Duran/Hearns in 1980

Excellent. I am also amazed at the canonization of Duran on the forums & the 'excuses' for his loses are numerous;
'Food poisoning', 'cramps', 'bunions',etc....

Duran was a doubtless an ATG ,but Hearns was all wrong for him as boxng does come down to styles on many occasions. I don't remember Duran or his people pleading too much for a rematch with Hearns either.:nono

Hearns KO.

Ironically this fight may be the reason Hearns was taken out early by Hagler since he was confident he could mix it up with the toughest fighters in the ring. However Duran(excellent chin) didn't have the chin of a Hagler & Hears paid for his strategic misstep of going toe-to-toe with Hagler.

 

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If Duran could get to Leonard psychologically, then he could get to Tommy in 1980.


duran was uneasy around hearns and many people thought he was scared off him as he acted strange. i dont think duran could get to him

 

A lot of people do believe that for some reason Duran was intimated by Hearns, possibly even scared of him.

 

That would be rubbish. Hearns was actively seeking Duran, and everyone else. Many have never known just how highly regarded and feared Cuevas was.

You might even find he was more feared than Duran at the time

 

Duran may last longer, have more moments, but I still think Hearns takes him out.

Bad style matchup.

 

I still think that Hearns lefthook to the body is a huge problem. With that difference in size, he could fire them off long distance & that punch sizzled the first few rounds. He mixed it up and Duran held his hands up real high which was better suited to head shots and takes away that rolling with punches to the head factor Duran was a master at. And then once Hearns lands that and frezzes a guy momentarily, he follows up with that left hook upstairs or a right hand. Just playing the numbers game in the first 3 rounds, Tommy's accuracy will see him land that punch & Hearns capitalizes. That Hearns style/handspeed/tools is just too much for the former lw and there are lots of easier matchups than this guy.

 

The reach advantage Hearns had would always play a big part in the outcome. Duran loved fighting on the inside and getting inside on Hearns was no easy feat. Bad style matchup for Duran and I would say he would still get knocked out.

 

Tommy had too much of an advantage on Roberto. Yes, Duran had a tight defense, but he can't slip punches forever. Duran had too fight sometimes, and all Tommy would have to do is wait for Duran to open up and counter. I would pick Hearns to beat Duran 10 out of 10 times.

 

Hearns' legs were too unsteady to give him 10/10 times. Duran hurt Leonard as quick as round 2, and I consider Leonard to have a much sturdier chin than Hearns.

It isn't beyond the realm of imagination that Duran stuns Hearns early and then damages him gradually on route to a decision or stoppage. Hearns does not simply absorb Duran's punch flush on the chin.

 

In their fight Tommy took a couple of good punches flush on the chin and took the shots fine. If Duran is going to have any success against Hearns it's via the body, not the head.

 

Not ones where Duran was set. It was mostly Duran trying to keep Hearns off him, imo.

 

Duran might never be fully set vs Hearns. Perhaps for the first time in his life he was intimidated in the ring - SEVERELY. Duran, even at 147, would always be trying to kerep Hearns off him. Hearns size, power and sheer speed of hand make this Duran's impossible dream IMO.