SUGAR RAY LEONARD vs. THOMAS HEARNS 1 (Caesars) 

Description : Here have a fabulous vintage official Caesars Palace Las Vegas closed circuit fight poster for the Undisputed Welterweight Championship of the world. Promoted as "The Showdown," Leonard (30-1 with 21 KO) fought Hearns (32-0 with 30 KO) on September 16, 1981 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Nevada to unify the world welterweight championship in a scheduled fifteen-rounder. They fought before a live crowd of 23,618 and a worldwide TV audience of some 300 million.

The fight began as expected, Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns stalking. Leonard had difficulty with Hearns' long reach and sharp jab. By the end of round five, Leonard had a growing swelling under his left eye, and Hearns had built a considerable lead on the scorecards. I'd given all 5 rounds to Hearns, then the whole momentum changed in the 6th round, Leonard came straight out of the blocks & walked Heans down, hurt Hearns in the sixth with a left hook to the chin & a left hook to the body that nearly chopped Hearns in half, only the bell saved Tommy. Leonard battered Hearns in round seven, but Hearns miraculously regrouped. Hearns started to stick and move, and he started to pile up points again. The roles reversed: Leonard became the stalker and Hearns became the boxer.

Hearns won rounds nine through twelve on all three scorecards. Between rounds twelve and thirteen, Leonard's trainer, the legendary Angelo Dundee, said the now legendary words "You're blowing it, son! You're blowing it!"

Leonard, with a badly swollen left eye, came out tearing out for the thirteenth round, After hurting Hearns with a right, Leonard exploded with a combination of punches and sent Hearns through the ropes. Hearns managed to rise, but was dropped again near the end of the round...In round fourteen, after staggering Hearns with an overhand right, Leonard pinned Hearns against the ropes, where he unleashed another furious salvo, prompting referee Davey Pearl to stop the contest and award Sugar Ray Leonard the unified world welterweight championship. Hearns was leading by scores of 124-122, 125-122, and 125-121.

Postage: 10.00 Special Delivery... 20.00 International.