Boxing Classics. My Top 5 Fighters of the 1980’s.

This is My List of My Top 5 Fighters of the 1980’s.

1. Sugar Ray Leonard. Ray held the welterweight and junior middleweight titles before retiring in November 1982 because of his eye surgeries. He would fight once in 1984 before retiring again after his defeat of Kevin Howard. Leonard came back in 1987 to fight Marvin Hagler and won a split decision that shocked the boxing world. In November 1988, Sugar Ray defeated light heavyweight champ Donny Lalonde to win capture his title. He was held to a draw in his rematch with Thomas Hearns in June of 1989, but won a decision over Roberto Duran in their third bout on December 7,1989 to finish the decade. Ray was then and always be one of my all time favorite boxers.
2. Larry Holmes. The ‘Easton Assassin’ held the heavyweight title for 7 1/2 years from June of 1978 until his loss to Michael Spinks on September 21, 1985. Larry’s 20 successful title defenses are second in history to Joe Louis’s 25, and is on my list of the top 5 best heavyweights in history. He beat all contenders during his reign, including Earnie Shavers, Muhammad Ali, Gerry Cooney, Tim Witherspoon and Carl Williams. He retired after his second controversial loss to Spinks in April 1986, but was still the best heavyweight of the 1980’s to me.
3. Thomas Hearns. The ‘Hit Man’ was known for his tremendous punching power, but also had great boxing skills as well. He won his first world title on August 2, 1980 with a two round destruction of Pipino Cuevas, then met Sugar Ray Leonard a year later to unify the welterweight crown. Thomas lost via a 14th round TKO, but fought a brilliant bout up to that point. He won his second world title by outpointing Wilfred Benitez on December 3, 1982 in New Orleans. After losing to Marvin Hagler on April 15, 1985, Thomas rebounded in March 1987 by stopping WBC light heavyweight champ Dennis Andries to win his third world title. 7 months later Hearns became the first boxer to win 4 titles in 4 weight classes when he knocked out Juan Roldan in Las Vegas. Tommy’s grit and determination make him one of my all time favorites.
4. Marvin Hagler. After fighting to a controversial draw on November 30, 1979 with Vito Antuofermo, Marvin traveled to London, England the following September to destroy Alan Minter in 3 rounds and capture the middleweight crown. Hagler defended his title for 7 years against the best in the division including Roberto Duran, Tony Sibson, Mustafa Hamsho, Juan Roldan and Thomas Hearns. Marvelous Marvin retired after losing a controversial decision to Ray Leonard on April 6, 1987 and never laced up a pair of boxing gloves again.
5. Mike Tyson. ‘Iron Mike’ won the WBC heavyweight crown on November 22, 1986 with his two round annihilation of Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas. After defeating ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, Pinklon Thomas and Tony Tucker in 1987, Tyson unified all three belts for the first time in history. Tyson then destroyed Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, Tony Tubbs and Michael Spinks to put him on top of the division by the end of June 1988, with no one in sight that could beat him. After taking 8 months off due to personal problems, her returned on February 25,1989 to easily stop Frank Bruno in Las Vegas in 5 rounds. Tyson fought his last bought of the decade in July of 1989 in Atlantic City, and knocked out Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams in 90 seconds. Tyson was the best thing that happened to boxing in the 80’s by getting rid of all the misfits and underachievers in a sport that definitely needed the excitement he brought to it.