BEST I FACED: THOMAS HEARNS

I’m really surprised he didn’t pick Leonard

 

at least he didnt pick duran

 

it took him quite a while to track him down and catch him. it wasnt until Tommy entered the late rounds that he sufficiently weakened for Ray to take advantage of his slowdown

it was this same weakness in his game that sowed the seeds of his downfall in the Norris fight. Ray could scarcely lay a glove on an opponent with a mutli faceted defense and not only didnt weaken but grew stronger as the rounds progressed.

 

if he were honest, he would have picked Hagler

 

It all depends on how one takes the question.

He pretty well spells out that he likes Benitez’s craft better. He may be saying that Ray is more gifted but Wilfred did more with what he had, was smooth and crafty in ways that he felt gave him problems Leonard didn’t — even though Leonard had greater ability (more power, speed, etc).

I can see it. Wilfred is almost mesmerizing. Pleasing to the eye and does things I think any fighter would appreciate — Leonard threw something like 23 right hands in the first round of their fight and landed zero. When Ray went back to the corner, Dundee told him to forget about the right hand, just work the left. Ray held his hand like 18-24 inches in front of him and said, ‘But he’s RIGHT THERE.’ That’s the kind of thing I’d expect another fighter to appreciate enough to say ‘yeah, he did things nobody else did that gave me problems, I’ll give him best overall.’

People dissect these things way too much.