just read what we wrote about them last week... And the week before that... And the week before that.

Elmer mate, give it a rest.

[elmersalsa]

I remember where I was when the fight happened. It was an unforgettable fight of an unforgettable decade of all-time boxing classics.

I have never thought that the sport of boxing would be as what it is now. A travesty.

[goose 5]

I nailed this one-My prediction was Leonard in 12- 14.

[elmersalsa]

I nailed this one-My prediction was Leonard in 12- 14.

I thought at the time that Sugar Ray was the better fighter. And he did win. It was his defining fight.

[elmersalsa]

Sugar Ray Leonard and Salvador Sanchez became The Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1981.

[goose 5]

I thought SRL should not have shared the award, notwithstanding how great as Sanchez was.