Good post and not to take anything from Tommy, he was a great fighter. I've said it before that most of the "world" champs of the last 30 odd years wouldn't of been champs if there was only one champ. It's the contenders from back in the day who are underrated because they never won a "title".
Agreed. Maybe he means that if he hadn't claimed titles at welter and junior middle previously that the opportunity to fight Hill as a 'name scalp' might not have presented itself either? :think
That's purely conjecture. If he fought rematches with Hagler or Leonard, he might have beaten them. The fact is, he beat the established champion in a division, meaning he would have been the LHW champion.
That's not what I'm or fistoffury is saying. He was making a hypothesis not trying to downplay Tommy (I think)
Right, so let's go on facts, he beat Virgil Hill who was consensus LHW number 1 and true champ. So Flea Man's point (regardless he was trying to diminish Tommy or not) that Tommy may not have been a champion in the era of 8 weight classes, one champion in each division is wrong. Tommy would have been LHW champion in any era.
Your right it's all conjecture, what if he had had to fight Michael Moorer for the lightheavy title. That could be a bad matchup for him stylistically plus if there was only one champ he might not have even got a shot.
Think about it this way, in the old era's, Hearns would have fought Leonard and Hagler more than once (around that time), he may have beaten them both in a series, making him the champion for some time.
It might be that Hagler was never given a shot at white champs Antufermo and Minter in the first place :tong
It could be that Hearns has extensive mafia connections, ensuring he wins the title and retains it, retiring undefeated
Yes, he might of, he probably would of lost a couple more as well. What I'm saying is that that wouldn't of made him a worse or better fighter, possibly an even better fighter having said that but without his "title" tally in the modern era he might not be remembered as well by the more casual fan (present company excluded) as being a multi titlist.
sugar ray robinson barely any footage of this guy and people have the nerve to call him the best. huge pac fan as well but some fans blow his abilities up way too much