 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | March 7, 1987 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Cabo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBC light heavyweight title | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hearns wins via 10th–round TKO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dennis Andries vs. Thomas Hearns was a professional boxing match contested on March 7, 1987, for the WBC light heavyweight title. [2]
In November 1986 2–division world champion Thomas Hearns had come to an agreement to face reigning WBC light heavyweight champion Dennis Andries. Hearns, who at the time had won world titles in both the welterweight and light middleweight divisions, decided to temporarily bypass an opportunity for a world title in the middleweight division and move up 15 pounds to the challenge for the light heavyweight title. [3]
The fight was originally planned to take place on February 7 in Las Vegas, but Showtime, who owned the rights to broadcast the fight, chose to postpone the fight in hopes of instead scheduling it for a March 20 date in Hearns' native Detroit. Andries' manager was against postponing the fight to such a later date after Andries had already trained for the initial February date, as such the fight was moved to its final March 7 date. [4] However it ultimately aired on ABC instead. [5]
Hearns would put forth one of his most dominating efforts as he scored six knockdowns over the overmatched Andries. After a mostly tactical first five rounds largely controlled by the challenger, Hearns would connect with a short right hand that dropped Andries for the first time and then was knocked down a further three times after numerous flurries by Hearns, though he was able to answer the referee's 10–count each time. As the WBC does not use the automatic knockout (three knockdowns in one round) rule that is enforced in WBA championship fights and in many state authorities, Andries was able to continue the fight though Hearns would take a commanding lead on the scorecards with a rare 10–5 round. Hearns would send Andries down for the fifth time with a right hook in the ninth round, but Andries would quickly get back up once again. In the tenth round, Hearns dropped Andries for the sixth and final time after ducking a wild swing by Andries and countering with a short right hand of his own. Andries was able to get back up, but the referee stopped the fight as Andries was too dazed to continue. [6]
Hearns reign as light heavyweight champion would be brief as he announced after the fight that he would go down in weight to challenge for a world title in the middleweight division stating "I want that fourth title" [7] In his next fight Hearns would make history, becoming the first fighter to claim world titles in four different weight classes after knocking out Juan Roldán to claim the WBC middleweight title. [8]
Andries would rebound from his loss to Hearns and would reclaim the WBC light heavyweight title after defeating Tony Willis 2 years later in 1989. After losing the title to Jeff Harding in his first defense, Andries would become capture his third light heavyweight title after knocking out Harding in their rematch, joining only Marvin Johnson at the time as the only three–time world champion in the light heavyweight division. [9]
Confirmed bouts: [10]
| Weight Class | Weight | vs. | Method | Round | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight | 175 lbs. | Thomas Hearns | def. | Dennis Andries (c) | TKO | 10/12 | Note 1 |
| Light Middleweight | 154 lbs. | Milton McCrory | def. | Rafael Corona | TKO | 1/12 | Note 2 |
| Super Featherweight | 130 lbs. | Erskine Wade | def. | Richard Campbell | TKO | 3/8 | |
| Super Middleweight | 168 lbs. | Philip Morefield | def. | Tim Richardson | TKO | 2/8 |
^Note 1 For WBC Light Heavyweight title
^Note 2 For NABF Light Middleweight title
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | ITV |
 United States | ABC |
Thomas Hearns is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra", and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns's tall, slender build and long arms and shoulders allowed him to move up over fifty pounds (22.7kg) 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.
Robert Wayne Foster was an American professional boxer who fought as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He won the world light heavyweight title from Dick Tiger in 1968 via fourth-round knockout, and went on to defend the title fourteen times against thirteen different fighters in total from 1968 to 1974. Foster challenged Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali during his career, but was knocked out by both. He was named to Ring's list of 100 Greatest Punchers of all time. He was also named to Ring's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, ranking at No. 55. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990.
John Mugabi is a Ugandan former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1999. He held the WBC super-welterweight title from 1989 to 1990, and challenged twice for world titles at middleweight, including the undisputed championship.
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum, Butch Lewis and Murad Muhammad, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson emerged as a fresh new face in the heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC ruler Larry Holmes' prime. In addition, the IBF and WBO began operating.
During the 1970s, boxing was characterized by dominating champions and history-making rivalries. The decade had many superstars, who also had fierce rivals. Alexis Argüello, for example, who won the world Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight titles in the '70s, had to overcome Alfredo Escalera twice before the decade was over.
During the 1960s, boxing, like mostly everything else around the world, went through changing times. Notable was the emergence of a young boxer named Cassius Clay, who would, in his own words shock the world, declare himself against war, and change his name to Muhammad Ali.
Chad Dawson is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2019. He held multiple world championships at light heavyweight, and was one of the most highly regarded boxers in that weight class between 2006 and 2013.
Iran Barkley is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1999. He held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBC middleweight title from 1988 to 1989, the IBF super middleweight title from 1992 to 1993, and the WBA light heavyweight title in 1992. As an amateur boxer, Barkley won a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 1982 World Championships.
Dennis Andries MBE is a British former professional boxer who fought at light heavyweight.
David "Bomber" Pearce was a Welsh heavyweight boxing champion.
Artur Asilbekovich Beterbiev is a Russian and Canadian professional boxer. He has held the undisputed championship in the light-heavyweight division since October 2024, as well as the Ring magazine and International Boxing Organization (IBO) titles.
John Ruiz vs. Roy Jones Jr., billed as Never Take A Heavyweight Lightly, was a professional boxing match contested on March 1, 2003 for the WBA heavyweight championship. The fight took place at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV in Paradise, Nevada.
Tom Collins is British former boxer who held the British and European light heavyweight titles and fought for three world titles.
Donny Lalonde vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, billed as For All the Gold, was a professional boxing match contested on November 7, 1988, for Don Lalonde's WBC light heavyweight title and the inaugural WBC super middleweight title.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns II, billed as The War, was a professional boxing match contested on June 12, 1989, for the WBC super middleweight title. The fight ended in a split draw, meaning both fighters retained their respective titles.
Thomas Hearns vs. Roberto Durán, billed as Malice at the Palace, was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1984 for the WBC and The Ring super welterweight titles.
Wilfred Benítez vs. Thomas Hearns, billed as The Battle of Champions, was a professional boxing match contested on December 3, 1982, for the WBC light middleweight title.
Thomas Hearns vs. Juan Roldán was a professional boxing match contested on October 29, 1987, for the vacant WBC middleweight title.
Iran Barkley vs. Roberto Durán, billed as Steel vs. Stone was a professional boxing match contested on February 24, 1989, for the WBC middleweight title.
Darrin Van Horn vs. Iran Barkley, billed as Champions and Olympians was a professional boxing match contested on January 10, 1992, for the IBF super middleweight title.