Dennis Andries v Tommy Hearns

Great to see a shout-out for Andries today.Like Froch he was a three-time champ, but was much more ignored than even Froch! It's going back a bit but he was one of my early boxing heroes.
Detroit , 7 March 1987.Having won his WBC world light heavyweight title a year previously, having beaten on points the American J.B. Williamson,he was not known as a devastating puncher, or craftsmen,but he was strong brave and remorseless.He was a stone heavier than Hearns, who was coming into the fight with trouble with his hands and painful sinus problems,too.At the weigh-in,Hearns stuffed pennies in his pockets.
Early in the second round,Hearns sent him staggering with a sharp right.He had the kind of hand speed Andries had never seen before.After jabbing him to pieces in the third round,Hearns unleashed two right hooks that sent Dennis Andries to the floor.He managed to keep out of trouble for the next two rounds,with Hearns establishing the lead.Andries was then floored for the second time.He got to his feet and made the count of eight.He went over again,then slipped without a punch being thrown,and collapsed.He got up again.
He stayed on his feet for another two rounds,and Hearns unleashed another powerful right and Andries was floored again.This time Andries somersaulted back up! Andries then floored Hearns in round nine,which seemed to anger Hearns and he launched the bombardment that stopped the fight.Andries insisted on getting up to beat the count but collapsed before another punch was thrown.Even the hardened Detroit crowd who came to see their “local” boy ritually slaughter a live body were urging the ref to stop it.
In my opinion one of the bravest performances by a British boxer.Hearns and Andries later became friends-”He made me fight.He made me use my head as well as my hands, and he was so strong,” said Hearns. For me it’s a toss-up between this and the second Harding fight as to what was the most exciting Dennis Andries fight.Massive credit to him for going to the Kronk gym the next day to rebuild with the Emanuel Steward, who was of course Hearns’ trainer!

Andries - zero for technique, but full marks for heart. That man had plenty to spare and deserved a lot more praise than what he got.

He gained a decent jab after 6 months with Kronk.

Pretty sure that these days the fight would have stopped a lot earlier-but Andries protested that it was stopped too early!
I love the fact that when he revenged Harding,he brought the belt back to England in a Tesco bag. Apparently he waited to be interviewed and none of the major newspapers contacted him.

azania wrote:He gained a decent jab after 6 months with Kronk.

Nice to see some credit from you, Azania-you dissed him once,and I always held it against you

I always give credit where its due. Andries was a work horse. Any ideas what he's up to nowadays?

I remember this fight was on ABC and had Alex Wallau commentating who I was never a fan of...totally one sided commentary towards the hit man...Partial commentary of the worst kind!!

Something I'd get used to over hear with the likes of Jim Watt etc..

Anyway I'd never heard much of Andries but did notice he had a faded Sibson on his record so I thought being a natural 175er he might pose some troubles for Hearns....

What I saw was one of the sorriest excuses for a Champion ever in the history of Boxing and I was embarrassed watching it....

A crude slugger with no defence holding on to Hearns ankles pathetically and also holding a belt that the great Spinks held barely two years before!!!!

Wasn't EXCITING at all.........cringeworthy....

However I wrongly assumed that this would be the last time I ever saw this pathetic waste of space but no!!!

What transpired next was a transition into a competent warrior who garnered respect and admiration for his overachieving subsequent record and his habitual habit of surviving!!

Good luck to him for it.............

Certainly an example where a loss was good...............