Nicknamed the " Motor City Cobra " and more famously " The Hitman ," Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions.

In 1981, Main Events became the promoter of the first bout between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, won by Leonard by a knockout in round 14.

The roles reversed: Leonard became the stalker and Hearns became the boxer.

In 1980, Kenty became Kronk's first world champion, and Hearns followed him as world champion months after.

Hearns boxed from a distance in rounds one, two and three and Benitez kept applying pressure, and using his best method of fighting: Lying against the ropes.

When the decision was announced, it was a majority decision: two judges had voted for Hearns, ( 144-139 and 146-136, according to KO magazine ) and one for a draw ( 142-142 ), making Hearns the WBC's new world Jr Middleweight champion.

He was part of an early 1980s ' junior middleweight and middleweight division scene that included Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Wilfred Benítez, Davey Moore, and Roberto Durán-an era which many boxing fans rank as one of the most exciting times ever in those weight classes.

* September 16-A much anticipated bout takes place, and Sugar Ray Leonard unifies his WBC world Welterweight title with the WBA one by knocking out the WBA's champion Thomas Hearns in round fourteen at Las Vegas.

By the time he fought Thomas Hearns, he had defended the title ten times, winning all but one by knockout ; the sole Hagler defense that went the distance was a 15-round decision victory over Roberto Durán.

Hearns was regarded as one of the hardest punchers of all time, winning 30 of his first 32 bouts by knockout.

Steward achieved his most notable early success with welterweight Thomas Hearns, whom he changed from a light hitting boxer into a devastating puncher.

The decision was soundly booed, as most felt that Hearns had won.

* June 15 – in the most anticipated bout of the year, Thomas Hearns, WBC world Jr. Middleweight champion, knocks out WBA world champion Roberto Durán in two rounds.

Three of the most famous cases of a fighter using the bolo punch were when Leonard avenged his loss to Roberto Durán ( see " The No Más Fight "), when Leonard drew with Thomas Hearns in their second fight ( see Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns ), and when Ike Ibeabuchi knocked out Chris Byrd with a left-handed bolo punch during their 1999 heavyweight contest.

The first round of Hagler v Hearns is often considered to be among the best three minutes in boxing in middleweight history as the two fighters stood toe-to-toe trading blows.

Leonard later admitted that he believed Hearns had beaten him and that he was gifted the draw, stating the fighters were 1-1 in his book.

Notable fighters who have fought as welterweights include Barney Ross, Jackie Fields, Johar Abu Lashin, Ted " Kid " Lewis, Jimmy McLarnin, Jack Britton, Henry Armstrong, Fritzie Zivic, Sugar Ray Robinson, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, Emile Griffith, José Nápoles, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Durán, Julio César Chávez, Pernell Whitaker, Félix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Ike Quartey, Shane Mosley, Vernon Forrest, Zab Judah, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ricky Hatton, Micky Ward, Arturo Gatti, Miguel Cotto, Victor Ortiz, and Manny Pacquiao.

Popular fighters to have held championships in this division were Nino Benvenuti, Manny Pacquiao, Wilfred Benítez, Roy Jones, Jr., Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Mike McCallum, Julian Jackson, Roberto Durán, Terry Norris, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Winky Wright.

* March 22-James Shuler dies only twelve days after fighting Thomas Hearns, in a motorcycle accident, in Pennsylvania.

Pryor, on the other hand, was fearsome, intimidating and, despite possessing great talent and having been a peer of greats Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, was the recipient of limited media coverage.

Some of the boxers featured on the magazine covers have included Andrew Golota, Salvador Sánchez, Jack Dempsey, Max Schmeling, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Marciano, Willie Pep, Muhammad Ali, Alexis Argüello, Wilfred Benítez, Wilfredo Gómez, Roberto Durán, Larry Holmes, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bud Taylor, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Thomas Hearns, Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Julio César Chávez, Félix Trinidad, Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Mauro Mina, and Ricardo Mayorga.

Gómez, Pintor, Hearns and HBO commentator Sugar Ray Leonard ( who came in to substitute Benitez ) were paraded around New Orleans a few days before the event, and many former and current world boxing champions and celebrities attended the fights.

A major pay-per-view event occurred on September 16, 1981, when Sugar Ray Leonard fought Thomas " Hitman " Hearns for the Welterweight Championship.

Hearns was named Ring Magazine fighter of the year in 1980 and 1984 and is best known for his fights with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Durán.

In 1981, Hearns the WBA Champion, with a 32-0 record ( 30 KOs ), fought WBC Champion Sugar Ray Leonard ( 30-1 ) to unify the World Welterweight Championship in a bout dubbed " The Showdown.

Hearns had to wait until 1989 for a rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard, this time for Leonard's WBC Super Middleweight title.

Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns are considered to be two of the best boxers of all-time.

In round fourteen, after staggering Hearns with an overhand right, Leonard pinned Hearns against the ropes, where he unleashed another furious combination, prompting referee Davey Pearl to stop the contest and award Sugar Ray Leonard the Unified World Welterweight Championship.

Other fights Steele refereed included Mike Tyson's defeat of Donovan Ruddock in 1991, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, Julio César Chávez vs. Meldrick Taylor I, and the fight where Sugar Ray Leonard made his comeback after a three year lay-off in 1987 to beat Hagler.

* September 16 – Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns by knockout in round 14 to unify boxing's world Welterweight title.

He fought during a period when an unusual number of accomplished welterweights were active: Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfred Benítez, Carlos Palomino, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Durán, although his reign had nearly come to an end as Leonard, Benítez, Hearns, and Duran emerged as welterweight champions.

* 1981-Sugar Ray Leonard KO 14 Thomas Hearns I — see Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns

Another important aspect of boxing in the 1980s was the rivalry between five world champions: Wilfred Benítez, Roberto Durán, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.

On September 16, 1981, he fought on the undercard of the legendary fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns.

* June 12-Sugar Ray Leonard retains his WBC world Super Middleweight title with a twelve round draw in a rematch with Thomas Hearns in Las Vegas.

" In this legendary fight, Hearns suffered his first professional defeat when Leonard stopped him in the 14th round.

Hearns started the round boxing and moving, but after staggering Hearns with an overhand right, Leonard pinned Hearns against the ropes.

Hearns and Leonard banked a combined 17 million dollars for the fight, making it the largest purse in sports history.

The following year, Leonard retired due to a detached retina caused by Hearns ' jab and there would be no rematch until 1989.

This was Hearns's sixth Superfight, a fight which much of the public believed Hearns won, flooring Leonard in both the 3rd and 11th rounds.

Promoted as " The Showdown ," Leonard ( 30-1 with 21 KO ) fought Hearns ( 32-0 with 30 KO ) on September 16, 1981 at Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada to unify the World Welterweight Championship in a scheduled fifteen-rounder.

The fight began as expected, Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns stalking.

Leonard had difficulty with Hearns ' long reach and sharp jab.

By the end of round five, Leonard had a growing swelling under his left eye, and Hearns had built a considerable lead on the scorecards.

Leonard, becoming more aggressive, hurt Hearns in the sixth with a left hook to the chin.