THE HITMAN BECOMES THE HIT-AND-RUN MAN
https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/12/13/the-hitman-becomes-the-hit-and-run-man A RENOWNED SLUGGER TURNED BOXER, THOMAS HEARNS SEPARATED WILFRED BENITEZ FROM HIS WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE PAT PUTNAM Sports Illustrated - December 13, 1982 TABLE OF CONTENTS ORIGINAL LAYOUT It has been the lot of Thomas Hearns to be regarded solely as a cannon , something to be rolled into a ring to reduce an opponent to rubble. Last Friday night, against Wilfred Benitez in New Orleans' Superdome, Hearns finally showed that he brings more to boxing than a big bang. Fighting with only his left hand from the eighth round on after hurting the right on Benitez' head , Hearns outboxed the master boxer and lifted the Puerto Rican's WBC super welterweight (154-pound) championship on a majority decision. One judge ruled it a draw, the two others had Hearns the winner. "When I fight, people expect to see a knockout," said Hearns, known as The Hitman, beforehand. "Well, they're only