On the time, the story strains had not but develop into vivid, the true significance of what was unfolding not but clear. The time period “The 4 Kings” had but to be coined, and Thomas Hearns, who would come to be outlined by the 2 nice defeats in his profession greater than anything, was not but a legend, however merely among the finest and most fun fighters on the earth. Since his defeat to Sugar Ray Leonard in 1981 he had rebounded to win six in a row, together with a call over Wilfred Benitez for his second world title. And with Leonard retired, speak of a Hagler vs Hearns battle, a conflict between arguably the 2 best champions within the sport, continued to rise in quantity.
However whereas a showdown between Hearns and Hagler might have simply offered itself, the match-up lacked drama, a compelling storyline, that sense of inevitability which makes a prizefight an occasion. It hadn’t ripened into the conflict which everybody, boxing followers and informal sports activities followers alike, couldn’t wait to see.
Enter Roberto Duran. The Panamanian legend, who had redeemed himself for the shame of his give up to Leonard again in 1980, supplied the impetus and the intrigue for what would develop into a legendary “superfight.” With out “Manos de Piedra’s” supporting function, the drama that was Hagler vs Hearns would by no means have captured the general public’s creativeness.
It was Roberto’s displaying in opposition to Hagler the earlier November which made his match with Hearns viable. An enormous underdog, Duran grew to become the primary of the dominant middleweight king’s challengers to listen to the ultimate bell, whereas giving the a lot greater Marvelous Marvin a surprisingly aggressive combat. If Hagler took a decisive win over the savvy veteran and all-time nice light-weight, the victory did nothing to boost his stature. It was that uncommon occasion the place the loser of a high-profile match earned larger respect than the winner.
Hearns vs Duran then represented an enormous alternative for each boxers, however in reality just one was ready to take full benefit. Following his impressed victory over Davey Moore and his valiant effort in opposition to Hagler, Roberto was driving excessive once more, his status restored after the shame of “No Mas” two years earlier than. However as in that ignoble defeat, his efficiency in opposition to Hearns contained in the ring could be compromised by an absence of self-discipline outdoors of it.
As soon as Duran’s large paycheck from the Hagler combat had landed in his checking account, Roberto the get together animal re-emerged with a vengeance. In a temper to rejoice after months of coaching and restraint, Duran employed his personal private orchestra to tour with him round Latin America so he might dance and sing and carouse night time after night time. The adulation of his followers, made extra ardent for his having been misplaced and now discovered, went to his head, and all of the whiskey and filet mignon to his stomach. Reportedly, Duran entered coaching camp for the Hearns combat most reluctantly, and as soon as there needed to give attention to losing a few pounds greater than anything.
In stark distinction, Hearns had maybe essentially the most intense and productive camp of his total profession. Certainly, Emanuel Steward ranked it as such years later. “We had the very best preparation on the earth,” he advised writer Pete Hamill. That 12 months Steward was concerned in serving to to organize the nationwide novice staff for the Olympics and so Hearns discovered himself working with such elite abilities as Mark Breland, Pernell Whitaker and Frank Tate, together with world champions Milton McCrory and Mike McCallum. “It should have been among the finest camps in boxing historical past,” stated Steward.
Thus, looking back, what transpired on that June night time in Las Vegas isn’t so stunning. However on the time, it was, for one easy truth: nobody, not even a lethal puncher like “The Hit Man,” knocks out Roberto Duran. It had by no means been carried out and nobody anticipated it to occur now. The Panamanian they referred to as “El Cholo” was famend for his toughness, had by no means been stopped, and there was little motive to suppose Hearns may do severe injury to the identical chin that Hagler couldn’t dent.
However then once more, Duran had by no means confronted a boxer with the distinctive items of Thomas Hearns, who knew how you can profit from his lanky body and the leverage it might present. Regardless of having scored simply two stoppage wins in six contests since his defeat to Leonard in 1981, Hearns appeared terribly assured within the days main as much as the match, and in reality, at one of many ultimate press conferences, he overtly predicted he would knock out the good “Manos de Piedra” within the second spherical.
And so he did, largely as a result of Hearns and Duran have been at diametrically opposed positions on the arcs of their respective careers. Duran, at 33, got here into the ring previous his peak and one thing lower than extremely motivated, whereas Hearns, simply 25, was primed and by no means sharper. From the opening bell, “The Hitman” took management, backing up the smaller man with aggressive footwork and a tough left jab, making glorious use of his twelve inch attain benefit. Typically a sluggish starter, Duran appeared to take his time and discover his rhythm however the taller, stronger, extra assertive Hearns by no means gave him an opportunity.
With a minute left within the opener Hearns struck with two laborious rights and chased Duran into the ropes. Whereas the clearly uncomfortable Panamanian smiled and mugged, Hearns stalked and threw heavy punches with abandon, opening a minimize over Roberto’s left eye. All in all, it was a disheartening opening spherical for Roberto and his followers, nevertheless it was about to get a lot worse.
Forcing Duran to retreat, Hearns obtained residence a tough proper to the pinnacle adopted by a left to the physique, and the mixture clearly shook the smiling Panamanian. A jab to the stomach landed flush and a second one introduced Roberto’s palms all the way down to parry it. Anticipating the opening, Hearns immediately smashed Duran on the jaw with a vicious straight proper that floored the previous light-weight terror for less than the third time in his lengthy profession.
Duran beat the depend however his physique language and facial features betrayed the very fact he was in serious trouble. His legs gone, a truth confirmed when he tumbled to the canvas a second time as Hearns threw a relentless torrent of punches. Duran rose and, saved from additional punishment by the bell, supplied a comic book picture as he waved defiantly at Hearns whereas marching on unsteady pins to the mistaken nook.
Spherical two noticed the achievement of Hearns’ prediction. Give Roberto credit score: he bravely stood his floor together with his greater, stronger and extra highly effective foe, even throwing a number of proper palms with dangerous intentions in an try to show issues round. However along with coronary heart and braveness, Duran was recognized for his defensive ability and in opposition to Hearns, this was absent. As a substitute of defending his chin and utilizing higher physique and head motion, Duran stood straight up, his jaw a goal Tommy couldn’t miss.
Thirty seconds into the spherical and the Panamanian legend was being swarmed by “The Hit Man” who, together with his larger measurement and full lack of respect, appeared like a teenage bully sadistically tormenting a child from grade faculty. One other proper hand buckled Roberto’s legs and pinned him to the ropes and when he tried to pressure Hearns again, he discovered himself consuming extra leather-based. Dazed and seeking to keep away from punishment, Duran briefly clinched earlier than backing into good punching vary.
What adopted was one of many single most devastating proper hand missiles ever thrown by “The Motor Metropolis Cobra.” It detonated on the facet of Roberto’s jaw, snapping his head prefer it was a velocity bag, and the triple-crown champion, who had by no means come near being stopped in his total profession, immediately went limp and collapsed to the canvas.
The dreaded warrior who had defeated Sugar Ray Leonard and battled Marvelous Marvin for fifteen back-and-forth rounds had been rendered helpless by Thomas Hearns in simply 4 minutes, left face down within the resin mud, a sight few had imagined they may ever behold. The stunning victory immediately revitalized Hearns’ pale aura of menace, his previous picture as “The Hitman,” a lethal knockout artist.
It additionally remodeled a potential Thomas Hearns vs Marvelous Marvin Hagler contest from a significant attraction to the combat completely everybody needed to see, and all concerned had one man to thank. It was Roberto Duran who made the Hagler vs Hearns match supremely viable and worthwhile. As his handlers labored to revive him in his nook, and because the scribes on press row composed their obituaries for the legendary profession of “Manos de Piedra,” the drums have been already beating in earnest for boxing’s subsequent large superfight. And Hearns wasted no time in throwing down the gauntlet.
“I problem Marvin Hagler,” stated Tommy on the post-fight press convention. “I can see him in my thoughts now, shaking like a leaf on a tree.” — Michael Carbert
