Which boxer won the first Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns fight in 1981?

Sugar Ray Leonard won the first Sugar Ray Leonard–Thomas Hearns fight in 1981. Leonard stopped Hearns by technical knockout in the 14th round on September 16, 1981, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The bout unified the WBC welterweight title, held by Leonard, with Hearns’s WBA championship. Hearns controlled much of the early action with his reach, jab, and sharp right hand, while Leonard gradually adjusted and attacked more aggressively.

Leonard’s late rally changed the fight. He hurt Hearns in the 13th round and continued pressing in the 14th, prompting referee Davey Pearl to stop the contest. The result made Leonard the undisputed welterweight champion of that era.

A common mix-up is confusing this fight with Leonard’s earlier bouts against Roberto Durán, including the famous “No Más” rematch. Leonard and Hearns later met again in 1989, when their rematch ended in a controversial split draw.