32 years ago

Date: 20th March 1992

Venue: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Title: WBA World Light-heavyweight Title

Promoter: Top rank

Tv: TVKO

Thomas Hearns
( 50 - 3 - 1 )
Weight: 174½ lbs

Iran Barkley
( 28 - 7 - 0 )
Weight: 174 lbs

On March 20th, 1992, Thomas Hearns and Iran Barkley met for the second time in a highly anticipated WBA World Light-heavyweight Title fight at the Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. Promoted by Top Rank, the fight was refereed by Mills Lane and drew a crowd of 4,250. The bout was Hearns's first defence of the title and was highly anticipated, as both fighters had notable records going into the fight, with Hearns at 50-3-1 and Barkley at 28-7-0.

The fight started with a bang, as Barkley came out with aggression, while Hearns took a more relaxed approach. Despite Hearns's promises of a boxing exhibition, he was quickly pushed back into the ropes by Barkley, who was relentless in his attack. The two traded brutal body shots for several rounds, with Barkley eventually opening a cut over Hearns's left eye in the fourth round. Despite the warnings from his strategist, Alex Sherer, Hearns continued to fight from the ropes, which took a toll on his body. As the fight progressed, both fighters began to show signs of exhaustion, with Hearns's nose and cheek swelling, and Barkley bleeding from multiple places.

However, Hearns made a comeback in the late rounds, using his hard jab to good effect and pounding hooks to the body. Despite his trainer's encouragement to throw his right hand, Hearns was unable to, while Barkley continued to fight with a broken left hand. When the final bell rang, Hearns was against the ropes and the fight was tough to score, as Hearns threw fewer punches but a higher percentage of his blows landed, while Barkley was the aggressor and scored the only knockdown.

In the end, Iran Barkley won the fight by split decision, much to the surprise of the crowd and the bookmakers, who had Hearns as a 2-to-1 favourite. After the fight, Hearns underwent surgery for bone chips in his right hand and wore a cast for seven months.