Hit Man - Brian Hughes [80]
When Sugar Ray Leonard made his ring entrance, he had the Zulu word for power, AMANDLA, emblazoned across the back of his robe and the top of his waist band in capital letters. The word held dual symbolism: to signify his own intentions and to offer solidarity to South Africans, where the word was often a rallying cry at anti-apartheid demonstrations. Hearns was less profound and had his own name embossed across his own gold robe and shorts but the steely look in his eye signalled his intent.
The contest opened with unexpected caution. Both fighters tentatively left their corners and began feeling each other out. They moved around the ring, waiting for the other to launch the first attack, like fencers looking for the right opening before committing themselves. This absorbing game of brinkmanship lasted for three rounds before both fighters appeared to reach their conclusions and begin to reveal and implement their strategy. Hearns pumped out his long left jab with metronomic regularity, throwing it fractionally short in order to prevent leaving his chin exposed to Leonard’s rapier-like counter punches. The Maryland fight prodigy’s plan involved throwing a rich variety of right hands to the slim body of Hearns to weaken him for the later stages.
Leonard’s body shots consistently fell short of their intended target and he attempted to recalibrate his sights. He dropped his head low and moved closer inside Hearns’ long spearing reach to fire a two-handed combination of punches. Hearns immediately countered with a downward chopping right to the side of Leonard’s unguarded head and then followed it up with a right hook to deposit Leonard on the apron. He looked stunned at the indignity and scrambled back to his feet to receive the mandatory eight count from Richard Steele. When the action resumed, more than half the round remained but Hearns, wild with bloodlust and revenge, stormed forward and pinned Leonard against the ropes, vainly trying to finish him off and exorcise his demons, but he lacked his customary composure and failed to land a telling punch.
In the next round, it was Leonard who recovered his poise first and he looked increasingly relaxed and comfortable with his antidote to the menace he faced. When the bell signalled the end of the round, he grinned broadly and winked at the retreating Hearns. When they emerged for the fifth session, the reversal in fortune appeared complete as Hearns took a hammering. One quick-fire right hand to his unprotected chin buckled his knees. Before he could quell the rising storm, Leonard unleashed a power-packed left hook flush to the side of his head and caused his legs to wobble again. When he was pinned against the ropes, he was forced to tuck up and defend a ferocious onslaught, which lasted for more than a minute. When he returned to his corner, Emanuel Steward wrapped his arms around Hearns. “This is what makes a great fighter,” urged the master trainer. “This is what’ll make you great.” Hearns gulped in air, then reassured Steward. “I’m feeling great,” he said.
Both fighters were now locked in a struggle to establish supremacy and they began to increase the size of the risks they were taking. They took turns to get on top but on each occasion, before they could pull away, the other would storm back and reel in the lead. The instructions from the camps were also changing. “This is a physical fight, Tommy,” Steward told his charge. “Forget the boxing and fight the man.” Leonard was instructed to attack both sides of Hearns’ body and weaken his resolve. In the tenth, a beautiful arcing right cross opened a cut under Hearns’s left eye whilst Hearns dominated the next round and issued a whiplashing volley of right hands to drop Leonard to the canvas again.
The twelfth round offered the final twist in this compelling contest. Leonard dug deeply into his reserves, determined to have the final word and leave a lasting impression with the judging panel. He attacked with one last all-out effort to try and finish