As the Cold War was nearing an end, many across the world were stunned as they watched a series of horrific events unfolding in Beijing. In mid-April, thousands of Chinese students marched through Tiananmen Square, their voices crying out for reform and democracy.
By mid-May, the protest grew to an estimated 1.2 million people.
The situation soon became grave as in the early morning hours of June 4, Chinese troops and tanks were on the scene and fired into the crowd, ruthlessly killing many of the demonstrators. Although no official death toll was released, estimates range from the hundreds to the thousands.
Following orders, the troops cleared the square and the demonstrations swiftly ended as outrage swept across the globe. Many leaders, including President George H.W. Bush of the United States and Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, condemned the barbarity.
Many still remember the iconic image of the 19-year-old student standing in front of a column of four tanks, obstructing their path, before he was pulled to safety.
The year was 1989.
Back home in the United States, just days after the events unfolded in China, boxing fans were anxiously preparing for a rematch that was nearly eight years in the making. Sugar Ray Leonard (35-1, 25 KOs) and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns (46-3, 38 KOs) had unfinished business to tend to.
The two had met as Welterweights on September 16, 1981. In a heart-pounding back-and-forth drama, Leonard, who was down on all three scorecards, came back to stop Hearns in a thrilling 14th-round stoppage.
The rematch was scheduled for Monday night, June 12, and was to be held in the same venue as their first meeting. The outdoor arena at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas played host to a bout that was billed simply as, “The War.”
Basketball fans had a night off as game four of The NBA Finals was scheduled for the following night. The Los Angeles Lakers were down three games to none to the Detroit Pistons and fighting for their post season lives. On this night, all eyes were on Caesars Palace as Leonard and Hearns prepared for battle.
Temperatures across the country were on the rise as summer was knocking at the door. Las Vegas was no different as temperatures at ringside hovered around 96 degrees.
Over 15,300 fans, a capacity crowd, packed Caesars to watch the two future Hall of Famer’s clash at a catch weight of 164 pounds. Leonard, a 1976 Olympic gold medalist, was the 168 pound WBC Super Middleweight Champion. Now 33, he was also a six-time world champion in five different weight divisions.
His old nemesis was the reigning 168 pound WBO Super Middleweight Champion. Hearns, 30, brought his own loaded dossier which included winning five titles in five different weight classes.
Although the younger Hearns held a three-inch height and four-inch reach advantage over Leonard, he was a 3-1 betting underdog on fight night.
The bout was broadcast on closed-circuit and pay-per-view television and later replayed on HBO. Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and the undefeated IBF Middleweight champion Michael Nunn were ringside to call the night’s action.
Despite their age, Merchant summed up the meaning of their confrontation, “This is Henry Fonda and John Wayne in the twilight of their careers meeting in the KO Corral.”
Fans agreed as was seen by the jam packed arena. Seated at ringside were a myriad of recognizable faces that included Mr. T., Michael Keaton, Chevy Chase, Tom Selleck and Chuck Norris.
The feeling was an anticipation that something memorable was about to happen.
Hearns entered the ring first. Wearing the Kronk Gym’s gold colors and led by longtime trainer Emanuel Steward, Hearns made no bones about the fact that this was the biggest night of his life. June 12 would be his chance for payback and redemption.
In an interesting footnote of a storied career, the second fight against Leonard was his first rematch.
Leonard entered the ring next. He was led to the ring by Pepe Correa. Absent from Leonard’s corner for the second consecutive fight was Angelo Dundee. It was Dundee who produced the iconic moment in the first meeting with Hearns when telling Leonard, “You’re blowing it now son, you’re blowing it!”
Wearing white with red stripes, Leonard’s trunks had Amandla, which means “power” in Zulu, embossed across his waistband. His robe and trunks were a tribute to Nelson Mandela as it was 25 years before to the day that he had been imprisoned.
Ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced the fighters and referee Richard Steele provided final instructions.
The early rounds saw Hearns stalking Leonard, moving forward carefully behind his long left jab. Leonard appeared content to use his legs and circle from right to left. He would occasionally stand flat-footed and fire his own jab and hook to the body.
Both men remained cautious, each looking to counter the other as Merchant described the early action as, “A war of attrition.”
While Leonard looked to be more aggressive in Round 3, he stepped forward and ate a vicious right cross from Hearns. His money punch thudded home on Leonard’s jaw. As the crowd rose, so did Lampley’s voice, “Right hand by Hearns and Leonard is stopped in his tracks. Hearns gains confidence and knocks Leonard down!”
Photo by Sports Illustrated
With one minute remaining in the round, Leonard rose to a knee and calmly took the standing eight count from Steele. As he tried to clear his head, he bravely stood in the pocket and retaliated in hopes of letting Hearns know he wasn’t badly hurt.
Hearns stared at Leonard as the bell sounded to end the round. It was only the third time Leonard had been down in his career.
Undeterred, Leonard continued to step in and assert his will in Rounds 4 and 5. Hearns continued to answer and work behind an energetic left jab, peppering Leonard and often forcing him to lunge in.
Approaching the halfway point in the fifth, Leonard finally caught Hearns with a pulverizing left hook. The crowd exploded as Lampley strained to scream over the roar. “Great left! And now it is Hearns who wobbles against the ropes! A tremendous left hook following the right hand by Ray Leonard!”
Hearns held on for dear life as Leonard smelled blood and unloaded a fusillade of punches. As Hearns tried to fight back, Leonard continued to rain punches from all angles. Refusing to go down, or retreat, Hearns desperately fought Leonard off until the bell sounded to end the round.
All 15,300 were on their feet applauding the action. Merchant concluded, “That’s the best round of all the rounds they’ve fought.”
As the fight moved into the middle rounds, both took turns pursuing each other in a game of cat and mouse. Each had proven they could hurt the other and then recover from it.
At the halfway point, unofficial judge Harold Lederman had it four rounds to two, 58-55 in favor of Hearns.
Round 7 began with both men trading bombs at center ring. Hearns hurt Leonard and drove him into the ropes with a series of right crosses and left hooks.
As the crowd rose, Merchant described the action, “This is the most trouble I’ve ever seen Ray Leonard in, right here! He is badly hurt! Only his experience and his guts can carry him through here.”
Leonard continued to show those guts and recuperative powers, retaliating with an assault to the body.
Both fighters remained poised in the remarkable back-and-forth action of the eighth and ninth rounds. Stamina did not appear to be a problem as both men were in outstanding condition.
After the ninth, Steward pleaded with Hearns, You’ve got to come out and let your big shots go. Try to get this man outta here this round.”
As the bell sounded to begin the 10th it was Leonard who attacked Hearns, firing roundhouse bombs and driving Hearns backward leaving Merchant to ponder, “Can Ray Leonard do it again?”
Hearns appeared to get his legs back under him as a chant began to resonate through the crowd, many screaming, “Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!”
Entering the final six minutes, Hearns appeared to be the worse for wear. Leonard was now the predator as he moved forward looking to test what Hearns had left.
With just one minute gone by in the 11th, Hearns reached back and fired a thunderous right cross that strafed Leonard’s chin. Leonard’s upper body jolted back as if he were hit by a bolt of lightning. Not pausing to admire his work, Hearns fired a second right, and then a third.
Lampley shrieked, “Oh! A solid right hand by Hearns! Spectacular right cross and Leonard is in trouble again!”
Leonard was down on all fours for the second time in the fight. Again, he rose to one knee taking the eight count from Steele. Merchant quickly observed, “And Ray Leonard had a look on his face there that I have never seen before!”
Hearns jumped all over his foe as Steele stepped away. As was the case earlier in the fight, Leonard refused to back away from the battle and survived the round.
There were only three minutes remaining.
With most of the crowd on its feet, both men met at center ring to touch gloves. Steele summed up the moment, “Last round! Let’s go champs!”
Both men stood toe to toe, neither holding anything back. As the crowd roared, Merchant opined, “There is no quit in either of these great warriors.”
With one minute to go in the fight, Leonard unloaded everything that he had left. Hearns was on the defensive desperately trying to give as good as he was getting. Both came across the finish line with little if anything left in their gas tanks.
Seconds after the final bell, both embraced after eight years and 26 rounds of combat.
Buffer then read the scorecards. The official judges at ringside scored the bout 113-112 for Hearns. 113-112 for Leonard, and 112-112, even. He concluded, “This bout is a draw ladies and gentleman!”
The crowd at ringside, audibly upset, voiced its displeasure of the decision.
Although the fight exceeded expectations, the final decision was inconclusive.
The Associated Press scored the bout 113-112 for Leonard whereas KO Magazine scored it 115-112 for Hearns.
Years later, Leonard would discuss his two fights with Hearns. “I beat him the first time. We were rivals. Major rivals.”
Sitting with Hearns, Leonard continued in discussing their rematch. “Well, to me, Tommy Hearns won that fight.”
It was class, dignity, and respect.
Although there was speculation of a third fight, both left boxing fans with 26 rounds of action that will forever live in the annals of boxing history.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
