By Lyle Fitzsimmons

Wow… this one’s hard to believe.

Seems like a day ago I was a sports-geek pre-teen in Western New York, making weekly pilgrimages to Mario’s general store to grab the latest issues of whatever boxing magazines had arrived.

It was on those trips – long before 24-hour sports outlets really took hold – where I first caught on to the freakishly lean and powerful welterweight who’s career arc would ultimately have me rapt.

Thomas “Hitman” Hearns.

I marveled at his demolition of Pipino Cuevas, cringed at the loss to Ray Leonard, rejoiced at his splattering of Roberto Duran and still wince years later at the mere mention of Iran Barkley.

An on-site handshake and interview before his penultimate fight in 2005 ranks among the top two or three moments of my professional career, even though I look back and shudder at the gallons of pre-fight Kool-Aid I must’ve guzzled to think he still had a chance to be world elite.

And now it’s 2011… and my favorite fighter’s a Hall of Fame candidate.

I can’t decide if I’m happy about his laurels, or concerned that I’m officially old.

Either way, I’ll save the suspense. He’s got my vote for 2012 induction.

As for the rest of the field, I’m having some quandaries.

I was 3-for-3 on voting for 2011 inductees Julio Cesar Chavez, Kostya Tszyu and Mike Tyson, continuing a three-year stretch in which I’ve had “YES” on my ballot next to seven of the eight honorees.

Only Danny “Little Red” Lopez has gotten in without my blessing so far, but my “Hearns in 2012” intoxication has me willing to let bygones be bygones with the guys in Canastota.

Joining my hero as first-timers on the ballot are former two-division champions Mark Johnson and Dariusz Michalczewski, who combined for 32 title defenses in their primes between 1995-2004.

Read on for my feelings on the Hitman’s wingmen.

No fewer than 45 boxers active for at least one fight since 1943 are again on the ballot for 2012 recognition, with voting done through Oct. 31 by BWAA members and select non-members chosen by the hall's board of directors.

Each “modern” voter chooses from one to 10 boxers, with the top three vote-getters punching a ticket. The IBHOF board chooses hall-worthy observers, non- participants, pioneers and old-timers.

I’ve applied a stricter filter to my lever-pulls this year – dropping from the full 10 last year to only four this time around – while applying the same visceral “feel” barometer that I apply for admission to Cooperstown.

In other words, if a fighter strikes me mentally as a Hall of Famer… in he goes as an all-time great.

If he doesn’t… out he stays as an all-time good.

Other inductees last year included trainer Nacho Beristain, referee Joe Cortez and screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. The next official induction ceremony is set for June 10, 2012.

Here's a look at the men who ought to be booking flights:

Georgie Abrams – Floored champion Tony Zale in failed 1941 middleweight title bid; lost decisions to Ray Robinson, Marcel Cerdan and Fred Apostoli. Vote: NO.

Horacio Accavallo – Seventy-five wins in 83 career fights; held WBA flyweight title in 1966-67. Vote: NO.

Joey Archer – Defeated Ray Robinson in Robinson's final fight; two failed bids against middleweight champion Emile Griffith in 1966-67. Vote: NO.

Jose Becerra – Seventy-two wins in 79 career fights; held world bantamweight title in 1959-60. Vote: NO.

Johnny Bratton – Held NBA welterweight title in 1951; went 0-2-1 in three bouts with Kid Gavilan. Vote: NO.

Jimmy Carruthers – Held world bantamweight title from 1952-54; went 2-4 over six-fight comeback in 1961-62. Vote: NO.

Donald Curry – Held WBA, IBF and WBC welterweight titles between 1983-86; subsequently won WBC title at 154 pounds. Vote: NO.

Hiroyuki Ebihara – Held WBA/WBC flyweight titles in 1963-64; later held WBA championship in 1969. Vote: NO.

Tommy Farr – Won 81 of 126 career bouts; dropped 15-round decision to heavyweight champion Joe Louis in 1937. Vote: NO.

Tiger Jack Fox – Won 153 of 191 career bouts; fought professionally from 1928-50. Vote: NO.

Ceferino Garcia – Won 102 of 142 career bouts; held NYSAC world middleweight title in 1939-40. Vote: NO.

Betulio Gonzalez – Won 75 of 91 career bouts; three flyweight title reigns between 1972-79. Vote: NO.

Yoko Gushiken – Won WBA junior flyweight title in ninth career bout; made 13 successful title defenses. Vote: NO.

Naseem Hamed – Held WBO, IBF and WBC flyweight titles between 1995-2001; went 17-1 with 14 knockouts in 18 career championship bouts. Vote: NO.

Thomas Hearns – Held world titles in six weight classes; went 15-5-1 with nine knockouts in 21 career championship bouts. Vote: YES.

Carlos Hernandez – Held WBA/WBC junior welterweight titles in 1965-66; lost subsequent WBA title bout in 1969. Vote: NO.

Rafael Herrera – Won WBA/WBC bantamweight titles from Ruben Olivares in 1972; subsequently held WBC championship in 1973-74. Vote: NO.

Al Hostak – Two reigns as WBA world middleweight champion; stopped twice in title bouts by Tony Zale. Vote: NO.

Harry Jeffra – Won 94 of 122 career bouts; held world titles at bantamweight and featherweight. Vote: NO.

Mark Johnson – World champion at 112 and 115 pounds between 1996-2004; Went 12-1 (1 NC) with six knockouts in title bouts. Vote: NO.

Peter Kane – Held world flyweight title in 1938-39; won 88 of 99 career bouts. Vote: NO.

Cocoa Kid – Won 176 of 244 career bouts; held "colored" welterweight and middleweight world championships. Vote: YES.

Pone Kingpetch – Three flyweight championship reigns; won six of nine career title bouts. Vote: NO.

Santos Laciar – Two title reigns at 112 pounds, one at 115; won 12 of 16 career title bouts. Vote: NO.

Tippy Larkin – Won 136 of 153 career bouts; won world junior welterweight title in 1946. Vote: NO.

Jose Legra – Two reigns as WBC featherweight champion; won 134 of 150 career bouts. Vote: NO.

Miguel (Happy) Lora – Held WBC bantamweight title from 1985-88; lost WBO championship tries in 1991 and 1993. Vote: NO.

Raul (Raton) Macias – World bantamweight champion between 1955-57; won one- fight comeback in 1962. Vote: NO.

Ernesto Marcel – Retired as WBA featherweight champion in 1974; defeated Alexis Arguello in final title defense. Vote: NO.

Dariusz Michalczewski – Won first 48 bouts of career between 1991-2003; defended WBO light heavyweight title 23 times. Vote: YES.

Freddie Mills – Won 76 of 101 career bouts; captured world light heavyweight title in 1948. Vote: NO.

Rinty Monaghan – Won all four career title bouts; retired as world flyweight champion in 1950. Vote: NO.

Masao Ohba – Won final 19 bouts; held WBA flyweight title from 1970-73. Vote: NO.

Sven Ottke – Retired as IBF super middleweight champion in 2004; Won all 22 career title fights. Vote: NO.

Ken Overlin – Won 135 of 165 career bouts; held world middleweight title in 1940-41. Vote: NO.

Gustave Roth – Won 113 of 137 career bouts; held European welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight titles. Vote: NO.

Lou Salica – Held world bantamweight titles in 1935 and again between 1939-42; lost to fellow nominee Harry Jeffra in final bout. Vote: NO.

Dave Sands – Won 97 of 110 career bouts; held Australian middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight titles. Vote: NO.

Petey Scalzo – Won 90 of 112 career bouts; held world featherweight title in 1940-41. Vote: NO.

Samuel Serrano – Two reigns as WBA super featherweight champion; went 15-2-1 in 18 career title bouts. Vote: NO.

Yoshio Shirai – Held world flyweight title between 1952-54; lost two subsequent title tries against Pascual Perez. Vote: NO.

Kid Tunero – Won 97 of 148 career bouts; went 1-6-2 in final nine bouts before retirement at age 38. Vote: NO.

Wilfredo Vazquez – Held WBA titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds; went 16-3-2 in 21 career title bouts. Vote: NO.

Myung-Woo Yuh – Two reigns as WBA light flyweight champion; won 20 of 21 career title bouts. Vote: NO.

Hilario Zapata – Two reigns as WBC light flyweight champion and one as WBA flyweight champion; went 18-5-2 in title bouts. Vote: YES.

Vote early and vote often.

And let's try to remember, folks...it's just boxing.

* * * * * * * * * *

This week’s title-fight schedule:

SATURDAY
Vacant IBF junior bantamweight title - Mexicali, Mexico
Raul Martinez (No. 1 contender) vs. Rodrigo Guerrero (No. 3 contender)
Martinez (28-1, 16 KO): Second title fight (0-1, 0 KO); beat Guerrero in 2010 (SD 12)
Guerrero (15-3-1, 10 KO): Second title fight (0-1, 0 KO); two wins in last four fights (2-2, 1 KO)
Fitzbitz says: "Strong southpaw flips script in championship rematch." Guerrero by decision

WBO junior flyweight title – Bacolod City, Philippines
Ramon Garcia (champion) vs. Donnie Nietes (No. 1 contender)
Garcia (16-2-1, 9 KO): First title defense; Lost only fight outside Mexico (0-1, 0 KO)
Nietes (28-1-3, 16 KO): Sixth title fight (5-0, 1 KO); Fifteen-fight win streak (15-0, 7 KO)
Fitzbitz says: “Filipino veteran cops second title on home turf.” Nietes by decision

NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full- fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA “world championships” are only included if no “super champion” exists in the weight class.

Last week's picks: 1-2
Overall picks record: 247-84 (74.6 percent)

Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.