Thomas Hearns (born October 18, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra," and more famously "the Hitman," Hearns' tall, slender build and long arms and broad shoulders allowed him to move up over fifty pounds (23 kg) in his career and become the first boxer in history to win world titles in five weight divisions: welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight.
Hearns was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America in 1980 and 1984; the latter following his knockout of Roberto Durán. Hearns was known as a devastating puncher throughout his career, even at cruiserweight, despite having climbed up five weight classes. He is ranked number 18 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. He currently ranks #78 in BoxRec ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time. On June 10, 2012, Hearns was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Thomas Hearns
- Born: October 18, 1958 — Grand Junction, Tennessee, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Reach: 78 in (198 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro debut: Nov 25, 1977 (Win by KO vs Jerome Hill)
- Last bout: Feb 4, 2006 (Win by TKO vs Shannon Landberg)
- Total rounds boxed: 380 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Welterweight, Light middleweight, Middleweight, Super middleweight, Light heavyweight, Cruiserweight
- KO percentage: 78.7% (48 KO wins in 61 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): WBA welterweight title August 2, 1980 – September 16, 1981 (won from José Cuevas; defended against Luis Primera, Randy Shields and Pablo Baez; lost to Sugar Ray Leonard); WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles December 3, 1982 – 1986 (won from Wilfred Benítez; defended against Luigi Minchillo, Roberto Durán, Fred Hutchings and Mark Medal, per the bout table); WBC light heavyweight title March 7, 1987 (won from Dennis Andries, per the bout table, before the move to middleweight); WBC middleweight title October 29, 1987 – June 6, 1988 (won the vacant title from Juan Roldán; lost to Iran Barkley); WBO super middleweight title November 4, 1988 – April 28, 1990 (won the inaugural title against James Kinchen; defended against Sugar Ray Leonard (draw) and Michael Olajide, per the bout table); WBA light heavyweight title June 3, 1991 – March 20, 1992 (won from Virgil Hill; lost to Iran Barkley) — all dates per the bout table; late-career WBU and IBO cruiserweight titles are flagged inline in the bout table
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 67
- Wins: 61
- Wins by KO: 48
- Losses: 5
- Losses by KO: 4
- Draws: 1
- No contests: 0
- Born: October 18, 1958 — Grand Junction, Tennessee, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Reach: 78 in (198 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Divisions: Welterweight, Light middleweight, Middleweight, Super middleweight, Light heavyweight, Cruiserweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 25, 1977 | Jerome Hill | Win | KO | 2 (4), 1:59 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 2 | Dec 7, 1977 | Jerry Strickland | Win | KO | 3 (6), 1:27 | Hillcrest Country Club, Mount Clemens, Michigan, U.S. |
| 3 | Dec 16, 1977 | Willie Wren | Win | TKO | 3 (6), 2:41 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 4 | Jan 29, 1978 | Anthony House | Win | KO | 2, 2:00 | Hyatt Regency, Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 5 | Feb 10, 1978 | Robert Adams | Win | TKO | 3 (6), 2:45 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 6 | Feb 17, 1978 | Billy Goodwin | Win | TKO | 2, 1:18 | Civic Center, Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. |
| 7 | Mar 17, 1978 | Ray Fields | Win | TKO | 2, 2:15 | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 8 | Mar 31, 1978 | Tyrone Phelps | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:08 | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. |
| 9 | Jun 8, 1978 | Jimmy Rothwell | Win | KO | 1 (10), 1:49 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 10 | Jul 20, 1978 | Raul Aguirre | Win | KO | 2 (10), 2:08 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 11 | Aug 3, 1978 | Eddie Marcelle | Win | KO | 2 (10), 2:59 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 12 | Sep 7, 1978 | Bruce Finch | Win | KO | 3 (10), 2:01 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 13 | Oct 26, 1978 | Pedro Rojas | Win | TKO | 1 (10), 1:09 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 14 | Dec 9, 1978 | Rudy Barro | Win | KO | 4 (10) | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 15 | Jan 11, 1979 | Clyde Gray | Win | TKO | 10 (10), 2:03 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 16 | Jan 31, 1979 | Sammy Ruckard | Win | TKO | 8 (10) | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. |
| 17 | Mar 3, 1979 | Segundo Murillo | Win | TKO | 8 (10), 2:25 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 18 | Apr 3, 1979 | Alfonso Hayman | Win | UD | 10 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 19 | May 20, 1979 | Harold Weston | Win | RTD | 6 (12) | Dunes, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 20 | Jun 28, 1979 | Bruce Curry | Win | KO | 3 (10), 2:59 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 21 | Aug 23, 1979 | Inocencio De la Rosa | Win | RTD | 2 (10) | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 22 | Sep 22, 1979 | José Figueroa | Win | KO | 3 (10), 1:17 | Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| 23 | Oct 18, 1979 | Saensak Muangsurin | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:31 | Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 24 | Nov 30, 1979 | Mike Colbert | Win | UD | 10 | Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 25 | Feb 3, 1980 | Jim Richards | Win | KO | 3 (10), 2:27 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 26 | Mar 2, 1980 | Ángel Espada | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 0:47 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant USBA welterweight title |
| 27 | Mar 31, 1980 | Santiago Valdez | Win | TKO | 1 (10), 2:56 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 28 | May 3, 1980 | Eddie Gazo | Win | KO | 1 (10), 2:41 | Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 29 | Aug 2, 1980 | José Cuevas | Win | TKO | 2 (15), 2:39 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBA welterweight title |
| 30 | Dec 6, 1980 | Luis Primera | Win | KO | 6 (15), 2:00 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA welterweight title |
| 31 | Apr 25, 1981 | Randy Shields | Win | TKO | 12 (15), 3:00 | Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA welterweight title |
| 32 | Jun 25, 1981 | Pablo Baez | Win | TKO | 4 (15), 2:10 | Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA welterweight title |
| 33 | Sep 16, 1981 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Loss | TKO | 14 (15), 1:45 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBA welterweight title; For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles |
| 34 | Dec 11, 1981 | Ernie Singletary | Win | UD | 10 | Queen Elizabeth's Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas |
| 35 | Feb 27, 1982 | Marcos Geraldo | Win | KO | 1 (10), 1:48 | The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 36 | Jul 25, 1982 | Jeff McCracken | Win | TKO | 8 (10), 1:29 | Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 37 | Dec 3, 1982 | Wilfred Benítez | Win | MD | 15 | Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBC and vacant The Ring light middleweight titles |
| 38 | Jul 10, 1983 | Murray Sutherland | Win | UD | 10 | Caesars Boardwalk Regency, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 39 | Feb 11, 1984 | Luigi Minchillo | Win | UD | 12 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles |
| 40 | Jun 15, 1984 | Roberto Durán | Win | TKO | 2 (12), 1:05 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles |
| 41 | Sep 15, 1984 | Fred Hutchings | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 2:56 | Civic Center, Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles |
| 42 | Apr 15, 1985 | Marvin Hagler | Loss | TKO | 3 (12), 1:52 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — For WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 43 | Mar 10, 1986 | James Shuler | Win | KO | 1 (12), 1:13 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won NABF middleweight title |
| 44 | Jun 23, 1986 | Mark Medal | Win | TKO | 8 (12), 2:20 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles |
| 45 | Oct 17, 1986 | Doug DeWitt | Win | UD | 12 | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained NABF middleweight title |
| 46 | Mar 7, 1987 | Dennis Andries | Win | TKO | 10 (12), 1:26 | Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBC light heavyweight title |
| 47 | Oct 29, 1987 | Juan Roldán | Win | KO | 4 (12), 2:01 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBC middleweight title |
| 48 | Jun 6, 1988 | Iran Barkley | Loss | TKO | 3 (12), 2:39 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBC middleweight title |
| 49 | Nov 4, 1988 | James Kinchen | Win | MD | 12 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won NABF and inaugural WBO super middleweight titles |
| 50 | Jun 12, 1989 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Draw | SD | 12 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO super middleweight title; For WBC super middleweight title |
| 51 | Apr 28, 1990 | Michael Olajide | Win | UD | 12 | Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO super middleweight title |
| 52 | Feb 11, 1991 | Kemper Morton | Win | KO | 2 (10), 2:02 | Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| 53 | Apr 6, 1991 | Ken Atkins | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:08 | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| 54 | Jun 3, 1991 | Virgil Hill | Win | UD | 12 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBA light heavyweight title |
| 55 | Mar 20, 1992 | Iran Barkley | Loss | SD | 12 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBA light heavyweight title |
| 56 | Nov 6, 1993 | Andrew Maynard | Win | TKO | 1 (10), 2:34 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 57 | Jan 29, 1994 | Dan Ward | Win | TKO | 1 (12), 2:09 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant NABF cruiserweight title |
| 58 | Feb 19, 1994 | Freddie Delgado | Win | UD | 12 | Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained NABF cruiserweight title |
| 59 | Mar 31, 1995 | Lenny LaPaglia | Win | TKO | 1 (12), 2:55 | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBU cruiserweight title |
| 60 | Sep 26, 1995 | Earl Butler | Win | UD | 10 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 61 | Nov 29, 1996 | Karl Willis | Win | KO | 5 (10), 2:45 | Civic Center, Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| 62 | Jan 31, 1997 | Ed Dalton | Win | KO | 5 (10), 2:47 | Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| 63 | Nov 6, 1998 | Jay Snyder | Win | KO | 1 (10), 1:28 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 64 | Apr 10, 1999 | Nate Miller | Win | UD | 12 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Won vacant IBO cruiserweight title |
| 65 | Apr 8, 2000 | Uriah Grant | Loss | RTD | 3 (12), 3:00 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost IBO cruiserweight title |
| 66 | Jul 30, 2005 | John Long | Win | TKO | 9 (10) | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 67 | Feb 4, 2006 | Shannon Landberg | Win | TKO | 10 (10), 1:35 | The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): WBA welterweight title August 2, 1980 – September 16, 1981 (won from José Cuevas; defended against Luis Primera, Randy Shields and Pablo Baez; lost to Sugar Ray Leonard); WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles December 3, 1982 – 1986 (won from Wilfred Benítez; defended against Luigi Minchillo, Roberto Durán, Fred Hutchings and Mark Medal, per the bout table); WBC light heavyweight title March 7, 1987 (won from Dennis Andries, per the bout table, before the move to middleweight); WBC middleweight title October 29, 1987 – June 6, 1988 (won the vacant title from Juan Roldán; lost to Iran Barkley); WBO super middleweight title November 4, 1988 – April 28, 1990 (won the inaugural title against James Kinchen; defended against Sugar Ray Leonard (draw) and Michael Olajide, per the bout table); WBA light heavyweight title June 3, 1991 – March 20, 1992 (won from Virgil Hill; lost to Iran Barkley) — all dates per the bout table; late-career WBU and IBO cruiserweight titles are flagged inline in the bout table
- Mar 2, 1980 vs Ángel Espada: Won vacant USBA welterweight title
- Aug 2, 1980 vs José Cuevas: Won WBA welterweight title
- Dec 6, 1980 vs Luis Primera: Retained WBA welterweight title
- Apr 25, 1981 vs Randy Shields: Retained WBA welterweight title
- Jun 25, 1981 vs Pablo Baez: Retained WBA welterweight title
- Sep 16, 1981 vs Sugar Ray Leonard: Lost WBA welterweight title; For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
- Dec 3, 1982 vs Wilfred Benítez: Won WBC and vacant The Ring light middleweight titles
- Feb 11, 1984 vs Luigi Minchillo: Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles
- Jun 15, 1984 vs Roberto Durán: Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles
- Sep 15, 1984 vs Fred Hutchings: Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles
- Apr 15, 1985 vs Marvin Hagler: For WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Mar 10, 1986 vs James Shuler: Won NABF middleweight title
- Jun 23, 1986 vs Mark Medal: Retained WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles
- Oct 17, 1986 vs Doug DeWitt: Retained NABF middleweight title
- Mar 7, 1987 vs Dennis Andries: Won WBC light heavyweight title
- Oct 29, 1987 vs Juan Roldán: Won vacant WBC middleweight title
- Jun 6, 1988 vs Iran Barkley: Lost WBC middleweight title
- Nov 4, 1988 vs James Kinchen: Won NABF and inaugural WBO super middleweight titles
- Jun 12, 1989 vs Sugar Ray Leonard: Retained WBO super middleweight title; For WBC super middleweight title
- Apr 28, 1990 vs Michael Olajide: Retained WBO super middleweight title
- Jun 3, 1991 vs Virgil Hill: Won WBA light heavyweight title
- Mar 20, 1992 vs Iran Barkley: Lost WBA light heavyweight title
- Jan 29, 1994 vs Dan Ward: Won vacant NABF cruiserweight title
- Feb 19, 1994 vs Freddie Delgado: Retained NABF cruiserweight title
- Mar 31, 1995 vs Lenny LaPaglia: Won vacant WBU cruiserweight title
- Apr 10, 1999 vs Nate Miller: Won vacant IBO cruiserweight title
- Apr 8, 2000 vs Uriah Grant: Lost IBO cruiserweight title
Photo: Bill Apter via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Thomas_Hearns_by_Bill_Apter_1981.jpg
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-11-04.
