Benn v Hearns in 1988 who would have won?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Aug 8, 2020.


What would have happened if Benn fought Hearns in 1988?

  1. Hearns would have beat Benn

    15 vote(s)
    68.2%
  2. Benn would have beat Tommy

    7 vote(s)
    31.8%
  3. Leonard would have beat the winner at 160

    3 vote(s)
    13.6%
  4. Sugar Ray would have lost to the winner

    3 vote(s)
    13.6%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Charlietf

    Charlietf Well-Known Member Full Member

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    :jaja-no:
     
  2. SerbianLoudmouth

    SerbianLoudmouth Overhand right-Suzie Q Full Member

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    I never saw that!
    He didn't hurt Hagler but his hand and broke his hand on two places trying to KO Hagler!
    Round 1Edit
    Hagler, normally a slow starter, stormed Hearns from the opening bell, landing with many devastating right hands eventually pinning him to the ropes. Hearns threw his devastating right hand to Hagler's chin, stunning Hagler for a moment before Hagler was able to tie him up in a clinch. Seconds later, however, the two were trading power punches, with Hagler trying to get inside and to pin Hearns to the ropes again. In the process, he succeeded in stunning Hearns with a hard left hand. Hearns tied up Hagler again and tried to slow the pace by boxing rather than trading power punches with Hagler, who was still the aggressor. This lasted for only a moment, however. Before long the two once again started to trade power punches. (During these exchanges Hearns broke his right hand.) The slugfest continued for the better part of the next two and a half minutes as both fighters traded heavy blows with little regard for defense or pacing. Hagler developed a cut on his forehead but didn't slow as he pinned Hearns to the ropes and meted out more punishment, eventually hurting Hearns at the end of the round. Sportscaster Barry Tompkins, doing the blow-by-blow commentary for HBO's broadcast of the fight, yelled out, "This is still only the first round!" as the fighters traded heavy shots at round's end. Al Bernstein remarked, "Perhaps one of the best opening rounds in middleweight history!" It is considered by The Ring magazine to be the greatest round in boxing history, and it won round of the year honors for 1985. In a subsequent HBO broadcast featuring both Hagler and Hearns in studio commenting on the fight, Hearns revealed, "that first round took everything I had, man." When asked in the ring after the bout if he was hurt by Hearns' first right hand, a blow that caused him to step back and then fall into a clinch, Hagler commented, "He definitely tried to put the bomb on me... . He can punch... ." The scorecards were split with Reno judge Herb Santos scoring the round 10-9 for Hagler, along with U.K judge Harry Gibbs while Dick Young of California had Hearns ahead 10-9. It was described as a war zone for both fighters.
     
  3. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    I don`t understand what you mean by stronger.
     
  4. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    I must say I'm surprised by the poll.

    I thought it was a given that Benn knocks Hearns out.
     
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  5. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    In the opening round he caught Hagler with a right hand and the commentator said Hagler is hurt, later in that round the commentator stated Hagler is now shaking off Hearns`s right hands better, Marvin was badly hurt, you didn`t watch that fight properly, those right hands were lethal, it was Hagler`s finest hour.
     
  6. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    A given? Tommy was one of the greatest fighters of all-time, he would have been dangerous for any middle in history, Benn wasn`t a great middle, he was better at 168, Hearns wasn`t that good at 168.
     
  7. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    A given means that it's a known or established fact.
     
  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    I never thought that way, maybe you`re talking about British fight fans.
     
  9. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    Nationality has nothing to do with chin or power.

    I'd expect Gerald McClellan to knock him out as well.
     
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  10. Charlietf

    Charlietf Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Agreed
     
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  11. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    Muy bien
     
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  12. Toney F*** U

    Toney F*** U Boxing junkie Full Member

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    I have a very high opinion on hearns so if your saying he can knockout benn I won’t argue with you because that’s a valid argument, but I would personally go with benn because like I said before, hearns could potentially be knocked out by any heavy hitting middleweight, and benn would throw a lot of long range power shots that can catch tommy
     
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  13. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    The thought of Hearns spindly form having to deal with a leaping left hook from a prime Nigel Benn.

    Poor Tommy.
     
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  14. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Hearns had better fundamentals than G-man who was a killer and also far better skills than Benn, he was in at a higher level than both men, though I admit Hearns was getting more sloppy by 1988.
     
  15. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    The same spindley legs that absorbed Andries shots, Tommy destroyed a light heavy, Benn never did and a number of fighters at 168 went the distance with Benn.