Tommy ?The Hitman? Hearns, owner of one of the most destructive right hands in boxing history, can be equally punishing with his tongue.
Hearns will have a meet-and-greet Friday night during the Antonio Diaz-Ernesto Zepeda fight card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
During a telephone interview earlier this week, Hearns was blunt and insightful on an array of topics, including Cathedral City champion Timothy Bradley and his thoughts on the state of boxing.
QUESTION: I met you briefly in Detroit during the Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander fight in January. What was your take on that fight?
ANSWER: The Timothy Bradley fight? To be honest with you, I didn’t think it was that great of a fight. They didn’t have a whole lot where you went ?ooh’ or ?ahh.’ It wasn’t that kind of fight. It was an all-right fight.
What’s your take on Tim as a fighter?
I like Tim. He’s a very good fighter and I think he has good chance to go a long way.
You fought in what was the real glamour division with Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler. What’s your take on boxing today?
Well, boxing has changed a great deal.
Back in my day, you couldn’t pick and choose who you fight. Now you can pick and choose.
Before it was mandatory.
You had to fight the next available fighter in the weight division or you would lose the belt.
Yeah, there is a weird situation where Timothy Bradley has been stripped twice of his WBC belt.
The problem with having a belt when I was fighting, if you didn’t take on the next available guy in the No. 1 or No. 2 position, you automatically got stripped of the title.
I don’t know how they do it now, but it was the real deal then.
You really had to take on the fighters. If you didn’t, they’d take your title anyway, and then you’d have to go to the box off to see who fights for the title.
Today, who are some of the boxers who impress you?
(Laughs) Don’t let me answer that question. I’m not impressed with a lot of guys right now. The only ones who are doing great are (Manny) Pacquiao and (Floyd) Mayweather. They’re the ones making noise and making money. That’s what it’s all about … if you can’t make money.
So does that mean you don’t have a prediction on the Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz fight, or the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fights?
I have no idea right now. I don’t have a thought. I want to see something happen. To me, there’s been a lot of talking.
People are tired of talking. They want some action.
Yeah, I think a lot of people are tired of the talking.
I’m tired of hearing it. You know what I say?
What?
If you can’t get along, lets go ahead and get it on.
