SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- Former boxing champion Thomas Hearns
was sentenced to nine months of probation after pleading no contest to a charge that he assaulted his 13-year-old son.
Hearns entered the plea Wednesday before Oakland County District
Judge Shelia Johnson.
Hearns, 47, moved out of his suburban Detroit home after he was
ordered not to have any contact with his son when he was charged in
the Jan. 1 incident.
Police said they were called to Hearns' home by his wife on a
report that Hearns had struck his son. When they arrived, police
said they found the teenager with a small cut and a bruise over one
of his eyes.
Hearns, who police said pushed his son and struck him once in
the face with "an open-handed slap," was arrested without
incident.
In addition to probation, Johnson also ordered Hearns to pay
$515 in court fees and fines, perform two days of community
service, avoid alcohol and unprescribed drugs, undergo parenting
and anger management classes, and participate in family counseling.
Hearns had no criminal record before the Jan. 1 incident. He
could have received up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Hearns held WBA, WBC, WBU and IBO titles ranging from the
welterweight to cruiserweight divisions between 1980 and 1999, and
had memorable fights with Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and
Marvin Hagler. He began a comeback in July with an eight-round
victory over John Long.