could PBF go the distance with hearns?

definitelt possible for me.

 

At WW, I think so...at 154, not a chance.

 

I'd bet money on the fight going the distance at WW.

 

I very much doubt that Mayweather could survive over the long haul with Hearns. WW or LMW. He'd get out-jabbed silly at long range. And trust me, if Mayweather had a lot of success defending the Hearns jab often, it would shut down his own offense to zero in the process. Hearns's jab wasn't just fast and accurate, it was thrown regularly. And that doesn't bode well for a patient and precise counterer like little Floyd. Mayweather has serious power to deal with here, as well as being shorter in terms of height. The huge wingspan of Hearns would be a nightmare for him to deal with when it comes to defending himself and trying to counter-punch in return.

Hearns would be on the frontfoot. Pretty much like he started off the early stages of the first Leonard fight. Constantly stalking, jabbing upstairs and downstairs, cutting off the ring, and throwing the ocassional straight right hand down the pipe. The 5' 10" Leonard had his offense shut down for long spells by Hearns's busy jab, feared power, and physical advantages. And it was only when he sneaked inside with his powerful left hooks to the body and head that he caused alarm bells to start ringing within Hearns' skull. Mayweather actually invites opponents onto him at times. He's got a history of it. Covering up in the centre of the ring to sneakily counter, lying on the ropes, etc. When did you ever see Leonard standing his ground with Hearns? I'll tell you when. Only when he seen gaps that presented himself to trigger offense, not defense. He was the aggressor during the mid-late rounds. Forget Mayweather even considering charging forward with Hearns....Forget it. Too risky, not in his make-up, and not enough power on tap.

 

You definitley argue a good point Robbi, and i am actually not saying you are wrong. Just one thing though, yes Hearns shut down Leonard's offense but it must be recognised that Leonard's style was geared towards offense whereas Mayweather's is not. Hence to take away Leonard's offence is to take more from his game than to take from Mayweather's, who relishes being defensive minded sometimes even exclusively.

For me to say that Mayweather wins is silly as he is simply not proven against such an operator at 147 or 154, and it may even be silly to even say he goes the distance, though i don't think so in terms solely of his ability, but i must be objective.

The main reason i initially said he goes the distance is because i feel he gets underrated on this particular board at times. Not to say you are guilty of such though.

It's hard for me to say, very, its easy for me to assume he doesn't but i've never even seen him get hurt.

 

Doubtful IMO, I agree with Robbi.

 

Yes, while Mayweather is more defensively minded than Leonard, the type of defense he implements would invite Hearns onto him. Mayweather has never been prone to being a constant mover at WW or LMW like Leonard was during the early rounds of his fight with Hearns. Lets not forget, De La Hoya had power that was a cause for concern for little Floyd. And he lay on the ropes, stood his ground centre ring, and generally only moved around in little spurts. Why? Because thats in his make-up - he's comfortable doing it. A WW or LMW Hearns is extremely quick off the draw. Much faster than a past prime De La Hoya. No two ways about it. And he also punches better from both sides. Key to penetrating Mayweather's defense.

So, Mayweather being more defensively minded than Leonard doesn't quite add up for me.

If Mayweather was to somehow impose the type of defense he showed against Corrales, then perhaps he lasts the distance. He showed me in that fight that he might well have the gameplan to consistently move away from Hearns' power and duck under heavy stuff coming his way. I'm using the Corrales fight as a guage based on how well he moved around the ring, and how often he moved. But at WW and LMW, nope. Nowhere near as athletic as he was in his early 20's.

 

Yeah the only way is for him to keep moving i agree, here's where i bring up that he was able to move around the ring all night in his greatest ever performance, against Carlos Baldomir at 147!!!!!!! Mayweather's defence is still pretty potent in the pocket though, in fact it's impeccable, though i agree he is likely to be stopped when taking up that approach against Hearns.

Yes at 147 though, in the grand scheme of things Mayweather is not the outboxer and mover he was at the lower weights, though he can do it, as he showed againat Bladomir, though clearly that opponent did not pose the problems that will Thomas Hearns.

I do think though that a man we've never seen be really hurt is being said to be stopped is not outlandish but just a little bit of an assumption that maybe we don't have the clearest of grounds to do so. By the same token i agree that it is not outlandish to assume that Thomas Hearns can stop even the greatest of super-featherweights.

Like i say it'a just a hard decision for me to go definite on.

Also i keep mentioning the 147 pound limit because i think at 154 Hearns can likely get his stoppage, he was much more improved there for me, more of a composite hitter and more complete stylistically along with composed overall.

 

I think Mayweather could last the distance, if that's all he's looking to do.

 

he would last the distance but lose a wide UD

 

Nah.

 

Benitez wasnt as good as Mayweather and he did, so why not?

 

Well, I think Benitez was better than Mayweather.

 

Well hes allot slower, less stamina, more open defense (radar aside) but stylistically both are a similar proposition for Hearns

No I don't see Mayweather winning, but I dont see him being stopped either. I see HEarns missing quite allot like he did against Benitez and taking a few counters. Down the stetch FMJ wins a few rounds but doesnt do enough to win