It’s Nothing Like the Old Days, but Hearns Wins in Five at Forum

The Thomas Hearns tour came to the Forum on Friday night. As long as he keeps fighting guys like Ed Dalton, it will be a victory tour.

But if Hearns, 38, tries to move up in class and fight someone like Roy Jones Jr., it will turn into a farewell tour.

Hearns, a six-time world champion, stopped Dalton with a short right hand with 13 seconds remaining in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round main event before an announced 4,106.

Dalton (12-4-2, four knockouts) appeared to stun Hearns (57-4-1, 45 knockouts) with a left hand in the second round. Dalton’s most effective punch was a low blow that temporarily stopped the fight in the first round.

But the lowest blow of all for those who remember Hearns’ epic battles against Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard was to see him have to work hard against the likes of Dalton.

“I said before the fight that we’d put on a good show,” Hearns said. “I didn’t take him lightly. I knew he took a good punch, but I expected that, as the rounds went on, he would get weaker. I’ve still got the power to carry on. But it’s going to take some time.”

Dalton, who suffered a cut over the right eye in the fourth round, seemed in awe of Hearns. “I wasn’t intimidated,” he said, “but it’s hard to get into the ring to fight a legend.”

Another former world champion, John Mugabi, who held the WBC super welterweight title, had also been scheduled to appear on the card, but had to be scratched when he had passport problems and could not enter the country.