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“Barkley is not a very hard guy to hit but he does take a good punch and is a real tough guy.”
Gil Clancy, seated at ringside with Steve Albert and Al Bernstein, was entrenched in the early action. On a warm Monday night in the desert, Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns was defending his WBC Middleweight Crown against Iran “The Blade” Barkley.
On June 6, 1988, a capacity crowd of 8,600 fans jammed the Las Vegas Hilton who played host to a card that was broadcast live on pay-per-view and closed circuit television. Later rebroadcast on Showtime, fans were treated to a main event that saw Clark Kent kicked out of his phone booth.
That phone booth was taken over by two fighters who stood toe to toe while battling for Middleweight supremacy.
Hearns (45-2, 38 KOs) entered the ring as a 4-1 betting favorite. At 29, he was the only man in boxing history to hold four world titles in four different weight divisions. He had been crowned Welterweight, Super Welterweight, Middleweight, and Light Heavyweight champion.
After an iconic loss in April of 1985 to Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Hearns responded with five consecutive wins in 1986 and 1987.
His opponent tonight, both dangerous and battle tested, had survived three losses early in his career. Barkley (24-4, 15 KOs) then mustered 15 wins in his next 16 fights. Now 28, he had climbed the rankings ladder and stood as the No. 2 rated challenger.
Although both men stood 6’1”, Hearns owned a four inch reach advantage over Barkley. The champion, as was his usual, was adorned in the red and gold colors of the Kronk gym.
As the first round unfolded, Hearns decisively dished out punishment early. Barkley appeared content taking four and five punches in hopes of landing one in return. The challenger, who was punching back, was taking fierce incoming from Hearns.
That ferocious assault opened a cut over the challenger’s left eye midway through the opening round. Albert called the fast paced action as the champion swarmed, “A big left by Hearns! Trying to finish him off early!”
Now in Round 2, both men were trying to establish the jab but for far different reasons. Hearns looked to keep Barkley on the outside and then drop straight right hands and left hooks.
Barkley wanted to use his jab, often doubling it, to try to get inside and in close where he could launch his money punch, a vaunted left hook. Outfitted in black trunks with red trim, Barkley was now bleeding from his mouth.
Each man was carving out his territory in the center of the ring to begin Round 3. While the two took turns pursuing one another, Barkley turned up the heat and began banging away at the champion.
Hearns survived the opening flourish from his challenger and then responded with a barrage to the body.
The assault was vicious as he fired thudding hooks to Barkley’s midsection. Bernstein observed, “Great body shots by Tommy Hearns. Those body shots have hurt Iran Barkley very badly!”
While Clancy pointed out that the cut had reopened and blood was streaming from Barkley’s eye, Albert followed Bernstein’s lead on the tremendous body beating being administered by Hearns, “The crowd sensing something. Hearns continues to go to the body with the left uppercut.”
The 8,600 in the Las Vegas Hilton had come alive as Hearns blasted away and a cut had now been opened over Barkley’s right eye. As the blood flowed, the energy level inside the Hilton reached a fever pitch.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, lightning struck in the form of a Barkley right hand.
After Hearns fired another left jab, he dropped his hands and attempted to slide to his left. In an instant, Barkley fired a sweeping right hand. The timing could not have been more perfect as the punch landed flush on Hearns jaw.
Like a tree falling after being chopped down in the woods, Hearns’ body descended towards the canvas. On his way down, Barkley reloaded and connected with another chopping right hand.
The crowd rose and went berserk as Hearns crashed downward, his head bouncing off the canvas. While lying flat on his back, Albert went wild, “Oh brother! A right by Barkley and Hearns is down! A lunging right!”
Incredibly, Hearns climbed to his feet to take the count from referee Richard Steele. Albert bellowed, “He gets up! Unbelievable! Can he survive the third round?”
Clearly hurt, eyes glazed, and legs rubbery, Hearns had 30 seconds remaining in the round. It would take a herculean effort to make it out of the round.
Barkley pounced on the opportunity to close the deal.
With a barrage of rights and lefts, Barkley drove the champion into the ropes and landed one final straight right hand that put Hearns through the ropes and nearly onto the announcers table at ringside.
Hearns, clutching the ropes for dear life, was aided by Steele who grasped the champions arm to prevent him from spilling out of the ring.
Clancy roared, “What a turnaround! How Tommy got up the first time was a miracle!”
With blood now streaming from both eyes, Barkley was hoist into the air, his hands raised skyward, by his corner. He was the new WBC Middleweight champion of the world.
At the time of the stoppage, Hearns was up 20-18 on all three of the judge’s scorecards
The outcome dramatically lived up to the promotional banner which was titled “Knockout Nite”.
The Ring magazine selected the Barkley win as 1988’s “Upset of the Year”.
The two would meet again nearly four years later just down the street at Caesars Palace. In a split decision, Barkley would again come out on top and defeat Hearns for a second time.
However, it was their first meeting in 1988 that boxing fans still look to as both a memorable knockout and a memorable upset.
Down on all three scorecards, hurt, cut over both eyes and bleeding from his mouth, Barkley delivered a right hand that changed boxing history.
