Tuneup for Hill Fight Is Brief for Hearns : Boxing: He knocks out Morton in the second round as he prepares for light-heavyweight championship bout.

Thomas Hearns, like Sugar Ray Leonard in New York Saturday, didn’t remind anyone of bygone glory, but unlike Leonard at Madison Square Garden, Hearns won Monday night at the Forum. In a tuneup for his May 17 light-heavyweight championship challenge of Virgil Hill, Hearns knocked out Ohio journeyman Kemper Morton in the second round.

Because of the brevity of the bout, not much could be gleaned from Hearns’ fitness as a light-heavyweight (he weighed 173 pounds), but the formerly whippet-quick welterweight champion from Detroit proved that he still is a draw.

The crowd, 8,135, was the biggest for a Forum fight in two years. The Forum is promoting the May 17 Hill-Hearns fight at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

One ringsider who wasn’t impressed by Hearns’ 5-minute 2-second workout was Hill, the unbeaten World Boxing Assn. champion. Morton tagged Hearns a few times with right hands and the suggestion was made to Hill that Hearns, at 32, and with 52 fights, was now vulnerable to rights.

“He can be hit with anything,” Hill said. “I’m going to hit him with right hands, too, then I’m going to finish him with a left hook.”

Morton (17-7-2), who weighed 172 1/4 pounds, actually carried the fight to Hearns (48-3-1) for the most part. He never hurt Hearns, however.

At 2:02 of the second round, Morton was leaning in with left jabs when Hearns suddenly dropped low, hit Morton’s ribs with two thumping short left hooks and completed the volley with a left hook to the chin.

Morton never recovered. He retreated quickly, but Hearns landed a series of punches to the head. The finisher was a left hook to the chin. Morton went down, shakily arose at the 10 count, and referee Pat Russell waved Hearns off.

Of the left hook, Hearns said: “People think of me as a right-hand puncher, so I showed them something different tonight. He couldn’t deal with my speed, especially my jab. He hit me with a couple of shots, but not with anything flush.”

Hearns nearly took Morton out in the first round. A minute into the fight, Hearns hit him with a hook that wobbled Morton’s legs.

Morton started the bout with a soft right to Hearns’ chin, then, 10 seconds later, followed up with a harder right. Hearns then missed with a three-punch combination, but followed with a stiff left jab that backed up Morton a full step.

Hearns, who had memorable bouts with Leonard in 1981 and 1989, was asked about Leonard’s loss to Terry Norris and indicated he had held out hope for a Hearns-Leonard III until the end.

“I still hoped it would happen . . . I feel a little cheated,” he said.

Hill indicated Hearns’ retirement would occur May 17.

“I’m happy I have the opportunity to fight Tommy, but it’s time for the old Geritol guys to step aside and let us younger guys have our chance,” he said.

The Forum wanted Hill to fight a tuneup there next month, but Hill declined.

“I want my total focus to be on Tommy, not anyone or anything else,” Hill said.

Hearns earned a $50,000 purse, which he donated to the USO, and was also paid $212,000 in expenses. Hearns visited U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia early in the U.S. buildup for the Persian Gulf War.

Morton made $10,000.