BoxRec

The auction was billed "Battle of His Life," and fight legend Thomas Hearns admitted to feeling jolted at first.

But Hearns, who never ducked a war in the ring, wasn't about to buckle Saturday as he watched many of his most cherished boxing and personal possessions offered at the Auction Block on Greenfield in Detroit to help pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes to the IRS


An eight-time world champion, Hearns (61-5-1 with 48 knockouts) also is in danger of losing his house in Southfield, reportedly owing about $500,000 to the bank.
"I'm very sad today, but I'm going to fulfill my obligations to the IRS," said Hearns, 51, the once-skinny kid from the Kronk Gym who helped revive boxing in the Motor City with his devastating second-round TKO over Pipino Cuevas at Joe Louis Arena on Aug. 2, 1980. "Some of my robes were from my fights with Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler. I have to do what I can. They (the IRS) have been very good to me. This will turn out all right. When you owe, you must pay."

http://www.freep.com/article/20100404/S ... at-auction

Sad...

Same thing they did to Joe Louis http://www.mackinac.org/22

Be nice if Hearns could bring in a mob of IRS agents who people could then punch for a charitable contribution.

Seamus wrote:Same thing they did to Joe Louis http://www.mackinac.org/22

Be nice if Hearns could bring in a mob of IRS agents who people could then punch for a charitable contribution.

It was even more galling what they did to Joe after all he did for his country.

Shame to hear this about Tommy Hearns. An all-time great fighter and a top bloke by the sounds of it as well

Seamus wrote:Same thing they did to Joe Louis http://www.mackinac.org/22

Be nice if Hearns could bring in a mob of IRS agents who people could then punch for a charitable contribution.

Are you suggesting famous athletes should be excused from paying taxes, or only that they should not have to face the consequences that follow when they do not pay them?

raylawpc wrote:

Seamus wrote:Same thing they did to Joe Louis http://www.mackinac.org/22

Be nice if Hearns could bring in a mob of IRS agents who people could then punch for a charitable contribution.

Are you suggesting famous athletes should be excused from paying taxes, or only that they should not have to face the consequences that follow when they do not pay them?

You took the words right out of my mouth. I will never understand why ordinary people who struggle to make a living feel sorry for people who've made millions and squandered them.

Nelson Gateau wrote:

raylawpc wrote:

Seamus wrote:Same thing they did to Joe Louis http://www.mackinac.org/22

Be nice if Hearns could bring in a mob of IRS agents who people could then punch for a charitable contribution.

Are you suggesting famous athletes should be excused from paying taxes, or only that they should not have to face the consequences that follow when they do not pay them?

You took the words right out of my mouth. I will never understand why ordinary people who struggle to make a living feel sorry for people who've made millions and squandered them.

maybe its the idol thing. if you idolised them at some point you do feel sorry but if you thought they were a tosser you dont which is probably why some people feel sorry for mike tyson and some say he deserves it

I'd feel sorry for anyone who has to sell off there personal possessions and items of sentimental value.

Its one thing to feel sorry for them - I feel sorry for Hearns - its quite another to suggest that they get a pass for being famous or that he's not to blame because "they" are out to get him because he's famous. He needed to pay his taxes like everybody else, and these are the consquences for not paying them.

As a tax and estate lawyer, I've seen the same thing happen to ordinary people, and its just as sad for those folks too. Nobody singled out Thomas Hearns or Joe Louis for that treatment. We just know about it because (a) they are famous and (b) the numbers are big.

raylawpc wrote:Its one thing to feel sorry for them - I feel sorry for Hearns - its quite another to suggest that they get a pass for being famous or that he's not to blame because "they" are out to get him because he's famous. He needed to pay his taxes like everybody else, and these are the consquences for not paying them.

As a tax and estate lawyer, I've seen the same thing happen to ordinary people, and its just as sad for those folks too. Nobody singled out Thomas Hearns or Joe Louis for that treatment. We just know about it because (a) they are famous and (b) the numbers are big.

Agreed. Joe Louis and Tommy Hearns are just as obliged to pay tax as everyone else.