Duran V Hearns 1980

Ah, a person of true taste and distinction. (I'd be ashamed to tell you what rot I was disguising the flavour of.)

 

I still have Hearns winning this. Duran in Montreal was one of the most beautiful performances I've witnessed but it's not enough for Duran in this encounter. His slickness and jaw should see him do much better against Hearns than falling face first in the first 2 rounds but I still see him losing here because hearns rapier Jab is one of the hardest things to get inside of, especially with that dangerous overhand right waiting behind it, and while I could see Duran getting inside eventually, I can't see him sustaining enough of a body attack to hurt Hearns enough to knock him out. I don't think Duran had the punch @ 147, and I think Hearns had enough boxing ability to be able to escape from any danger a midget could throw at him. Duran gets knocked out inside of 10 rounds I think. Just not KTFO

 

Duran would have much more respect for Hearns than he did Leonard, as Tommy had the power and range to take him out. However, he also had stamina problems, which was all too evident at 147. Hearns' skeletal-like build here wouldn't serve him well either. Duran on the other hand was much sharper at 147. Any weight above that and he becomes the epitome of inconsistent. Hearns demonstrated the "cold" part in 1984.

I see Duran being extremely careful and smartly slipping and then countering, and Hearns fades as it goes into the late rounds. As Hearns fatigues, Duran turns it up...and gets the late-round TKO.

 

Hearns would always beat Duran, Foreman would always beat Frazier, Ronald Reagan hated black people... life goes on.

 

:thumbsup


Or Foreman And Tyson. :hey:hey

 

Hearns of 1984 was much more experienced than 1980. He had fought Cuevas,Benitez, and Leonard, the same guys Duran had fought since going to welt. Hearns of 1980 I think would have won but more of a TKO stoppage on cuts than the way it ended in 1984. Hearns of 1984 had all the advantages over Duran. Speed,Power and he was experienced. Nothing Duran could exploit as he liked to do to opponents.

 

What more can you do against Duran to be chosen over him hypothetically? More than completely and utterly dominate and destroy him in 2 rounds, in real life, it seems

 

As an aside, it's worth noting that Emanuel Steward was an assistant coach to the 1984 Olympic squad.

From memory he said that camp was the best he'd ever had with any fighter..... Tommy had the chance to work with Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Mark Breland and Meldrick Taylor - compared to those guys, Duran was like fighting molasses.

It's a strange thing with Duran though how (according to some fans) he went from being prime to being shot, then near prime again...... he's not Godzilla, is he?

As a few people have mentioned in this thread, there are tools that Tommy has, either in 1980, 1984 or whenever you like, that he could use to offset what Duran brings..... and it would generally result in an early KO for Tommy.

It wasn't as if it was a lucky punch, Hearns was looking to set Duran up for that shot from the first bell, Duran did well to survive the 1st round