On This Day: Thomas Hearns Knocked Out Pipino Cuevas

In the late 70’s, Pipino was not only one of the most feared fighters in the world but one of the most feared welterweights ever. Possessing a brutal left hook, Cuevas was destroying opponents, challengers of various credibilities and legitimacy being hospitalized all the same, whilst showing an iron chin of his own in the process. If Hearns wanted to become champion, he had to defeat a concussive puncher, a man who Cuevas’ manager, Lupe Sanchez, claimed was the best puncher pound for pound since Sugar Ray Robinson.

Hearns vs Cuevas

Proceedings commenced, and this day 44 years ago, on 2 August 1980, marked the real introduction of “The Hitman,” one of the most ferocious prizefighters ever. Cuevas had been in tough fights and had defended his title against good fighters, but none had been like Hearns. In the first round, the size difference was immediately apparent as Hearns started snapping out his jab. Hearns was landing his great jab and ferocious right hand at will and hitting Cuevas with constant left and rights to head and body. Hearns’ 78-inch reach was massively troubling the 5′ 8″ Cuevas.

Cuevas always entered the ring with one game plan: seek and destroy. He tried to land that huge left hook on Hearns, and he momentarily did just after the very first bell when the pair simultaneously landed left hooks, but after that, Hearns was too big, too sharp, too quick, and simply too good. Cuevas had never been in with a welterweight who possessed such dimensions, tailor-made to deliver pain on his opponents. The champion with a steel chin, who had not been stopped since his pro debut nearly nine years earlier, could not keep Hearns off him despite his own terrifying power. He just about survived the opening round after being backed up and staggered numerous times by Hearns.

The second round started, and Hearns looked smooth and in total command. The Hitman was showing that he was more than just a big puncher, making Cuevas miss whilst simultaneously landing his own shots like none Cuevas had ever felt before. Hearns was delivering the utmost violence with precision, and there was nothing Cuevas could do in return except show heart and bravery. Then, towards the end of the second round, Hearns’ vaunted straight right landed like a missile. Cuevas’ legs turned to jelly, and he stayed up for nearly two seconds on extremely wobbly legs then another right from Hearns sent Cuevas to the canvas face first.

The gutsy Mexican got up looking unsteady, and his manager, Lupe Sanchez, had seen enough, stepping through the ropes and stopping the fight. Amazingly, referee Stanley Christodoulou later stated he was ready to let the fight go on if Sanchez had not stepped in. “His legs were shaking, but his neck was strong and firm,” Christodoulou said. “I was ready to let it go on, but one more good punch and I’d have stopped it.” Hearns was the new WBA welterweight champion of the world at the tender age of 21, and as far as first world title shots go, this was one of the most destructive and greatest performances of them all. This demolition earned Hearns the 1980 Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year award.

This marked the true birth of the legend of “The Hitman” and the birth of the Kronk Gym and Emanuel Steward. Hearns’ obliteration of Cuevas is a milestone because it marked the arrival of three legends in one night.

Hearns said in an interview with Express & Star: “Everybody feared Cuevas, at the time, but I was that determined to take the opportunity I wasn’t scared at all. For that fight to take place in Detroit was a big thing for me. We were in the Joe Louis Arena, where a boxer had become that popular they named the stadium after him! It was tough for any fighter from the city to try and follow him, so it was very important for me to go out there and do Joe proud. He was my hero. I got a good shot in the second round to end the fight, and I was never that skinny kid again. I was the one that people were afraid of.”

At this point, Hearns looked utterly formidable and terrifying, which only points to the sheer greatness of Sugar Ray Leonard in stopping an undefeated Hearns a year later in what is surely one of the greatest victories in ring history. Alongside his tremendous reach and power, Hearns had great Ring IQ and speed, which made him the perfect welterweight. “The Motor City Cobra” went on to make three successful defenses of his title before losing in that instant classic to Leonard. Hearns proceeded to win world titles up to light-heavyweight, as well as the lightly-regarded WBU and IBO titles at cruiserweight.

Along this journey, his fights whilst making a quarter of the legendary “Four Kings” alongside Leonard, Duran, and Marvelous Marvin Hagler cemented his reputation as one of the greatest and hardest-hitting fighters of all time. His second-round knockout of Duran is one of the most vicious knockouts in history, becoming the first man to KO the great, tough Duran.

Cuevas is a man who rarely gets the recognition and respect he deserves. He is one of the greatest knockout artists of all time, having maintained a high knockout ratio whilst defending his title regularly against the best opposition available with good winning records. Cuevas was the most consistent and shined the most during his career when defending his title against credible opposition. Cuevas just happened to be competing at the same time as one of the few men in history who could have overtaken him as the most feared puncher at the time in the welterweight division in the “Hitman” Hearns.

Against Cuevas, Hearns was at his most destructive best. On a night when he was supposedly taking a massive step up in class, Hearns made the biggest statement that he was a special all-time great in waiting.