Norris was good, but his chin sure betrayed him. He might have had more speed than he knew what to do with, but that didn't help him against Jackson or Brown. He whipped old Leonard and Curry and a beefed up Taylor. I mean are we going to be honest here? Norris will never be seen as the quality of Benitez, if you really want to know. Since you are saying Norris is so great and Benitez was overrated. Norris was fast but there is no way he was as great as Benitez.. Who fought Leonard,Duran and Hearns and Cervantes and Palomino to name a few.
Norris’s chin wasn’t as bad as people made out. Jackson was a muderous puncher and Brown at his best was pretty underrated as a dangerous hitter.
he hurt him with a jab. That is not so great. Norris was good and I liked him, but he really did benefit in 1991 and 1992 from fighting an old Ray and Curry and Taylor who wore out fast after losing to Chavez... Norris was good. Great? I think he missed that boat.
Hagler was really braced for Hearns that night. A more laid back version may not have beaten Hearns. But then again..possibly.
His picks are his picks - after all, he fought them all so only he can say this, but... just from his answers Leonard would seem the logical choice as best overall rather than Benitez.
I wonder if Hagler doesn't rank as best overall for Hearns simply because he fought 26 rounds with Leonard and only 3 with Hagler. But then he picked Benitez as best overall so who knows?!
although those 3 rounds he had with Hagler are hard to duplicate for anyone. Boxing is a funny business. I think most guys who go head to head with someone like Hagler and Hearns did would have interesting results. I wonder how GGG vs. Canelo would go if they came out like that against each other. My guess is GGG in 2. It is interesting to think. Tell guys go all out from the first round bell. Some surprises. I think Manny Pacman. does well with many guys doing this. He was a warrior.
That was Hearns problem. Even in a two round knockout of Duran, he was hit by 2 decent right hands by Duran. Tommy sacrificed defense to land his punches, and that was his biggest flaw. He did his best when he boxed. As for picking Benitez. I guess it is true, he fought the guys so that is his pick.. He saw something great in Benitez to say he was the best overall.
It was also what made him the most exciting fighter in the world during the first half of the 1980s. And we thank him for it.
I do thank him for it. He is one of my favorite fighters, but he loved to be in position to punch and put himself in punchers range. That is why his knockouts are some of the best since he was in range but also in range to land his punches.