Tommy Hearns was not dehydrated or weight drained vs SRL

[SuzieQ49]

Exclusive RING interview with Hearns from Jan 1982.

R: You weighed 145 pounds for the fight, surprisingly light isn't it?

H: People think just because I'm tall and have a big upperbody that I should be heavier and that I have problems making 147 pounds. Let me set the record straight right now. I don't have any problems making 147 pounds. I think I proved that by coming in at 145.

R: Might you have overtrained or de-hydrated from making the weight?

H: I couldn't have been de-hydrated. I told you, I made the weight naturally. I didn't have to starve myself. I ate like I always eat before a fight. As for overtraining, that couldn't have been possible. When a fighter overtrains, he gets tired and is not strong during a bout. I never got tired and felt very strong. All I know is that I didn't sweat that much.

R: When referee Davy Pearl ended the fight, were you tired then?

H: Not at all. I was hurt, but not badly hurt.



Can we please now close the book on this one?




* Special Thanx to poster Robbi

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by SuzieQ49

Exclusive RING interview with Hearns from Jan 1982.

R: You weighed 145 pounds for the fight, surprisingly light isn't it?

H: People think just because I'm tall and have a big upperbody that I should be heavier and that I have problems making 147 pounds. Let me set the record straight right now. I don't have any problems making 147 pounds. I think I proved that by coming in at 145.

R: Might you have overtrained or de-hydrated from making the weight?

H: I couldn't have been de-hydrated. I told you, I made the weight naturally. I didn't have to starve myself. I ate like I always eat before a fight. As for overtraining, that couldn't have been possible. When a fighter overtrains, he gets tired and is not strong during a bout. I never got tired and felt very strong. All I know is that I didn't sweat that much.

R: When referee Davy Pearl ended the fight, were you tired then?

H: Not at all. I was hurt, but not badly hurt.



Can we please now close the book on this one?




* Special Thanx to poster Robbi

The above came from the horses mouth. Can't argue with it coming from the horse.

The only reasons people come the conclusion Hearns was weight drained for the first Leonard fight.

*He had a very tall frame, 6' 1", and was freakishly thin.

*He ended up at higher weights, as high up as light-heavyweight and cruiserweight late in his career.

*The Leonard fight was his last fight at welterweight.

All those factors are why people say "Hearns was weighed drained and lacked stamina"

[PowerPuncher]

He may not have been drained BUT he was a little green. He had not fought into the late rounds before, Leonard had and was mroe experienced with a longer fight

Emmanual Steward fighters tend to blow their wad later into fights. Hearns, McCellan, Harris, Wlad, Lewis have all lost because of fading in big fights, it seems to be a symptom

[redrooster]

I remember this interview. You left out the part just before it stating how most experts from ringside that brought up the issue and how frail Tommy appeared. I think it's the key reason he lost the fight late. Gil Clancy also mentioned several times during the commentary which I have, that he thought Tommy would have won the fight easy if not for the weight he came in. I must say that I agree completely with what he said.

[redrooster]

This means that Tommy's conditioning was responsible for his losing the fight. If not for this, we would have had another boxing lesson on the order of Terry Norris-ray leonard

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by redrooster

I remember this interview. You left out the part just before it stating how most experts from ringside that brought up the issue and how frail Tommy appeared. I think it's the key reason he lost the fight late. Gil Clancy also mentioned several times during the commentary which I have, that he thought Tommy would have won the fight easy if not for the weight he came in. I must say that I agree completely with what he said.

Still in denial and hiding from the truth. As always.

[Russell]

How can anyone say he wouldn't of been more healthy and capable with a few extra pounds on him?

That's massive to conditioned athletes. A handful of pounds was a big deal for Hagler, as he stated multiple times, and he was a middleweight.

[redrooster]

Originally Posted by Robbi

Still in denial and hiding from the truth. As always.

I don't know why Thomas would deny it. It's quite obvious! Leonard was quite ineffective. It was Thomas' late round stamina and frailty that did him in, not Leonard's skill as a boxer. Or to put it another way, this fight was decied on strangth and stamina, which Thomas did not have. Those punches that leonard caught him with earlier did not do enough to down him and Tommy came back rounds 8-12 to totally mesmerize and confound leonard. In the late rounds, the blows that weakend him would not have been nearly as effective earlier so it was Tommy who was the better boxer.

Terry Norris could surely have beat leonard that night no problem.

[Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by redrooster

I don't know why Thomas would deny it. It's quite obvious! Leonard was quite ineffective. It was Thomas' late round stamina and frailty that did him in, not Leonard's skill as a boxer. Or to put it another way, this fight was decied on strangth and stamina, which Thomas did not have. Those punches that leonard caught him with earlier did not do enough to down him and Tommy came back rounds 8-12 to totally mesmerize and confound leonard. In the late rounds, the blows that weakend him would not have been nearly as effective earlier so it was Tommy who was the better boxer.

Terry Norris could surely have beat leonard that night no problem.

You now see why everyone takes my side in our debates? You are completely delusional. Either that or just a very dedicated troll.

[Russell]

Why do conversations also turn so pissy and personal on here?

This isn't supposed to be general.

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by redrooster

It was Thomas' late round stamina and frailty that did him in, not Leonard's skill as a boxer. Or to put it another way, this fight was decied on strangth and stamina, which Thomas did not have.

You forgot to mention the fight was also decided on killer instinct. But how the hell could you say that, talking up Leonard's inner greatness to come from behind and force the stoppage. That just ain't going to happen with you.

[redrooster]

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

You now see why everyone takes my side in our debates? You are completely delusional. Either that or just a very dedicated troll.

How am I a troll? I always have more to say than you. My analysis is always more in depth.

You can try to smear me all you like but when has Ray ever proven himself against a capable boxer outside of Hearns and please don't bring up the meek benitez.

No question Ray lost most of the rounds once Tommy went up on his toes and floundered badly. Since he's not exactly Julian Jackson on the attack, an honest observer must admit that he cannot hit a moving target and Norris in some ways resembles prime Camacho in that he would score quickly and then get out of range.

And if you have seen prime leonard, you would know that he takes his time about trying to find openings. This would be disasterous against the likes of Norris. Terry with his hand speed would score on leonard before he could even get set and defense wise, rolls and slides with punches or deflects them expertly with his gloves the way Hagler used to.

And there's NO WAY that Terry is going to stand around getting hit by combinations! That is every leonard fan's argument-that the combinations would destroy Terry. Even if they got in exchanges, Terry has the hand speed to match leonard's. And we know he has the ability to hurt leonard so he sure as hell isn't going to take too many chances punching with him especially since Terry can score so quickly and move out of range.

Even with the big edge he had in professional experience, the big wins over Hearns, Duran, Benitez, Kalule, Hagler, leonard still didn't have enough experience to deal with the vast and boundless talents of Norris. Nowhere near enough.

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by redrooster

How am I a troll? I always have more to say than you. My analysis is always more in depth.

You can try to smear me all you like but when has Ray ever proven himself against a capable boxer outside of Hearns and please don't bring up the meek benitez.

No question Ray lost most of the rounds once Tommy went up on his toes and floundered badly. Since he's not exactly Julian Jackson on the attack, an honest observer must admit that he cannot hit a moving target and Norris in some ways resembles prime Camacho in that he would score quickly and then get out of range.

And if you have seen prime leonard, you would know that he takes his time about trying to find openings. This would be disasterous against the likes of Norris who rolls and slides with punches or deflects them expertly with his gloves the way Hagler used to.

And there's NO WAY that Terry is going to stand around getting hit by combinations! That is every leonard fan's argument-that the combinations would destroy Terry. Even if they got in exchanges, Terry has the hand speed to match leonard's. And we know he has the ability to hurt leonard so he sure as hell isn't going to take too many chances punching with him especially since Terry can score so quickly and move out of range.

Even with the big edge he had in professional experience, the big wins over Hearns, Duran, Benitez, Kalule, Hagler, leonard still didn't have enough experience to deal with the vast and boundless talents of Norris. Nowhere near enough.

I'm laughing. Thanks for the entertainment.

[redrooster]

Originally Posted by Russell

Why do conversations also turn so pissy and personal on here?

This isn't supposed to be general.

it has todo with Sweat Pea who holds a grugde against any Terry Norris or Roy Jones fans.

[SuzieQ49]

Originally Posted by Russell

How can anyone say he wouldn't of been more healthy and capable with a few extra pounds on him?

That's massive to conditioned athletes. A handful of pounds was a big deal for Hagler, as he stated multiple times, and he was a middleweight.

Tommy Hearns just said that he came in at peak shape well trained, well hydrated with plenty of food in his stomahc. are you saying you know tommy's body better than Tommy does?