Did Tommy Hearns Have The Goat Jab

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Joeywill, Jun 29, 2023.


Did Tommy Hearns have the best jab ever

Poll closed Jul 6, 2023.
  1. Yes

    1 vote(s)
    8.3%
  2. No

    11 vote(s)
    91.7%
  1. Joeywill

    Joeywill Well-Known Member Full Member

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    If not then who did
     
  2. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Ike Quartey
    Larry Holmes
    Miguel Canto
    Winky Wright
    Joe Louis
    Pinklon Thomas
    Muhammad Ali
    Sonny Liston
    Pernell Whitaker
    Lennox Lewis
    John Conteh
    Bob Foster

    Are good candidates
     
  3. Joeywill

    Joeywill Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I think it's between
    Hearns
    Holmes
    Whitaker

    But Whitaker being a shorter fighter made it tougher for him
     
  4. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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  5. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Now Deceased 2/4/25 Full Member

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  6. Napoleon Bonaparte

    Napoleon Bonaparte Member Full Member

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    Quartey had a phenomenal jab, still don’t quite fathom the technique behind it, it was like a power punch at times.

    Liston had a jab like a telephone pole.

    Holmes and Hearns both had excellent snappy jabs with diversity.
     
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  7. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    Where McCline said "pop" when he threw punches, and Botha would go "ha," your true goat-jabber will give a bellicose "baaaaah" with every such jab he throws.

    Sadly, Hearns never mastered the goat-jab, so I have to answer no.
     
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  8. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    I’ve yet to watch it but the movie
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    might contain the answer to this question as well covering off on all manner of other attributes concerning
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    .
     
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  9. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    one of the best yes, measured Cuevas with it and Duran
     
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  10. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    As to the actual question I would say no.

    As to the very best jab ever - I would say nigh impossible if not in fact impossible to say.

    No jab can prove itself to be the best of everything and above all others.

    Liston’s jab wasn’t as fast or as technical as Holmes (imo) but then Larry’s jab wasn’t as hard nor as multi purposed as Liston’s (including feints).

    I love Louis’ jab, ticks a lot of boxes, hard, fast, accurate and powerful - but in some fights, Joe curiously fell off his jab when it seemed he really should’ve kept pumping it for optimal effect and advantage.

    ODLH had a great jab - but later in his career he too fell off his highly effective jab during a fight - perhaps due to advancing years and faster fatiguing.
     
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  11. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    He's deep in the conversation, very deep. The things that emanated from it vs Duran were just spellbinding. He was completely blindsided. He busted SRL up with it bigtime as well and Cuevas couldn't lay a hand on him. It carried him to victory over a renowned jabber in Hill all the way up at 175 and it helped take him past a master boxer in Benitez. Without even overly thinking or digging deep that's one helluva jab resume right there.
     
  12. Joeywill

    Joeywill Well-Known Member Full Member

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    For me it's a yes for all the reasons you said
     
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  13. Eddie Ezzard

    Eddie Ezzard Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Maybe not the GOAT jab but Howard Winstone only had a jab after losing the tips of the fingers of his right hand and he beat Vicente Saldivar with it.
     
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  14. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    It's definitely up there, maybe top 5.

    At middleweight Golovkin had a hell of a jab (power+utility+range finder).
     
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  15. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    some others not mentioned yet
    Holman Williams
    Monzon
    Bramble
     
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