Leonard Embraces His View of Who Won Hearns Fight

If boxing fans are still debating the outcome of the second fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns almost 10 years ago, they can quit now.

The two judges with the most knowledge of what happened in the ring that night, Leonard and Hearns, have reached a decision. Surprisingly, it’s unanimous.

“Don’t hug me, Ray,” Hearns said Wednesday when he and Leonard were introduced during a news conference for Saturday night’s fight at the Thomas & Mack Center between Oscar De La Hoya and Ike Quartey. “I’m tempted to go off on you.”

Referring to the 1989 fight that ended in a controversial draw, Hearns said, “Being up here with Ray Leonard brings back bad, bad, bad, bad memories. It’s really a hurtin’ thing. I wasn’t even able to watch the video.”

Although he revealed that Leonard admitted to him privately after the fight that he lost, Hearns said he knew Leonard would never acknowledge that publicly.

Leonard, however, proved unpredictable, grabbing the microphone and declaring, “I’ll say it publicly. As far as I’m concerned, personally speaking, Thomas Hearns was on top in the second fight.”

That makes them even because Leonard won the first fight between them in 1981 on a 14th-round TKO.

Promoter Bob Arum invited Leonard and Hearns to discuss their history because he’s hoping it repeats with today’s welterweights. The first step in that direction is De La Hoya vs. Quartey.

“This fight with Ike Quartey is my first true test,” De La Hoya said. “I’ve been boxing now for six or seven years professionally. All those fights have been preparation for this big major fight.”

Leonard said no fighter can be considered great until he beats other great fighters.

“I was blessed to have [Roberto] Duran, [Wilfredo] Benitez, [Marvin] Hagler and Hearns, especially Tommy,” Leonard said. “He defined me, and I defined him. Even though we didn’t know it at the time, we needed each other.”

Just don’t hug him.

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Mia St. John, the former Playboy model from Canoga Park who appears on the undercard Saturday, has discovered that other women boxers are trying to beat her up. . . .

“They’re jealous,” she said. “They think I’ve gotten where I am because I was a model. But if I couldn’t fight, I wouldn’t be here.” . . .

A possible opponent for De La Hoya if he fights in December in the Staples Center is Spain’s Javier Castillejo, the WBC super welterweight champion. . . .

De La Hoya, who hopes to fight Felix Trinidad in September, says he will be ready to graduate from 147 to 154 pounds by the end of the year. . . .

Showtime announced 750,000 buys for the Mike Tyson-Francois Botha fight, but boxing insiders say the number was closer to 600,000. . . .

The L.A. Invitational indoor track and field meet has a history of attracting great pole vaulters, starting with Don Bragg in 1960. . . .

Vaulters who set indoor world records in the meet include John Pennel in 1966, Steve Smith in ‘73, Dan Ripley in ‘75, Billy Olson in ’83 and Olson again in ’86. . . .

Sergei Bubka’s indoor world record of 20 feet 2 1/2 inches won’t be threatened Saturday night at the Sports Arena, but once again the pole vault has emerged as the featured event. . . .

Seven of the top 10 vaulters in the United States, including world No. 2 Jeff Hartwig, have entered. . . .

Al Joyner is on tour to promote the book “Running for Dummies,” which he completed for his wife, Florence Griffith Joyner, after she died last September. . . .

Newest member at Riviera: Sylvester Stallone. . . .

The Dodgers, who have one too many shortstops, should trade Mark Grudzielanek. . . .

He’s a better hitter than Jose Vizcaino, but the Dodgers already have enough offense. They need defense. . . .

Vizcaino also has a good rapport with Adrian Beltre. That could prove significant in the promising young third baseman’s development. . . .

Tommy Hawkins will recite the Gettysburg Address at noon Friday in Westwood’s National Cemetery for the annual L.A. Remembrance of Abraham Lincoln. . . .

Del Harris called Chicago Bull assistant Frank Hamblen to ask what it’s like to coach Dennis Rodman. . . .

Hamblen said that the distractions created by Rodman can be overcome. . . .

Yeah, if you have Michael Jordan.

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While wondering whatever happened to the boycott that NBA fans threatened, I was thinking: The Lakers wouldn’t need to trade for Glen Rice if Jerry Buss had pulled the trigger on the Mitch Richmond deal, Tim Floyd should be Hamblen’s assistant, hard to believe the Academy believes “Shakespeare in Love” is better than “The Waterboy.”

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com