The Mountain Awaits Ronald Hearns, The Chosen One
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
RCM Editorial
Chicago, IL (July 17th, 2013)– Middleweight Ronald ‘The Chosen One’ Hearns, 34, son of Hall of Fame boxing champion Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns, has not enjoyed the sort of fame or boxing career his father had. In fact, the road of Ronald Hearns between 151 and 166 pounds has been anything but. Ronald Hearns turned pro at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, in April 2004 with a first round stoppage of 2-0 Alex Black. Ronald won his first 21 professional bouts, before getting knocked out in the ninth round of a regional light middleweight title bout in Oklahoma to the then 21-0-1 Harry Joe Yorgey.
Ronald then won his next five professional bouts against ‘B’ level opposition, with four of the bouts lasting six to eight rounds. Ronald then failed to win the World Boxing Association Super World Middleweight title, getting stopped in the seventh round of a scheduled 12 rounder against the champion, Felix Sturm, in Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, in February 2011.
After a 14 month layoff, Ronald failed in two comeback attempts in 2012. First, Ronald got stopped in the first round by Erislandy Lara in the first round of a World Boxing Council light-middleweight eliminator at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Mississippi in April 2012. Ronald failed in a second comeback attempt in October 2012, when Derrick Findley stopped him in two rounds at the Sportsplex in Taylor, Michigan.
At this point in late 2012, Ronald hit rock bottom two years after his dad. Thomas Hearns, who earned around 40 million dollars as a boxer, watched his home go into foreclosure in 2010, after owing nearly one million dollars in unpaid taxes and mortgage payments.
On July 19, 2013, Ronald Hearns will attempt a final comeback for the third time at Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, against Chicago’s Orpheus Waite, 31, who has a record of 7 wins, five losses and two draws. Waite was stopped in the first round by 11-0 Jonathan Cepeda in his last bout in August 2012. Between Ronald Hearns and Orpheus Waite, somebody has to win. Obviously there are no more world title bouts on the horizon for Ronald Hearns, no big publicity and no magical paydays-but-with hard work-Ronald might just win this Friday night. The mountain awaits Ronald Hearns.
Not every son of a former professional boxing champion gets to fight for the title. At least Ronald had that moment most other children of former champions never get to see. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Guty Espadas Jr., Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr., Laila Ali, and Jacqui Frazier-Lyde are some of the chosen few who did follow in a parent’s footsteps and become world champions. Ronald Hearns, Marcel Cerdan Jr., Pipino Cuevas Jr., Hector Camacho Jr. and Dario Victor Galindez are among those who failed to win a world title. Some, like George Foreman Jr., and Steven Gamache, are still trying.
COMMENTS
English