Editing Thomas Hearns (section)

===Hearns vs. Leonard===
{{main|Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns}}
[[File:Tommy Hearns ca. Dec. 1981, Detroit Michigan USA.jpg|thumb|right|Hearns, center, in Detroit, December 1981.]]
In 1981, Hearns the [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] Champion, with a 32–0 record (30 KOs), fought [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] Champion [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] (30–1) to unify the World [[Welterweight]] Championship in a bout dubbed "The Showdown". In this fight, Hearns suffered his first professional defeat when Leonard stopped him in the 14th round. In the 13th round, Leonard, behind on points on all 3 judges scorecards, needed a knockout to win. He came on strong and put Hearns through the ropes at the end of the round. Hearns was dazed, totally out of gas and received a count but was saved by the bell. Leonard, with his left eye shut and time running out, resumed his attack in the 14th. Hearns started the round boxing and moving, but after staggering Hearns with an overhand right, Leonard pinned Hearns against the ropes. After another combination to the body and head, referee Davey Pearl stopped the fight. Hearns and Leonard banked a combined 17 million dollars for the fight, making it the largest purse in sports history at the time. The following year, Leonard retired due to a detached retina, and there would be no rematch until 1989.<ref>Harry Mullan: "The Pictorial History of Boxing" p.295</ref>