BEST I FACED: THOMAS HEARNS

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Feb 6, 2022.


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  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    BEST JAB
    Sugar Ray Leonard: He’s slick and very smooth with it.
    BEST DEFENSE
    Wilfred Benitez: He moves his head well and makes you miss a lot.
    FASTEST HANDS
    Leonard: Ray had really fast hands.
    FASTEST FEET
    Benitez: He knew how to get away from a man with a good shot.
    BEST CHIN
    Marvelous Marvin Hagler: Hands down. He took a lot of shots and kept coming.
    SMARTEST
    Leonard: Again I’d go with Ray Leonard.
    STRONGEST
    Hagler: I hit him with everything but the kitchen sink. He continued and kept coming forward.
    BEST PUNCHER
    Leonard: I’ll have to think about that one. Iran Barkley, he was one of them … Marvin Hagler and Leonard. Ray punched pretty good. Pipino Cuevas never hit me, nor did Duran. I’d give it to Ray; he punched pretty good.
    BEST BOXING SKILLS
    Leonard: Hands down.
    BEST OVERALL
    Benitez: I would say Wilfred Benitez was very good. He was slick and very crafty. I like Benitez’s craft. He moved well and fights all around the ring.
     
    mark ant, Feb 6, 2022
    mark ant, Feb 6, 2022
    #1
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  2. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Amazing that Cuevas never tagged him.
     
    Titan1, Feb 9, 2022
    Titan1, Feb 9, 2022
    #2
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  3. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    No, Hearns was brilliant at welter, far too good, Ray didn`t know how to get past that jab.
     
    mark ant, Feb 9, 2022
    mark ant, Feb 9, 2022
    #3
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  4. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    So Hearns says that Leonard had the best boxing skills by far as well as being the best puncher.Was also the smartest boxer with the fastest handspeed and the best jab yet somehow he names Benitez as being the best overall and not Leonard. That don’t makes no sense at all.
     
    JackSilver, Feb 9, 2022
    JackSilver, Feb 9, 2022
    #4
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  5. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    How did he win, if he couldn't get past his
    jab?
     
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    #5
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  6. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Strange right? As usual, the fighter chose the guy he
    beat convincingly as the best overall.
     
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    #6
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  7. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Fighters like Cuevas and Duran were tailor made for Hearns. His physical advantages over them were simply overwhelming. Hearns beats those fighters more convincingly than Robinson or Napoles could in my opinion. ( Though I don't believe Napoles beats Duran)
     
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    #7
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  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    I feel Benitez boxed far better v Hearns than Ray did in his 81 clash v Tommy, just that Ray was more dangerous and took more risks, Benitez`s defense v Hearns was better than Ray`s.
     
    mark ant, Feb 9, 2022
    mark ant, Feb 9, 2022
    #8
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  9. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Leonard was a better all around fighter than Benitez and Hagler pushed him past his limits. I'd say TH wasn't giving an honest evaluation
     
    Mark Dunham, Feb 9, 2022
    Mark Dunham, Feb 9, 2022
    #9
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  10. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Mark, he ( Benitez) didn't win. He may have looked better at certain times because he was fighting mainly defensively. He had no chance of beating Hearns that way. ( See that May Jr fans) only thing he did was keep himself from getting K'oed. That's it.
    Leonard was the 1st fighter to prove how to beat Hearns. And he did it. Boxing encompasses all phases of fighting. Offensive, defensive, inside, outside. Benitez didn't "box better" ( your words) than Leonard because he didn't beat Hearns . Leonard did, when both were at their best or primes.
    If the 2nd fight was 15rds Hearns probably loses that too by ko. Because he was through after that 12th rd battering Leonard put on him.
     
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    #10
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  11. Barrf

    Barrf Boxing Addict Full Member

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    They're not ALL like that. Does seem common though.
     
    Barrf, Feb 9, 2022
    Barrf, Feb 9, 2022
    #11
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  12. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    True.
     
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
    Flash24, Feb 9, 2022
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  13. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    No, all that swayed the Benitez v Leonard fight in Ray`s favour was his power and the fact that his hands were so quick, Benitez was harder to hit and had better fundamentals.
     
    mark ant, Feb 10, 2022
    mark ant, Feb 10, 2022
    #13
  14. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Leonard being out-boxed more soundly than Benitez was by Hearns then went for broke, hurting Hearns mid fight and then again later, if he hadn`t landed those shots he would have been out-pointed.
     
    mark ant, Feb 10, 2022
    mark ant, Feb 10, 2022
    #14
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  15. OP_TheJawBreaker

    OP_TheJawBreaker NOBODY hit like that guy! Full Member

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    I thought he said Roldan hit the hardest
     
    OP_TheJawBreaker, Feb 10, 2022
    OP_TheJawBreaker, Feb 10, 2022
    #15
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