Success story

The Detroit News Emanuel Steward with Thomas Hearns, one of his most successful fighters. Hearns is now a promoter and he says he tries to treat people the way Steward treated him.

Hearns still in fight game after 6 titles

Kronk’s greatest champion promotes boxing matches

The Detroit News Thomas Hearns knocks down Dennis Andries in their championship fight March 7, 1987. Hearns, who won six world titles, ended his career last April, after 23 years.

By Fred Girard / The Detroit News

    SOUTHFIELD — When pressed, Thomas Hearns will admit that he is a rich man.

    “I have money,” said the most successful boxer in the history of the Kronk gym — the most successful club in the history of boxing.

    “I won’t say I have millions and trillions, but I’m pretty well-off,” said Hearns, who lives in Southfield.

    But, adds the winner of six world championships, that isn’t the important thing.

    “I’m a happy man. I’ve been very blessed.”

    Hearns, now 42, won six world and two continental titles in his career, starting with the World Boxing Association welterweight championship in 1980.

    He won the World Boxing Congress super-welterweight belt in 1982, the WBC middleweight and light-heavy titles in ‘87. He became the WBA’s light-heavyweight champ in 1991, and won the World Boxing Organization super-middleweight championship in 1988. He also won the North American Boxing Federation’s middleweight title in 1986, and cruiserweight title in 1994.

    He ended his career with a record of 59 wins — 46 by knockout — four losses, and a draw.

    Fight fans will never forget Hearns’ attempt to wrest the world welterweight title from Sugar Ray Leonard in 1981. Hearns was ahead on all official cards in the thrilling bout when his energy was sapped in the 13th round by the struggle to make weight, and Leonard handed Hearns his first loss in 33 fights.

    Hearns has a well-deserved place in boxing history, said Lindy Lindell of St. Clair Shores, a boxing historian and author.

    “Tommy Hearns was a sociological phenomenon in Detroit,” he said. “He shook things up quite a bit, putting Detroit on the map as a boxing town in the late 1970s. It was dead until then, down to nothing. He turned the town on.”

    In April 1985 Hearns fought what some call the most exciting round in the history of boxing against Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas for the world middleweight title.

    Hearns stunned Hagler 10 seconds into the fight, and for three straight minutes the two stood toe-to-toe slugging with everything they had — Hearns broke his right hand on Hagler’s skull, but never stopped swinging.

    In the third round the bout was stopped while a doctor examined a bleeding gash on Hagler’s face, but the fight was allowed to continue. Shockingly,

    Hearns walked into a swift combination from Hagler and went down to the second loss of his career.

    In 1989 Hearns had his chance for revenge against Leonard, meeting him for the WBC super-middleweight title. Hearns knocked Leonard down twice and seemed to be comfortably ahead on points, but the fight was judged a draw.

    Hearns’ life revolves now, he said, around his family — wife Renee, their 18-year-old daughter, and three sons — aged 21, 9 and 2. His mother, Lois, is a vital part of his new promoting business.

    Hearns fought out of Kronk for Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward for 14 years before he went on his own in 1991. Now, from the perspective of time, he realizes the importance of Steward’s influence.

    “Emanuel Steward played a very big role in my development,” Hearns said. “He was there, he showed me the ropes, took me through it and made it all happen for me. He’s like a father to me. He did things my father wasn’t around to do. I was blessed to have a man like Emanuel Steward in my corner.”

    Now that he is a boxing promoter, Hearns said, he tries to treat fighters the way Steward treated him.

    “I treat them with respect,” he said. “I’m totally honest with them, I tell them what’s real.”

    Hearns said he has been aware that several of his teammates from the early years came to violent ends, frequently with drugs as the root cause.

    “Of course I realized it, because it was just like in the family,” he said. “I know a lot of our guys did die young. Even one would be a tragedy. I think about it. I’m just thankful to God that I never went down that road, I never wanted (drugs and fame), I wanted nothing but the best for myself.”

    Hearns’ 23-year career came to an end in April, when he injured his ankle in the second round of a bout against Uriah Grant and could not continue.

    Or did it?

    “I’m in such great condition, I’m really thinking about trying it again,” he said. “But I’m going to stay where I am. I’m going to be very happy to keep doing promotions.”

Thomas Hearns

Age: 42

Residence: Southfield

Occupation: Boxing promoter with mother, Lois.

Personal: Married, has three sons and a daughter.

Career record: 59-4-1, with 46 knockouts and six world championships.