Fourie wasnt really competitive in either fight against Foster.On the other hand Hearns only lost the second fight v Barclay on a split decision and boxed well for 2 rounds before getting knocked out in the first..No doubt in my mind that Hearns wins
Hearns wins but the story is revisited about the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. It was never so apparent as when Hearns met Pipino Cuevas and Fourie had that kind of a jaw. This is a more jaded version of Tommy than the one from the Cuevas fight, but still good enough to take this fight by decision.
Fourie went the distance twice with Bob Foster and Victor Galindez. Tommy ain't stopping this guy. Tommy is without a doubt the favorite due to boxing ability but if he doesn't put some damage on him, rounds 12-15 would not be kind to Hearns at 175 lbs.
Hearns on points. Fourie really wasn´t a puncher (10 kos in 52 wins) and certainly wouldn´t outbox Hearns who had just beaten Virgil Hill. Pierre´s chin survived 45 rounds vs Bob Foster (x2) and Victor Galindez so probably do a Doug DeWitt and make it till the end. The South African only suffered one ko defeat in his last bout against a young undefeated heavyweight Gerrie Coetzee in 1977. 20 years later Iran Barkley koed Coetzee in his last bout!
Hi Noel, I think it's close either way & have no problem with anyone picking Hearns. It's the Hearns from the Barkley 2 fight. Watching that fight, it appears to me like Hearns legs had started to go. Furthermore, I think Fourie is underrated. He was 43-1-1 going into the first Foster fight and went on to take the brilliant Victor Galindez to an SD. Galindez isn't just a better LHW than Hearns & Barkley, he's on an entirely different level. Fourie was stopped once in 60-fights, in his final fight, past prime, vs a 210lbs Gerrie Coetzee. The Hearns of Barkely 2 isn't stopping Fourie. Hearns was obviously far, far greater P4P than Fourie, but his durability was questionable in his prime way below LHW. Past prime, 3 or 4 divisions above his best weight, over 15-rounds, against a fighter who took Galindez to an SD. It's not that I'd favour Fourie to stop him, it's that I lack confidence that this version of Hearns had 15-rounds in his legs to outwork a fighter who pushed the wonderful Galindez so close. Like I say, it's close. I make Fourie the narrowest of favourites vs Hearns from Barkley 2. I'd make the Hearns from the Andries fight favourite. Hell, I'd make the Hearns of the Hill fight just 9-months earlier a slight favourite, I think the margins are tight here.
Thanks for the reply Greg. You make some very valid points and you are a poster who's opinion I very much respect
Hearns outboxes the rudimentary Fourie, he would land the jab at will, timing the predictable rhythm of Fourie with occasional combinations. It wouod be a relatively routine points winas Fourie seemed to have a chin only losing inside the distance against Coetzee at Heavyweight. Edit: just realised it says Barkley 2 fight, I’d still favour Hearns, but he may have to soak it up on the ropes at times late on due to him not having the legs he had during his earlier LHW success against Andries.