Hearns Seeks to Avenge Beating by Barkley in Rematch Tonight

Nearly four years ago, at the Las Vegas Hilton, Thomas Hearns was routinely knocking another opponent all over the ring.

This one was Iran Barkley, a New Yorker who was trying to take Hearns’ middleweight championship. He wasn’t doing very well. Cut over both eyes and staggered repeatedly over the first two rounds, Barkley seemed finished.

But in the third round, Barkley lashed out with a wild right hand that caught Hearns flush on the side of the head and knocked the champion on his back. Seconds later, the bout was stopped and Barkley had Hearns’ championship.

Tonight at Caesars Palace, they meet again in a pay-per-view match. This time, it’s for the light-heavyweight crown Hearns (50-3-1) won by upsetting Virgil Hill in Las Vegas last June.

Hearns, 33, who was thought by many to be finished after the 1988 beating by Barkley (28-7), has instead made about $12 million since then and will pick up another $1.2 million tonight. Barkley, 32, will earn $500,000.

At Thursday’s weigh-in, both Hearns and Barkley weighed 174 pounds.