Bigger shockwave: "Hearns-Barkley" or "McCallum-Curry"??

Hearns-Barkley.

The McCallum-Curry KO was surprising because of the way the fight was going, but McCallum was the bigger and stronger man with a solid KO record at 154. Hearns was just dominating Barkley and got flattened with a right hand bomb.

 

But there were folks picking Iran for the win in that fight. He was not a prohibitive underdog in the fight like might be assumed. And Tommy was a much more popular fighter at the time. The odds sure were a lot closer for the rematch though and a lot more people like the Barkley chances in that one.

The Curry/McCallum fight was a very closely gambled bout as well. Not a big odds difference there & lots of folks just did not like Curry at 154 anywhere near as much. The big surprise was Mike 1 punching him & not wearing him out for the stoppage.

 

Definitely Hearns/Barkley.

 

I think KO mag called it "Middleweight Terrorism"

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Hearns Barkley was more shocking. Tommy had the fight had he calmed down and not gotten careless. Had he calmed down and held Barkley in the clinch and just threw a few more body punches the fight would have been over in round 4.

 

First thing that comes to mind for me regarding McCallum-Curry is that textbook/picture perfect left hook ending...a real, timeless thing of beauty to me...then I think of the actual overall outcome...I guess Curry lost some of his luster when Honeyghan stopped him..and I don't think LLoyd would have been able to do that if he had fought the Curry of the McCrory fight...so the McCallum-Curry fight was a bit of an upset...but no more so than Barkley-Hearns...Hearns I never thought of as being utterly indestructable, but it was a surprise that a guy like Barkley was able to hit the bingo like he did I guess. The two fights are about 50/50 all in all.

 

I got to see the entire bill free on ITV; those were the days...

Mayweather/Brazier was a little overhyped IMO. Brazier was a good hand, but overrated in the late 80s.

Mayweather was finally getting over the stigma of been flattened by JCC, and starting to get some deserved kudos.

But their styles led to a boring rather than compelling encounter IMO.

I would agree about the Hill bout, but it was nice to finally see the man who was getting some pretty big ink in the boxing press.

As for the thread, IMO it was a far bigger shock seeing the Motor City Cobra on the deck, after basically destroying The Blade for two and a bit rounds.

As mentioned, I think many fancied The Bodysnatcher to beat Cobra Curry, and although Don had a made a good start, the Hail Mary shot, that caught him, summed up his career...

Even when on top, Curry was too casual and perhaps too disrespectful of his opposition's abilities.

 

The bigger upset was Barkley Hearns ... Curry was coming off an upset defeat by Honeygan that brought him somewhat to Earth and was fighting a very tough, undefeated champion in McCallum ... Hearns was still considered, somewhat, boxing royality and several classes above the often bested Barkley ... both were out of no where KO's and very shocking ...

 

I wasnt even really surprised when Mccallum kod Curry i had know he was a helluva fighter and at the time one of boxing best kept secrets. Plus i wasnt sure how Curry would comeback after being upset by Honeyghan. Now in that fight i was surprised Curry lost.

I was very surprised when Barkly kod Hearns. At the time i remember thinking Barkley was just a tough puncher with limited skills. Hearns was still and elite pfp guy at the time.

 

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