At 147 who should be favored over Tommy Hearns?

Superior handspeed to Hearns? BIG call. Hearns actual speed caused SRL havoc.

 

I know but by what I have read Burley was very very fast, I don't think the one fight of him really is enough to judge him. And I think he would be faster than Hearns.

But I'm one of the people who think the 80s are a bit overrated due to many people on here grew up in those days and hero-worship those fighters - nothing wrong with that, I do so too

 

Nobody was comparing them, it's a styles based analysis. It was said he shouldn't be ruled out if Hearns fights his favoured style. Read the post and less of the shitty comments nobhead.

 

If Burley tries to slip the jab he'll have another one in his face quickly followed by a crushing right. The main defensive flaw of Hearns is the low left hand and the ability to come over that is crucial, if Burley waits too much he WILL get picked off. What makes you think that he is better defensively than Benitez and can then get inside to land those power blows?

He may be able to do it but you concede that Burley is naturally a counter puncher?

Look at who Hearns beat

Cuevas ( sat back )
Duran ( sat back )
Benitez ( defensive genius/ counter puncher )
Hill ( boxer who worked off the jab )

Now the guys who beat him

Leonard ( was getting beat when he boxed but when he took a bunch of risks he pulled it out. Lost 2nd fight IMO )
Barkley ( naturally bigger man just walked through everything was about to be stopped and landed a hail mary )
Hagler ( abondoned usual boxer puncher role and went to war )

Which bracket of fighters would Burley fall into?

 

The bold fighters did not happen at welterweight. We are speaking of welterweight Hearns here! The guy who was still a bit green, the guy who only beat Cuevas at welterweight. Against a seasoned atg. If Leonard could do this, a similar talented Burley could also. Don't you think a guy who KOed hws could KO a green Hearns? Don't you think Burley would know when to take risks and which? With his experience and skill?

 

Hearns didn't only beat Cuevas at welterweight. He fought and beat a lot of solid opponents if not spectacular ones and he looked impressive in destroying every single one of them. It's not like Burley fought too many great names at 147 either outside of Fritzie Zivic, Cocoa Kid and Holman Williams.

 

Hearns comp is often underestimated at Welter, he was matched well on the way up and beat a lot of fighters who were solid one way or the other as you say, either formerly good fighters on the downside or just generally decent B level types.He easily fought as many live bodies as someone like Mayweather at 130 for intance, just to use a quick easy example.Just that most were early non-title fights.