What was the secret to Thomas Hearns?

Obviously the Jheri curl.

 

He was TALL, but unlike other fighters around that height, he knows how to use his height to the fullest extent of it's potential

PWill, bless the guy's heart, fought on the inside...

Mike Jones was too muscular for his own good, which sorta negated his size

The guy just knew what he was doing

 

Goes without saying.

 

Glass chin

The glass chin that could break in a gusty breeze is where his power came from

 

Steward didn't teach him proper leverage until he was close to fighting pro. Of course in the am's he didn't overly need it.

 

the best amateur fight ive ever seen was hearns v pryor.
roberto duran was a master at slipping punches but hearns' reach was just sooo long and duran couldn't get out of the way of hearns' power.

 

Speed.

I consider him faster than Taylor. He also had an attitude..a air(hier) about him. He just knew he was superior. He was skilled and tough and vicious. We may never see a Hitman again. Someone who put all of the physical gift together like he did.

Seriously, if Tommy had a chin he could have been up there with Robinson. That is how good Robinson is by the way. I think Basilio, Fulmer, Lamotta, and all of Robinson's opponents would have had there hands very full against 147-154 prime Hearns.

Leonard was up against a serious, serious test in 1981.

 

except for the Cuevas bout, that's as good as Hearns got, until he peaked 3 years later.

 

He had a lot of physical advantages over the people he fought a welterweight, and once he physically matured, some of the advantages remained others didn't.

 

What a right hand, it traveled a long way very fast with the correct technique and leverage. He had excellent boxing skills with a great jab and used his height well which sometimes tall fighters don't do.

With today's 12 rounders, he may have beaten Sugar Ray in their first fight.

 

TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE and TECHNIQUE, other than his defensive lapses, holding his left hand low Hearns thru most of his punches with perfect form, and being very tall for his weight classes he was able to maximize his leverage with the punches, esp the right hand. Plus that God given gift of speed. Also having a master teacher in Emmanuel Steward didn't hurt.

 

Would you guys call Hearns chinny?

He was outboxing Leonard all night and then just a few combos late and he's rubbery and then taken out the next round.

Against Hagler he was rubbery after the 1st round and Hearns punches harder than Hagler.

Same against Barkley. Was rubbery very early.

It seemed like he just couldn't take punishment.

 

Chinny to an extent but he was only stopped by very good or great fighters who could punch not some second rate fighter or journeyman. Great skills long teach and jab and one punch ko power. Imo he'd rule ww - smw now

 

Power speed skill wonderful to watch .if he had rock chin he would be the greatest fighter in history. Even without the chin he was Brilliant.

 

The best I've seen along with SRL.

You had to outfight Tommy. No way was you outboxing him.

Absolutely superb boxer.