Hit Man - Brian Hughes [94]
Despite this being his first outing in a year, Hearns’s drawing power was not on the wane. A clutch of celebrities took their seats at ringside, including city mayor Denis Archer, the Detroit Tigers/Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, media heavyweight Bill Bonds, heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and Pistons power-forward Terry Mills, as well as ten thousand local fans, who gave their thirty-six-year-old hero a rapturous ovation as he began his ring walk. They didn’t seem to care much about the quality of opposition he faced and the thirty-six-year-old Hearns looked sensational as he opened up with a ripping left hook to drop the outclassed LaPaglia in the very first round. The challenger scrambled to his feet but was deposited back by a right-left combination. As he regained his equilibrium, he looked like a man about to head to the gallows. Hearns was as cool as an executioner as he calmly stepped forward and administered the final blow to record the fight’s third and final knockdown after just two minutes and fifty-five seconds of the opening round. The Hit Man had claimed an unprecedented seventh “world” title.
Afterwards, Hearns beamed as he thanked the fans. “I could hear the people hollering,” he said. “I could hear their support. People love me and I love them.” He acknowledged that this was just one step towards the title that he claimed the fans really wanted him to pursue and he mused on the range of options opened to him, including meeting the other kings of the cruiserweight class, Alfred Cole, Orlin Norris and Anaclet Wamba, or even returning to super-middleweight to meet Roy Jones or James Toney.
Four months later, Hearns was scheduled to open the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut by topping the bill in a ten-round contest against Uganda’s Franco Wanyama. Contractual issues forced the encounter to be relocated to Detroit’s Cobo Arena before it was then moved for a second time to the Joe Louis Arena, where it would be broadcast on the nationally televised CBS Sports Show. Just three days before the bout, Hearns pulled up during a routine sparring session and complained about a pain in his ribs. After an immediate diagnosis, it was identified as a “contusion” to the left side of his ribcage. Despite his disappointment, Hearns decided not to risk the fight and jeopardise future world title opportunities by getting beaten, looking bad or failing to attract a sizeable crowd, which would lessen his allure to the marketing men. The fight and bill were cancelled.
18 PROMO MAN
EVEN THOUGH HE showed no inclination to retire, Thomas Hearns knew that he was nearing the end of a long, glorious road, and had been giving some thought to what he might do when his career was over. Boxing was in his blood, and so promoting contests seemed a natural progression for him. To test the water, he decided to promote his next fight, against Earl Butler at Auburn Hills, Michigan. He included Bronco McKart, the top-ranked junior middleweight, on his first promotion, which was intended to launch what was dubbed “Thomas ‘Hit Man’ Hearns’ Knockout Tour,” a twelve-city tour where young fighters would meet other aspiring young boxers in evenly matched contests. “This is a great opportunity for young guys to get noticed and recognised,” Hearns said. “If they win, they’ll keep on going on the tour, which is similar to a tournament.” Manager Jackie Kallen, who doubled as tour director, had four of her own fighters on the first bill. “We’re hoping to develop a potential champion by the end of it,” Kallen said. “The good thing is that fans will get to see top fighters from across the nation and know how good they are.”
Hearns confirmed that promoting was an avenue he might pursue seriously once his own boxing career was finished. “I’m enjoying it and I like the opportunity to help young boxers,” he said. “This will keep them active