Reply #3: That is sad about Hearns [View All]

[Awsi Dooger]

I didn't realize he was still calling for a third fight. Gad. The second fight was '89, if I remember correctly, and while it had its moments there was plenty of talk that both fighters were well past their peak. Imagine 17 or 18 years later.

I like Leonard but in both fights I rooted for Hearns, partially because of the same impression, that he was a more genuine person. And IMO the juding in the second fight was absurd. Yes, Leonard hurt Tommy in a few rounds but not to the extent of the first fight, plus Tommy scored two clean knock downs. I watched it PPV at the old Aladdin theater in Las Vegas and the crowd was in an uproar when they scored it a draw. I'm not sure Tommy would have fought as long if he had that one satisfying win over Leonard under his belt. He knew he matched up well against Ray, with that long piston jab.

I haven't seen the first fight in years but I can picture the two incidents of overconfidence. The first one is somewhat understandable, because Hearns had dictated the fight until that point. I was watching with about 15 guys in that small off campus apartment and everyone loved it when Tommy mocked the bolo.

But the second one was ridiculous. I was rooting for Tommy to somehow jab and elude over the final rounds and not get rocked again. Then the big overhand right that caught Tommy on the side of the face and wobbled him, to the point Leonard raised his hands in triumph. I knew it was over right there.