The Jacksonville Cobra! Wife working late, gotta few minutes before my 'honeydo' chores. To be fair, I think Tommy's size would cause the greatest fighter who ever lived some problems early on at WW. But the (only) Sugar would find him at some point. And that's not even mentioning the era's thing. Prime 48 Tommy vs. Prime 48 Sugar? Prime 81 Tommy vs. Prime 81 Sugar? At Welter? atsch Middleweight perhaps a different story but look at Sugar's Middleweight career. He retired and then came back as a Middle after 140 frigging fights! Let Tommy campaign at Welter for 10+ years fighting more than once a month throughout and see how his imaginary '2nd career' at Middle would pan out! At Middle in the late 50's Sugar was a mere shell of himself but still had enough fading skills to excite us ALL with great fights against tough comp who would have drastically failed in comparison to him had he been prime (that left hook against Fullmer!!). I STILL can't believe he fought a fight in 1965! Fantasy matchups are always fun but you have to put them into perspective. The only other 'oldie' I would even place in the same ballpark as Sugar is Greb. No one seems to consider eras and none of the 'youngsters' on board can ever appreciate the excitement of the old fights before boxing Bodies and bucks screwed it all up. I include myself, I'm only 63 and (thanks to Dad) only got into the fights around 1960. I've had two Merlots atsch Time for my 'honeydos' Blessings Red!
Hi Burt, I'm glad you responded on this post as what you saw is so valuable to us boxing fans! Thanks Burt.
Thanks Tim. Ray Robinson had to be seen ringside as a welterweight to be appreciated. Which I did several times with my dad at the old MSG. Darn it, I along with my dad and my uncle shook young Ray Robinson's hand BEFORE he turned Pro when he was helping out the Salem Crescent Amateur Team . Soon later he turned pro and made fistic history forever after. I also shook his hand at the Concord Hotel in 1966 when he had retired...His like we will never see again when in his prime...
Tommy Hearns had that rare combination of height, speed, power as well as coordination to go with it. It made him a scary offensive force. With that said Hearns had some flaws that cost him fights at the highest level. Can`t say he had a glass jaw {he didn't} but once he was hurt he usually didn`t recover as well as some other great fighters on the elite level. He didn`t know how to clinch and buy time to recover. Once his legs went they never cameback. Not the most durable. I`d be a lot more confident picking Hearns if I had seen him get up off the canvas and comeback to win a fight. Robinson was close to perfect especially at Welterweight. I think because Hearns was so dangerous SRR would be looking to end things early maybe along the same lines as George " Sugar" Costner who was dangerous back in 1945. Sugar Ray Robinson by Knockout in an exciting bout. Maybe he even gets off the canvas to do it but he would do it.
