***The TOP 50 WINS OF THE DECADE, 1980-1989***

i always got the impression that he's friends with hearns though? if so, i can understand why he wants to draw attention to hearns' achievements. in a way, they're his achievements too. sometimes it feels like that when someone close to you does well.

 

it seems that it results from a combination of mistakenly thinking that hearns and duran were part of the same era (in the truest sense of what that means) and their being friends (hearns and mag).

 

amazing popkins

 

Friend of Hearns? No I have never met Hearns. Just a fan. But I am a fan of other fighters also, but he is my favorite. I admire his perseverance and skills and how his career unfolded. I closest I got to Hearns was at a fight I saw him in at the Forum in 1997 against Ed Dalton. He threw his gloves from the fight into the crowd (where I was)for fans to get, and I was about 30 feet from him. I did not get the gloves. We all have favorites. And I do like Duran. Speaking of Roberto, I notice Duran is thinner now by the way.. There is a picture of him at the Mosley/Pacman fight press conference I saw last night on a boxing site. He looks like he is 160-168 now.
As for Hearns, I think if I had to be objective and say what Hearns biggest weakness was it was impatience. Having power he wanted to end fights with power and even got in exchanges to land his punches, and then he would get tired and leave himself open to counters. It was very frustrating to watch when I knew he could win fights with his jab and left hook to the body, even without his right hand. But to be accurate. I do not know Hearns and I never have met him. I did meet Emanual Steward however, but I didn't talk about Hearns since at Hall of Fame dinners the celebrities seem distracted and have a hard time really discussing things. I just said thanks for meeting you and all that.

 

This is sort of funny. I know nothing about Thomas Hearns as a person. Great fighter. If everyone on the board who defended Duran or Hearns or Leonard was called a fighters best friend or friend that would really be confusing. For the record I do not know Hearns. Would I want to be Hearns best friend? I don't know him as a person to say. I have best friends in my life who are not famous boxers like Hearns. I am not sure I would want someone I look up to as a boxer to be my best friend or friend. That would be a little confusing and probably not too genuine a friendship if I admire him and he sees me as a fan.
And about fans on ESB. Many guys on here admire Duran or Leonard or Tyson or even younger guys like Mayweather and Pacman just as much I as admire Hearns. I would never think they are their friends. You have to give guys like Hearns and Leonard and Duran more credit than that to think that anyone who admires them is a friend of theirs.

 

no not ill informed. I just think some of the wins like Duran/Moore and Barkley/Duran being mentioned over other greats was being subjective.

And Hearns and Duran are linked in history. It was Hearns best win, yet I do not see that as an insult on Duran losing to Hearns. A lot of guys lost to Hearns. Duran losing to Hearns did not hurt his legacy or mean that much and I am well aware that if Duran would have been able to weather the 2nd and 3rd rounds he could have come back and stopped Tommy since he was champ also and was still only 32 at the time. That is why I think the excuses for Duran are not right since I know that given the opportunity he would have stopped Benitez or Hearns had they given him and opening or been tired. As for fights, the no mas fight hurt Duran the most obviously. My point in this thread was Moore and Barkley fights.

 

that is the big problem with Duran and Hearns also. Duran's fights with the best guys he fought were losses in the 1980s so they are remembered well. Hearns also lost his two biggest fights to Hagler and Ray and that affects him also. It happens to all of them. Contrary to Hearns and Duran is Leonard. Who won his biggest fights against Benitez,Duran,Hearns and Hagler, so when he lost to Norris, no one even cares he lost to Norris. He already proved that he beat the 4 best guys which none of the others beat everyone.

 

oh right, sorry mag. like i said, it was just the impression i got. i guess it's because you sometimes refer to him as 'my boy' and things like that. my bad!

 

oh did I say that my boy? lol didn't know. Well I just meant the guy I look up to in boxing. And there are others I look up to. Hagler a little. etc. I think Popkin made a great list. I was just being a little critical since that is what we do on ESB, but generally to put that effort out and think about all that is great. Good work.

 

I may have missed it??

What about Jeff harding vs Dennis Andries.

A spectacular fight.. An amazing outcome.

Perhaps my favourite fight to watch.