Thomas Hearns played a major part in one of the greatest eras in boxing history.
‘Hitman’ Hearns entered the professional ranks back in 1977 and would embark on a glittering career that stretched across three decades before his eventual retirement in 2006.
He became the first fighter in boxing history to win world titles in five weight classes back in 1987 when he captured the WBC world light-heavyweight title with a tenth round stoppage victory over Britain’s Dennis Andries at the Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan.
Hearns was also a member of the iconic ‘Four Kings’ during the 1980s, alongside ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, a legendary quartet of fighters that provided boxing fans with some of the greatest moments in the sport’s history.
In a feature with The Ring Magazine, Hearns was asked to reveal which of the ‘Four Kings’ – or his record entire – had the best chin, having faced each of them on at least one occasion each throughout the course of his storied professional career.
“Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Hands down. He took a lot of shots and kept coming.”
Hearns’ 1985 showdown with Hagler, which was contested for the undisputed world middleweight championship, is widely considered to be one of the most thrilling encounters of all time.
After what was a fiery opening two rounds, Hagler landed a thunderous right hand on the chin of Hearns to send him to the canvas, forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest in the third.
