Duran V Hearns 1980

The end result would be the same. Duran's just too short and would not be able to get inside. Hearns would play with the little fellow at any stage of their careers.:good

 

Let's put this into context. Duran had 82 fights when he fought Hearns. Hearns had 39. Hearns has currently 67 fights. Let's see where he stands when fighting a fellow great fighter after 15 more fights.

After just 47 fights he was floored by Barkley.

Add that Hearns was fighting at an ideal weight for himself while Duran was 2 full divisions heavier than his natural weight.

Furthermore, I'd like to see how Tommy would follow up a match with a Hagler like opponent after 80 plus fights.

1980 would have been entirely different at welter or middle weight. There would be no knockout by Hearns and Duran would win by late KO or decision.

 

I agree these issues relating to relative stage of career do tend to get swept under the carpet.

However, whether a 1980 showdown swings it enough in Duran's direction is tough to call.

If I could make one fantasy fight come true, I would consider this one very seriously, beautiful styles matchup.

If it goes past 8, I pick Duran - but whether he can get to 8 without getting mashed would be a terrific challenge and test his defensive prowess to the full...

 

Yeah, I initially thought about a decision but lean towards the stoppage. I don't think Duran can have anywhere near the same success getting inside against Tommy as he did with Leonard.

 

I'd hardly call that context. I can't see any relevance in it whatsoever apart from concession making for Duran. It has so many variables and holes i don't know where to start.

Hearns was stopped by Leonard waaaay before Barkley, and Hagler as well. You are comparing apples with oranges, Hearns isn't the guy with the rock solid (and even better really) chin over 90 odd fights and 5 divisions. Simply look at Durans durability before Haearns, and after. Things become very clear very quickly.

Yeah, and Hagler was fighting at his perfect weight too and Duran 3 (a logical count would be 4, and against Hearns 3) full divisions heavier than his natural weight. Didn't stop the wares and class of Duran getting him thru 15. Rather than make excuses for Duran lets give Hearns some credit for his actual achievement here.

Well lets throw relevance totally out the window and compare Robinson and Duran quantity wise. How does Duran compare to Hopkins at 40 years of age? Apples to oranges.

That's your opinion and i totally disagree. One of us is wrong and one right. Which one is anybodies guess.

 

Does this include light-middleweight?

 

Naw, you're both wrong. Duran/Hearns in 1980 would have been a draw.:smoke

 

Duran would have likely lost to Hearns in any year at that weight. That's my opinion and I'm a huge Duran guy.

Also, it doesn't mean that Hearns was a better fighter than Duran. I stronly believe that he never was. However, as others have said, this was Hearns natural weight at the pinnacle of his career, which didn't last that long. Duran was a natural lightweight and carved a path of destruction through that division for almost 12 years before moving up.

I agree that Duran was not the same fighter in 84 than he was in 80 by any means, but I have a difficult time seeing him overcoming a prime Hearns physical attributes (height, reach, natural power, speed) at that weight at any point in time. It would be like a prime Roy Jones trying to get into the ring with a prime George Foreman.

 

I agree, 154 lbs would have been too much for Duran to overcome against Hearns, but the thread title suggest the 1980 version of Duran, with the fight taking place at 147 lbs against the Ethiopian type body of Tommy Hearns.

 

Hahaha, ya bugger!

 

Agreed. More or less the same as my earlier post. Duran's sharpness and speed combined with his better upperbody movement just delays the inevitable.

Hearns KO8.

 

Another key weapon for Hearns if and when Duran gets past his jab, the right uppercut.

 

Hey, Saturday Night, Scotch Sours, yah, I'm feein' flip! (Drinking and posting. I should have my posting privileges suspended for a year.)

 

Okay, I missed the 147 part. Might be a different fight then. I still see Duran having trouble with the height and reach given Hearns' speed, but it's an interesting 'what if?'.

Hearns didn't have an iron jaw so it's very possible that he could be knocked out against a Duran capable of getting inside.

Either way one guy is going to be taken out of his element no matter how you match these guys up. I don't think anyone can seriously say Duran wasn't clearly the better p4p fighter in his prime.

 

I had that last night. Upper shelf Crown Golds and Jimmy Beam bourbon cans. Life was indeed beatiful and i even kept in check lol