Sugar Ray Leonard vs Thomas Hearns with Howard Cosell

this is the way the arena was earlier today 4:30 p.m. to be exact getting ready for thousands of to be arriving spectators at 6:00 it was like this and the air of expectancy hung heavy over the arena and then this is the way it is now 7:30 p.m. we await the arrival of the two fighters Leonard and earned celebrities everywhere Bill Cosby Jack Nicholson Richard Dreyer and Burt Reynolds straight from the Cannonball Run film director John Huston Mike Connors Vitas Gerulaitis in the US Open tennis champion John McEnroe Wayne Newton David Brenner and a very special one Sugar Ray Leonard jr. fighters should be along in a moment Tommy Hearns is now coming down toward the ring you Sam in the middle of your screen bouncing up and down Tommy Hearns a peculiarly constructed man six feet one-and-a-half inches tall but he weighed in at only a hundred forty five pounds suggesting to some that he might be over trained his greatest weapons a tremendous punching power that's one the other an awesome reach for a welterweight seventy eight and a half inches he will have an 8-inch edge in reach over Sugar Ray Leonard forget any listings of Leonard at seventy four and a half inch reach because we mention him he's at 70 in a half Thomas Hearns who in the late going became the favorite then after the weigh-in went back to a pick'em situation Thomas Hearns with a record of 32 oh and OH thirty knockouts a tremendous repeat again puncher he is the WBA welterweight champion he entered the ring first because he lost the flip of a coin [Applause] [Music] very Sugar Ray Leonard as he comes down toward the ring surrounded by his entourage security people the inevitable Angelo Dundee Jenks Morton Sugar Ray Leonard the WBC welterweight champion weighed in at 146 today perfect for him 31 and oh that's his record with 21 knockouts this will be his fifth title defense the pc version of the title so many intangibles launched in this fight as Leonard comes up toward the ring itself so many because clearly Burns is desperate for recognition and desperate for the kind of money that Sugar Ray Leonard has already banked the Leonard the motivation of fight his pride to establish to the public that he is truly great will be back at ringside in Las Vegas in a moment 50 rounds of boxing for the undisputed welterweight championship of the world introducing in the blue corner fighting out of Palmer Park Maryland weighing in at 146 pounds the WBC welterweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard the thing to remember about Leonard he is a far better puncher than he is given credit for and in the red corner from Detroit Michigan he is the WBA welterweight champion of the world undefeated in his professional career and producing Thomas the mother city Cobra her 15 pounds of boxing the thing to remember about herds he is a far better boxer than he is given credit for quickly borrowed ten point buzz scoring system scoring done by three judges three knockdown rule wave and of yore no saving by the Bell the tale of the tape you see it there the principal feature that a edge inReach enjoyed by Thomas Hearns the other thing already noted by me fact that urns came in at only a hundred forty five pounds we'll see if he's been stripped of whatever stamina he had stamina maybe a question for Thomas Hearns the bell for round one quickly looked to see what the tactics of Leonard will be and perhaps Ernst will fight more carefully than had been thought planted quickly with the foot movement it's a good size bring 20 by 20 plenty of room to negotiate Leonard has said he will use much lateral movement in the manner of the way he fought the Montreal Olympics [Music] burns trying to get to Linnet from a ball with that long reach advantage the first two attempted left jabs with his glutes we are one minute into round one see I quickly Leonard got out of that corner there is to invite disaster with the stunning punching power that Tommy Hearns possessed other figures in each corner manuals Stewart Burns is gone and the man who instructed the very great brung Jim's group Detroit those done ding and jank so go with a quick flashing right all the tension and some of birds his past fights to his habit of letting the left hang low at the side thus exposing himself perhaps to a quick flashing right lead such as Leonard possesses but so far it's has been holding the left up better or a minute 55 into round two one cautiously fought first ground particularly on Leonard's pot burns trying to reach him from afar but herds not going in with any reckless abandon these men despite their professions of dislike for one another respect [Applause] thirty seconds left in ground backdrop during the course of a fight you'll see many celebrities you recognize moment there you saw got a glimpse of Muhammad Ali in the neck area by let's look at it again in slow motion watch Sugar Ray Leonard's actions close write that and that's when her and struck him and there was Davey pearl interceding but Brown to underway Peter the first round was caution each fighter respectful of the other if there was an edge it would have to go I suspected Thomas Hearns if there was an edge certainly there were no telling blows notice the constancy of movement by Sugar Ray Leonard his last two fights were most unimpressive against pay up Gillooly and larry ponds causing many to think that perhaps he had become a banker not a boxer like being left by hers somewhere along Glenn it if his DeWindt must prove he can get inside that reach-in score he is certainly going to be a factor tonight I have a thermometer here at ringside with me in but up in the ring itself under the lights it is above 110 degrees if it goes a long way telling fact bike goes along says second round weeber John two minutes into the second round Leonard to the right of your screen urns to the left with a good right 45 seconds left in round 2 planet utterly intense with his eyes remembers the second round death of demolition of Kapena keeps looking for that explosive earns right second round is about over from ringside Las Vegas Nevada route bleonard against turns first round nothing much done could happen Scott even the second round face upon neck good blow in the middle and around by hers I'd have to give the rounds of humps an official subjective score three Leonard step good exchange and Leonard may have been rocked Allah Leonard is posturing and saying [Music] I only better be kept from his corner in my opinion asking for trouble still has to figure out how to get to her that reach it is as I said awesome 20 inch around three look at the intensity in Leonard's eyes battle-plan apprentice fight his fight the quick flick thought Leonard and let birds wear himself down that is clearly the battle plan they take advantage of words but right bye [Music] they aggressor all thus far no question and this about her wary about if he uses the right lead venation name and duck under earns his clothes birds his left is over in the first round it is bought to his side wild swings by there's a better boxer that when it opening up on her but right by her good exchange [Music] well as wrong before or as we do from ringside in Las Vegas Sugar Ray Leonard left of your screen Thomas Hearns right third round first time the Sugar Ray Leonard began to become aggressive he did it midway through the round these startled herrings I think at that point for this aggressiveness Scott a good combination let's got several more blows birds responded but not as frequently or as effectively I don't think I scored the third round five seconds with that face picking off weathers clock back to cautious fighting again to the midsection they saw how quickly he covered that's the problem fighting this petunia newly constructed man with that big reach advantage his punching power yourself the pattern of the second Thomas Ernst they aggressively Lenard story well since left and round the good right deserves dropped his left blended into it eighteen seconds birds would walk right birds missing by the right [Music] [Applause] the bell for round five I thought bleonard was hurt just before the end of round four which was clearly a very of [Music] as the beginning of a welt under Lenin's left eye welterweight championship for the world at stake to be unified once and for all [Applause] that reach 8 inch reach advantage to lay it saves debate at this point the decisive factor in [Music] I'm fighting for pride I want the world to know I'm one of the greatest fighters for the money doesn't that's what Leonard said birds this is it for me definitely I want the recognition I'm entitled to I'm a better fighter than Leonard I'll not predict the outcome except that our at night blades brought there by whether left in company this is fifth round minute 50 seconds into the round [Music] Burns's left keeps going to lower and lower manual Stewart as manager trainer said it's suckers baby he likes his fighters to keep their left lung well I saw two of them in the National Amateur they both got knocked out by rights 25 seconds left it's a much better round birds [Music] the punch in the mana that against Iran - at New Orleans election the first five rounds at the end of the fifth round I take it you were aware that Thomas Hearns was dictating the action I would say he was but I never thought that I was losing now and I knew the fight was closed I never believed that I'm losing a fight I had control I was moving I was trying to frustrate him but he's still on top of things in other words you were fighting according to your battle plan hoping that he'd used himself up early and you could later dictate the action exactly I tried to make him exert himself in earlier around so I could dominate the late rounds but that's when the swelling started it started in the second round and I knew I had to go to work because um I had anticipated the once he got a good shot on me and then left that it would swell I take it Thomas you were perfectly happy with the way things were going at the end of the fifth round Oh most definitely Howard I was very much satisfied I thought that everything was going very well for me although I thought that I was boxing really good wish that people always criticized me as not being a good boxer so my basic thing was to come in and try to box and look good at boxing not to get in there and try to slug was right or try to out punch him basically that's what my thought was that's why I wasn't in there trying to talk heavy shots rule heavy blows so because I was based on my in my mind I was thinking about just going boxes also you reach being careful weren't you each having a great respect for the oven true or not true oh I had respect with Tommy I mean we sent a car trade and the same was true that's the same with me I have a great deal of respect for rain which I always have sent a wave so very good fighter that I respect him as a person as well as a fighter well it certainly shows now the whole thing a thing in the past under any circumstances will pick up with round six in a moment bell just sounded for round six we're at ringside Las Vegas Nevada Linnet against turns many of the experts around here they didn't think it would go this long that's how confident they were in the late going that hurts dispose of Lenin you may dispose of Leonard but that kid is a great glad to pick one compelling factor in the fight thus far and clearly as you watch this fight has to be edge in breach the felony to force the fight so far I see no evidence better but dream [Music] about a hundred Leonard has not yet found a way to get to consistently Oh now giving it to her No passport his mouthpiece but now he's trying to fight at this time you heard birds hurt looked at Thomas Hearns lovely his he goes back slow motion salainte it sixth round action at left cent burns back head snapped back now hurts beginning to be defenseless but look at that hurled against the ropes by the force of a blow now you will see Leonard go to the midsection and that's what really weakened Thomas Leonard with a body attack that reduced and lowered the guard and enabled Leonard to take charge of the fight suddenly in the sixth round [Applause] around 7:00 Las Vegas Nevada this capacity crowd standing as one a Sugar Ray Leonard for the first time in the fight clearly took over in the sixth round at her and stacker not once but twice with telling left hooks now hurts coming right there's no Whitney Tommy Hearns and he's got to be steadily kept again I see no evidence that Hearns was in fact open train and that punching power is still lodged there yet Leonard appears ready to risk aggression now way he would not do it but don't we had heard sir blended go to put on my wife linked in a car but their fight Leonard's left guy appears puffy when it's born again the left hook but but Birds pushing the ball this fight came alive never dreamed it would be tilted those went down [Applause] it's a big camera birds older god all over Leonard collect himself get himself together we have less than a minute to go in round parents's left whoa but God from time to time something he failed to do looking for the up load up his grace keep working the opposed [Applause] barrel separating the fighting and around his fear what did Tommy to go sounds bad vo Leonard administered physical punishment Emanuel Steward you manager trainer told me immediately after the fight tell me was never the same again after a blow in the sixth round is this true it's very true Howard I definitely was in trouble at six in the seventh round I couldn't get myself back together and get out there and box because uh seemed like when I came out of the right I came out for the seventh row even though he heard me six when I came out to seven I was still a little shaken up I wasn't quite clear why he it wasn't clear so basically my thought was to try to move and get away from staying with all right do you recollect Emanuel Steward telling you after the seventh round you've got to get back to boxing basics you've got to move you can outbox this man well yes I do but uh the problem was I couldn't get myself back together as fast enough to get out there and try to move up my feet and dance away from me so basically I was just constantly trying to move round close to the roles of close as I can to stay up against the ropes so I just in case he hit McGee and I would be able to removal from there I see Thomas do you feel that you lost strength by pairing down to 145 pounds no how I didn't have any problem at all on my weight basically when I came in to Las Vegas off where 148 and once I got in there I can just to hapless being so I can used to age and everything humidity Tina he brought my weight down more you know it's when I get up in the morning I was quite low in the morning when I wake up in the one out when about 146 way did you think after the seventh round that you had him that should put him away in the eighth well I knew fully well I was under control because that normally if I heard an opponent I I had the ability to finish him off why didn't you in this case well he didn't cooperate you know he surprised me because the punches that he was able to withstand I was quite surprised and that's when I think the mutual respect really you know came through but I heard taught me with a left hook and I felt that was the punch that could constantly do a number on it each time I threw it but he surprised me but then again I knew that he would be in tip-top shape and in the ring when did you start having trouble with vision if ever because of the severe well tons of the I touch it no I think the it was very sensitive and the many he hit it I was self-conscious about getting hidden again and the swelling continued and by the seventh and eighth round my peripheral vision it was impaired and I think if Tommy had more experience he would have known this and he would have been able to throw punches pretty much roundhouse okay so much for the sixth and seventh rounds big rounds for Leonard let's resume with the eighth round in a moment the bell for round 8 and suddenly we should go write a letter certainly hasn't won it yet but he's proved to a lot of people all of those who wrote that he was a creature he's an athlete this kid give him his due Poland under that from a long girls jab but last round the most telling feature and Hertz keeps his hands in front of his body he doesn't like it that and he tries to cover up that then he leaves himself open aid for the uppercut and be for a to go over the top with the right lane minute notice how the whole po has changed and his parents trying to move it is Leonard who is doing less he knows where he hurt him on his face moving in the box now he's the one bounce box look at her because why [Applause] look it hurts all over he is boxing well he's doing the very thing necessary to avoid prayer the punished reCAPTCHA his earliest great because appearances but that right lead becomes more and more telling then quickly down to the stomach get up again now it's lighted scars to take the flu before the Florida's here look for the uppercuts and he missed like ten seconds left in the eighth round [Music] the bell for round nine eighth round clearly Leonard's yet Leonard unable to take advantage of Burns in the wake of the damage he had done in the sixth and seventh rounds why role reversal burns surprisingly effective in his movements as a boxer beginning perhaps to recoup his early round strength maybe peril the third man in the ring the three judges got a fight Chuck maked Wayne Ford blue tappet they're all veteran judges change in rhythm in the 8th round as herds became the bucks and Lenin the Scot see the puffiness of their lives left eye let it try to get into that stuff and at five seconds into crowd is they don't know what to expect nobody no there was so many intangibles going into this fight it was almost impossible to predict what would happen except for this Sugar Ray Leonard is not in this fight making the mistake he made two putts don't it to prove to fighting in every respect including being a great no he came out to be what he is a great athlete to fight a tactical fight and the strategic learning something about Tommy Hearns that Tommy Hearns can adjust that he can change his fighting style that he is a far better boxer than I think as regroup early about no evidence study has been over drink I see no evidence of fatigue why respect for Raymond that's what's changed the bell for round Aaron yes we're in the 10th round birds did not knocked out Sugar Ray Leonard early on nerds himself took beatings in the 6th and 7th and just boxing's Hertz did much better in the ninth round it remains to be seen because this is a different earns how much of anything all that bouncing around will take out of only the passage of Browns hotel that that remains to be seen if Leonard will make the critical mistake because it would only take one shot from hurt to not Leonard out or anybody else in that weight classification such as the one punch knockout power Thomas sir action a minute twenty seconds into the round Emanuel Steward was right to tell urns to keep pucks that way we captured some of his powers clearly some of his gunfights look at the puffiness under Leonard's left earn still gets in there fighting at long-range boxing trying to use the edge in breach he is much more effective because while Leonard is stalking him he doesn't want to leave himself open to intelligent a fight open and he's not going to get records pizzas trying to get the right applause as the right length [Applause] vogue says only seconds left around 10:00 Thomas earns not sweating a lot maybe that's a result of bearing down to 145 pounds Sugar Ray Leonard under they left off possessed of his fish no blood flow from above and I too impaired is fine into perspective suddenly a reversal of roles that was because of many students after the seventh you've got to become the boxer he said and Hearns has done exactly that excellent movement using his reach advantage and all in all giving sugar Leonard what poor and never expect now here in the 11th round it is more of st. Leonard the stalker burns a box but right by her interesting to see Thomas Hearns in this life far more complete fighter and he had never been taken I thought Linnet was briefly stung at the end of the fourth round the real damage was done in the 6th 7th and 8th now Hertz is finding a good this technique is beginning to work for nice little if anything you see taking charge it's not the kind of fun kurz is beginning to get cut for them yet beginning to get aggressive left eye of Leonard's but Apple it's underneath birds with renewed confidence chances becoming aggressive and it's dominating the act around Dolan egg but she got her thing Leonard you saw that combination and herds appears a different fighter this nerd shows absolutely no sign of 50 planet trying to get to the belly again but Leonard made weary by that company since liar get that crowd [Music] what a different fighter he's become the confidence brimming of leading the crowd waiting for the bell for the start of round there it is South sensing he's in charge yes overwhelming confidence guys bought that puffiness and such I turn it into a desperate fight [Music] who would have thought that hurts bite witness fight as a box as a punch but that's what may be happening look at Leonards on and that breach employed in boxing style becoming more and more effect these late rounds 20 inch around 12 you know in the Randy shields fight burns prove something he proved he could be patient and he proved he could keep his boxing composure he'd gone down in the Leonard with a good combination and now he's proving all over again that is patient and he has bring presents use the biggest dance he has the reach have been throwing this fight another give Emanuel Steward credit this fight nerds he's the one who changed his whole approach to the fight hurts after the seventh round when his fighter was in deep trouble [Music] good right by her and right to that Leonard put the oysters back keep up there a baby right there that's what she looked like thin the eye and unsightly thing Dundee had just said you're blowing it kids you're blowing it I had to come out for the 13th what was your thinking well angela has a habit of saying you're blowing it you're blowing it I think it's something picked up over the past years but I knew the fight at that point there the last few rounds were very critical and I felt was the deciding factor also it's funny how because I was able to remember this he sit in that corner with my eye in the condition as it was I thought back to Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes because I saw the same man my brother Roger his last professional fight the same condition is that left that was completely swollen shut and the things that go goes through one's mine you know you say well is it worth it now and do you want to go back out there I was completely dehydrated I was tired and I just confessed myself I really wanted I felt she came out with a friend's a born of desperation no I don't think it was desperation because I was still conscious of what I was doing what when I was moving away from Tommy you know looks as I was trying to run it from desperation but I was just trying to keep him away from doing it further damage mm-hm Thomas did you think you were in total control after that 12 friend well I thought that how I feel did it everything was looking more so towards my way because uh I knew that I after that seven in a four I knew that I came out and began to box more and I felt that uh what I was boxing I was definitely getting to rate more so than ever and it made me feel that I was in death and control so it seemed to me I must confess Thomas at that point in time well pick up in a moment with round 13 the bell for round 13 Leonard's left eye in terrible condition perhaps an internal hemorrhage beneath the eye it's that swollen looks that way telltale words Comanche dunt Dida Leonard son you are blowing it you've got to start to fire let him off the hook get away you are blowing this fight [Music] [Applause] of course and even take note I'll tell you omens are those surely great fighters but any eight fighting in this intense no one giving fraud in the sixth and seventh rounds especially in this seat but no his corner Emanuel Steward changer style become the box and Hearns did and he's still bouncing on those feet 145 weight that he came in at totally misleading in terms of being Ovid rate ever a fighter showed stamina under oppressive conditions herds has done that birds hurt thanks ready to go look at those look at that man full of Sun answer [Applause] and indeed he goes through the ropes [Applause] he said that was no knockdown Davee peril I believe said that was not a knockdown I've got to get the word from Davey Perl on that birds fighting back but suddenly from nowhere the courage that is Sugar Ray Leonard some television free only 30 parents especially defense the roots keep them up five seconds left [Applause] this time it's an act and there's no saving by the Bell now the rounded [Applause] i huge round out of nowhere the Sugar Ray Leonard shifting tides epic whoa when have you seen UPIKE watch closely that right that's the one that started herds he was wobbly from it you can see that brynnie enhance speed of lenin countless unanswered flows but her and still effective enough to cover against some but no knock down according to Davey pearl now the knock down late was they knocked down parents being leveled by Sugar Ray Leonard the ropes keeping them up but there he goes through the ropes again and this time the mandatory eight count an area look at the arena the crowd beside itself waiting for the bell for round 14 questions can back to the jocks box punching damage in this fight on healing so has been done by Sugar Ray Leonard this fight I got Oh God brave finest that's great planet turn desperate threw caution to the winds utterly surprised turns in the last round in the thirteenth in my book two knockdowns only one officially given by David Murphy but he could not officially until look at that he knows he's a big baby stop the fight [Applause] shut right probing that everybody who's ever what's toxic that here yes isn't the 14th round go up on her [Applause] the 14th round about a minute 45 hilarious every right if ever a man wrote themselves this man Thomas Hearns the eyes glaze bitterly disappointed only 22 with a great curious build the forum and let's recap some of that action now watch closely you'll see the right that's it that started Tommy honors look at him staggering down the ringside there and then Leonard all over but Tommy somehow still reacting still trying to cover and in some cases succeeded again the tremendous hand speed of Lennon Davy Perl watching the action mindful of many recent boxing guests still Hearns is reacting what a fighter you've never seen such gameness and Linnet is pouring it on him finally pearl steps in stops the contest Leonard the welterweight champion of the world so that's the way it was or was that phrase shifting tides ebb and flow some of those rounds just remarkable others not but tactically strongly interesting I said Thomas just 22 you've got a great career still before you you're undaunted by that to feed aren't you well definitely uh I'm sort of set myself um because it's something that I really wanted Howard and I change very hard for and knowing that I came out defeat it you know I'm I'm very hurting its I still yes it's hard to get up oh definitely but at the same time you've come out as has ray with an apparent almost friendship based upon mutuality of respect isn't let you loose it um basically leading into the fight people always thought it was out of months between me array but pace it was just I looked at it's just two guys in the same weight division and both champions and some and one of us want to be we wanted to be just one champion unified the type and I felt that's why you should be I guess ray felt the same way but uh there was never any animosity between me and Ray at all you want a rematch almost definitely I would love to have a rematch array and basically we're gonna ask bring my job she a rematch well I tell you as so many guys who want read matches and Tommy right uh I took this time I said you deserve a lot of quick you know you're not taking my hat off to you but it's Benitez is Duran is kaluli wants rematch no cares man oh yeah Darren's talking to rematch but Hearns but you've told me on camera you'll never fight Turan again I'll tell you everything Oh but really I said if the rank and reached can reaccept himself and he's trying to do just that I don't know how long some take it's gonna take a long time but I I'd rather see the guys fight each other then I fight the winner quite naturally be Tommy but I'd be more than happy to give him a rematch no problem well as soon as he admits that after 14th round was no way possible he could have continued because I think that the fans you know they they made it possible for us to make the kind of persons that we are able to do man I think don't be sincere honest with yourself but be honest with them because they are there when you admit yes or no what he's asking you to admit know how I could not admit to that because I was I was in complete control myself I wasn't out on my feet and I was able to protect myself all I thought but it was anything how I thought that I should have got an 80 Cal he the referee should have been able to decide from there well I understood to be honest Davie Pearl's action because one working as a referee these days always is mindful of the many unfortunate deaths we've had recently in boxing thank you my friend congratulations on a really stirring performance you're a great a fighter and a fine fellow thank you very much and thank you thank you mr. champion as usually call the fight perfect telling it like it is that's the story leonard against turn

Channel: coachstrout’s classic fights

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Rating: 4.4368753 out of 5

Keywords: coachstrout, boxing, boxers, boxeo, boxen, boksning, fights, Boxning, “ボクシング”, “, มวย”, quyền anh, “бокс”, “波形, 권투, “πυγμαχία”, “fighters”, “mma”, “ufc”, “hbo”, “mayweather”, “boxe”, classic boxing, rare fights, fighting, classic fights, ray leonard, sugar ray leonard, tommy hearns, thomas hearns

Id: GnAJ4amXDjE

Length: 61min 34sec (3694 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 01 2020