Thomas Hearns, the legendary five-division world champion known as “The Hitman,” has revealed his personal top 10 all-time boxing list, ranking himself at number three. According to a report by Michael Collins for Boxing News 24/7 on May 18, 2026, the “Motor City Cobra” placed himself ahead of several iconic rivals, most notably ranking Sugar Ray Leonard in the sixth position.
The rankings place Hearns behind only Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, who take the first and second spots respectively. By positioning himself as the third greatest fighter to ever step into the ring, Hearns sits directly above Roberto Durán and Wilfred Benítez. The list reflects the supreme confidence of a man who competed professionally from 1977 to 2006 and became the first boxer in history to secure world titles across five different weight classes.
While Hearns holds a prestigious place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, his current standing in modern data-driven rankings is more modest. He currently ranks #78 in BoxRec’s pound-for-pound greatest boxers of all time. This personal assessment prioritizes his own historic versatility and multi-weight dominance over the pound-for-pound metrics often debated by modern analysts.
Analysis of the Thomas Hearns top 10 rankings
The placement of Sugar Ray Leonard at number six, three spots below Hearns, is likely to reignite debates regarding their legendary 1980s rivalry. The two met twice in career-defining bouts that shaped the history of the welterweight and super-middleweight divisions. Their first encounter, “The Showdown” in 1981, remains a focal point of their shared legacy.
During that 1981 clash at Caesars Palace, Hearns was leading on all three judges’ scorecards—124–122, 125–122, and 125–121—entering the championship rounds. However, referee Davey Pearl stopped the contest in the 14th round, awarding Leonard a TKO victory. Leonard later described the effort required to beat Hearns as “the closest thing to death” he ever experienced.
Their 1989 rematch for the WBC and WBO super-middleweight titles ended in a controversial draw. Despite Hearns flooring Leonard in both the 3rd and 11th rounds, the judges’ scores were split. Many observers and media members believed Hearns won the fight, a sentiment Leonard himself later echoed by privately and publicly admitting that Hearns deserved the decision.
The full list provided by Hearns is as follows:
- 1. Muhammad Ali
- 2. Joe Frazier
- 3. Thomas Hearns
- 4. Roberto Durán
- 5. Wilfred Benítez
- 6. Sugar Ray Leonard
- 7. Mike Tyson
- 8. Floyd Mayweather
- 9. George Foreman
- 10. Marvin Hagler
Notable omissions from the Hitman’s list
The rankings are as notable for who is missing as for who is included. Hearns omitted Sugar Ray Robinson, a fighter many historians and purists consider the greatest pound-for-pound boxer in history. He also left out Henry Armstrong, the only man to simultaneously hold world titles in three weight classes during the era of the “Original Eight” divisions.
Modern-era icons Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford were also absent from the selection. Hearns appears to have favored the heavyweights and the specific contemporaries he faced during the “Four Kings” era of the 1980s. Even Marvin Hagler, the man who defeated Hearns in their 1985 “War,” only just made the list at the number 10 spot.
Hearns’s career achievements certainly bolster his case for a high ranking. He earned Fighter of the Year honors in 1980 and 1984 and was a known powerhouse, ranking among the greatest punchers in the history of the sport. Leonard himself once noted that Hearns’s punching power was more significant than that of Hagler, stating that “Hearns is a hard punch.”
Legacy of a five-division world champion
Inducted into the Hall of Fame on June 10, 2012, Hearns remains a titan of the sport regardless of where individual lists place him. His ability to move from welterweight up through the ranks to light heavyweight set a blueprint for future generations. The International Boxing Research Organization still ranks him as the top super-welterweight and the fourth-best welterweight of all time.
His rivalry with Leonard defines an era where the best fighters consistently faced one another. While the official record shows a loss and a draw against Leonard, Hearns’s personal rankings suggest he believes his total body of work and his performances in those rounds—particularly his two knockdowns of Leonard in 1989—merit a higher historical standing. For Hearns, his career was about much more than a single head-to-head record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the outcome of the first fight between Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Thomas Hearns via 14th-round TKO on September 16, 1981. Although Hearns was leading on all three judges’ scorecards at the time, referee Davey Pearl stopped the contest to protect the fighter.
Which legendary boxers were omitted from Thomas Hearns’s top 10 list?
Hearns omitted several several high-profile fighters, most notably Sugar Ray Robinson and Henry Armstrong. Other significant modern omissions from his personal top 10 included Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao.
What is Thomas Hearns’s current official ranking?
As of 2026, BoxRec ranks Thomas Hearns as #78 in their pound-for-pound greatest boxers of all time. Additionally, the International Boxing Research Organization ranks him as the number one super-welterweight in history.
