At 147 who should be favored over Tommy Hearns?

I disagree a bit. Overall Hearns was on another level but not at welter. Hearns was inexperienced and vulnerable there. Tito on the other hand was a monster. I think Hearns is overraed at welter and Tito underrated. I rate them pretty close there.

 

What does walk_with_me mean?:think

 

I'd favour most of the ATG welterweights over Thomas Hearns at 147.

He was a big puncher with a long reach but apart from Cuevas, who he got to early, I dont remember him proving himself against many really solid welterweights. I mean, Randy Shields was durable but wasn't a great fighter by any means. And Hearns looked all at sea when Leonard had him hurt, Tommy just fell apart and took a beating.

Sure, Hearns' power and reach make it likely that he'd stand a great chance to KO some of the great ones.
But men like Mickey Walker, Henry Armstrong, Carmen Basilio, among others, were extremely durable as well as GREAT. They were rugged and experienced fighters.

 

I don't think Tito has the footwork and lateral movement to get inside on Hearns, where Hearns was vulnerable. Hearns would outbox Tito all night, with a good chance of a KO, as Tito went down a lot during his career. I think Tito's straightforward, stalking style would be disaster against Hearns' range and insane power.

 

Read what I wrote on the matchup in a previous post.

 

I used to always say i don't want to rule out tito against Hearns. I'd be ultimately picking Tommy but people have to remember that Hearns' nature is to fight and not just use his legs, especially at this weight. Trinidad is so accurate and i'm not saying Hearns has a glass jaw at all, but the way Hearns loves to jab and throw left hooks/uppercuts downstairs you'd have to think Trinidad could get a right hand home, if he hurts you then you're a lucky pup to net get finished with a left hook. By the same token i can see why others would clearly favour the more dynamic punching of Hearns to take a win in his favour, but i don't reckon Hearns would want to move laterally all night against Tito. Hearns doesn't have the greatest defense by any means but again, Tito never learned how to cut off the ring. Another thing, nobody ever finished off Trinidad until he fought at 160 and he also was seldom 'hurt' at 147.

Hearns will get the majority of votes here, i won't argue much.

 

If you are referring to your comment about Tito drawing hearns into a war, again I don't see it. You have to get inside on Hearns to do that, like Hagler and Leonard did, and Tito just does not have the style.

 

Don't know that I'd actually favor him, but I wouldn't rule Britton out at 147. He was out boxing Benny Leonard in their final match before the DQ, and he had the power to drop Walker and knock out Lewis. On top of that, he was a distance specialist with 20 round stamina, and actually dethroned the Kid over that distance in New Orleans at age 30. (This win is nearly as big as Jack's later knockout of Lewis. Ted was a veteran of 20 rounders, and produced no less than four stoppage wins beyond round 15. Tommy could find himself in huge late round trouble with either Britton or Lewis. Both had far more experience at their peaks than Hearns obtained in his entire career.)

When I look at Robby hammering the taller Bobby Dykes on the inside, I can't see Hearns standing up to that, especially those surgically applied rights to the ribs with which Ray had Bobby sucking wind as early as the second round. Much is made of how well Tommy could take it on the chin, while considerably fewer questions are asked about whether his body could stand up to such abuse. Robby and Lewis would have taken Hearns apart downstairs.

The Toy Bulldog was at about the same age and level of development Tommy was when they were titlists at WW. Mickey would not have tried playing it cute like Cuevas made the mistake of doing. Walker would have gone after him. Don't like Tommy's chances in this one. Ditto with Barbados Joe Walcott. When he knocked out Choynski, he weighed 147, and he also had 25 round endurance.

I'm confident that Montreal Duran would have had the elusiveness to slip his way to the inside and take Hearns apart there en route to a late round knockout. I've always believed a unification bout between the two should have taken place before El Cholo rematched SRL in New Orleans, and Duran certainly wouldn't have taken a still maturing Hearns lightly after what he had just done to Cuevas.

Basilio could be outboxed, but he could also be brutal in the late rounds. Could Tommy take him out, and if not, could he survive through a full 15?

 

Lloyd Honeyghan. I bet he knocks him out

 

good choice. its hard to make a case for Tommy as a top ten ww

Basilio, Demarco, Walker probably take him out late

 

Robinson, Leonard and maybe Burley but thats all if were talking about actually being favoured. Napoles has a decent stylistic chance but hes smaller and slower. Galivan is an excellent boxer but imo not as good as Hearns, certainly not the same offensively.

Fighters with little-no chance

Walker has no jab, speed and brings pretty much the same package as Cuevas without the same power. Montreal Duran is getting sparked in 2 rounds again. Armstrong and Walcott were midgets, Hearns would be charged with chil molestation. Mayweather and Whitaker arent getting past the 1-2, DLH isnt getting past the jab, Tito is getting sparked. He outboxed Benitez whos likely better than Britton.

 

Intelligent athletic pressure that Honeyghan brings is a good style to go against Hearns, better than some of the ATGs mentioned, but I'd make Hearns favourate

 

You don't think the rough and rugged styles of a Basilio or Armstrong would eventually get to Hearns? And from my understanding Burley was more a counter punching tactician, no doubt the better and more talented fighter, but at stylistic disadvantage when it comes to taming the likes of Hearns.

 

Gavilan, Napoles Walker & Burley.

Paul Williams has done nothing yet, ask me again in 5 years.

 

No because they'd both be hit hard on the way in, you need a serious great defense and speed to pressure Hearns at 147, because he might be the biggest puncher in the divisions history. Combine that with his speed, range and technique and you get brutal KOs. Look at what happened to Cuevas and Duran to name 2 men who tried to pressure him.

Your right about Burleys style, maybe he shouldnt be fave either. However he was an aggressive counter puncher though and he might be to continually slip and counter and finnish Hearns late. Or Hearns may keep him on the end of the jab

I forgot about Curry who is 1 of the few who might live with Hearns in a boxing match, but I cant see him outboxing Hearns and I feel Curry probably gets ko'd

I could even see Hearns decisioning Robinson at 147, wouldnt put money on it though