After winning the WBA light heavyweight crown from Virgil Hill on June 3, 1991, Thomas Hearns didn’t return to the ring until the following February 20th. I went over my brother’s house to watch it on pay-per-view, and of course was rooting hard for Tommy.
The bout from the Caesar’s Palace Sports Pavilion was on HBO’s TVKO pay-per-view channel. Boxing was so popular in 1991 that there were even trading cards made. Looking back, they were the glory days of boxing for a fan like me, and I enjoyed every minute of them.
The fight with Barkley was a tough battle, with back and forth action for all twelve rounds. The only knockdown of the bout occurred in the fourth round, when a counter left hook by Iran put Tommy on the deck. He got up and continued unlike in their first go round, and came back firing in the next round. By the end of the twelfth round, both of Barkley’s eyes were swollen, Tommy’s nose was bleeding, and the decision was in doubt. I sat nervously as the cards were read, and felt sick when the split decision went to ‘The Blade’. Tommy was gracious as usual, and said to Iran “Every time we fight, I give you my belt.” I was sad on my drive home that night, not knowing Thomas would never win a major title again.
At now 34, I wondered what his future held. If you count his WBO super middleweight belt, he had won 5 titles in 5 different divisions, a tremendous accomplishment. What else was there to prove at this point? But unfortunately for most boxers, they simply stick around way too long.
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