By Scoop Malinowski

One of boxing’s most beloved and respected great champions is Thomas Hearns. He was a spectacular fighter that carried himself in such a way that he never gave anyone reason to dislike him. A seven-time world champion, The Hitman has won titles from welterweight all the way to light heavyweight.

And Thomas Hearns achieved it all in style. Standing a towering 6-1, the slender Memphis-born “Motor City Cobra” annihilated many victims with long range bombs, especially that fatal right hand. Hearns is also known for being a polite gentleman out of the ring. He is as approachable today as any all time great I can think of. And win or lose, he always displayed Hall of Fame sportsmanship, class, and dignity.

Another quality about Hearns that set him apart from the rest is his fine style out of the ring. Like the great champions of the past, Hearns can be spotted at ringside in a custom-tailored conservative suit. For this interview in New York before a recent Garden fight, Hearns was attired impeccably in a dark suit and tie with a white shirt monogrammed with “Hearns” on the cuffs.

Once a champion, always a champion.

So it’s always a special thrill to get the opportunity to interview one of the greatest warriors of the ring. Here’s the latest from Thomas Hearns:

BoxingInsider.com What’s new with “The Hitman?”

Thomas Hearns: “Basically what’s up with me now is I’m still training, I am still gonna fight again. I want to win my 8th world title. And what I’m doing now, basically more than anything else, I’m a promoter. Promoting fights and stuff like that right now. Hearns Entertainment. So after I really, really get into promoting, that’s going to be my next field. I’m feeling very strongly about my promotional business. I think the promoting business is going to be great for me. I have a lot of friends and fans out here. I have a lot of friends in the boxing world that will support anything I do.”

BoxingInsider.com Do you have any top fighters under contract?

Thomas Hearns: “I don’t want any fighters under contract. I don’t want that. I’d just like to promote something, some fights. I don’t want to house or necessarily take care of fighters.”

BoxingInsider.com What brings you here to this event?

Thomas Hearns: “I was in town and since I was here, I might as well go to the fights. The fights are going to be great fights, I’m looking forward to it.”

BoxingInsider.com How do you see a potential Fight of the Century between Hopkins and De La Hoya playing out?

Thomas Hearns: “Gee, you put me on the spot [smiles]. I think it would be a very interesting fight. But I think Hopkins is probably going to be a little stronger than De La Hoya. Because he’s bigger. If I have to lean toward anybody, I have to go with Hopkins.”

BoxingInsider.com Jones-Tarver, you’re analysis of that fight?

Thomas Hearns: “I thought it was a very good fight. I think that Roy Jones left too much space for the people to have doubts about who won the fight…who was the closer, and who got the most points at the end. And I think that if Jones would have done more he would have won the fight clearly. But since he didn’t, he let Antonio Tarver take advantage.”

BoxingInsider.com If Lennox Lewis retires, who do you see possibly being the next dominant heavyweight champion?

Thomas Hearns: “Only one…Mike Tyson [smiles].”

BoxingInsider.com When this great era comes to a close - when Lewis, Tyson, Jones, Oscar and Holyfield retire - who do you see as the next era of pay-per-view superstars?

Thomas Hearns: “It’s hard to say. Because so many great fighters are coming up right now. I can’t put a name on it. I wish that whoever comes along, I wish that they be great.”

BoxingInsider.com What was your greatest ring moment?

Thomas Hearns: “Winning all those titles were great moments for me. But winning the first title (KO 2 Pipino Cuevas for WBA 147 title in 1980) was the greatest moment. When I received the belt after that fight, I knew I beat a great man, Pipino Cuevas, a legend.”

BoxingInsider.com Muhammad Ali came to Detroit for you and was at ringside when you beat Cuevas, right?

Thomas Hearns: “Yes. Ali is who I grew up watching. That’s who I grew up patterning myself after. He was right there at ringside when I fought Cuevas. I remember he was showing me punches from the audience. Before the fight he started - and even during the fight [laughs]…I remember he was like showing me…the right hand, he likes the right hand. He was telling me to throw the right hand. To see him out there was a major plus.”

BoxingInsider.com What was your most painful boxing moment?

Thomas Hearns: “Probably the first Leonard fight (KO in 14 in 1981). And the Marvin Hagler fight (KO 3 in ‘85). They are probably the most painful things I went through. Because Leonard was my first loss. And the way I lost to Hagler.”

BoxingInsider.com And last, can you tell us of an early memory as a kid in boxing?

Thomas Hearns: “Just that number one thing was winning everything. That was always a plus to me as a kid. It seems like early success gave me so much energy to go out there and constantly keep winning, and winning in style.”

Scoop Malinowski is writing a book called Lewis vs. Tyson Heavyweight Armageddon! The Inside Story of the Biggest Prizefight in Boxing History.