I fancy the hearns of 86-87 for a late ko . he started declining in 1988 - 89. nunn probably would of took him but yer never know. hearns could still put on a boxing clinic as he showed against hill in 1991
Nunn was no Hill. Hill was the John Ruiz of his era's LHW division. It is a good match and it is hard to pick a winner . Both were good long range boxers , each had a live puncher's chance against the other .
I could see a Hearns late round knockout or a Michael Nunn KO if he sit's on his left hook like he did against Kalambay. I would proably favor the Hearns late round TKO.
hill was a good fighter. no nunn maybe, but a good all round fighter da ruiz comparison was a bit harsh
Hearns late stoppage. Nunn doesn't have the lung capacity and sustained inside work to trouble Hearns. I love Nunn, but he would be outboxed from the outside and caught with something big late on. Nobody outboxed Tommy Hearns for long enough periods from outside, you had to have the tools to get through helicopter blades, get in his grill and take him to deep waters, can't see second to Nunn doing it.
Your Crazy Hill was a good fighter and alot more highly regarded than John Ruiz..... I would say in their Primes Nunn was the much more gifted fighter than Virgil Hil but looking back at their whole careers, id say Hill had the better one.. As Nunns prime wasnt that long. Hill at least had longevity and made a lot of title defenses.. Probably a future HOF where as Nunn might not ever get in. That being said id go with the Hearns from 84-87 over a prime Nunn, think eventually he catches the super quick and elusive Nunn, but only make him a slight favorite.. Nunn could punch too when he set him self and could produce a ko himself... But i get the feeling Nunn is weary of tommys power and gets on his bike giving away rounds, one other thing if anyone outboxes Nunn might be Hearns..... Ill take a prime Nunn over any version of Hearns after 88. PS i think Hill beat Nunn in the 84 olympic trials:think
I think Hearns can win, he's technically better and the better puncher, both men could KO the other, maybe Nunn could outwork or box with Hearns though.
Hill was a LHW belt holder for the taking , ask Roid Jones and Hearns himself. Roid surely had a carefully managed career , Hill was a rather weak LHW champion . Ruiz gets mocked and underrated here way too much . His career surpasses Virgil Hill's , but it is a close call between the two. Well , if it was by decision it does not mean a lot , but still good to know.
Presumably from range? I'm sorry, but faster fighters then Mike Nunn couldn't outbox Hearns or beat him with their speed alone. Speed is not enough to counter Tommy's reach, leverage, power, jab and spacing. This is as bad a stylistic match-up for Nunn as there can be.
Not to mention I don't think Nunn could hurt Hearns enough to make him think twice. Hearns would crack Nunn and take him out.