Gennady Golovkin vs Thomas Hearns

I would expect GGG to be the favourite as MW is not Hearns best weight.
Hearns would be the most dangerous puncher GGG faced as a professional. There may have been fighters like Lemieux who could really hit but they didn’t have the ability to deliver their shots on GGG with any kind of consistency. Canelo hits hard but he is conservative in his output and waits for a sweet counter. Hearns would hit Golovkin, a lot, from outside and from up close.
I believe GGG could withstand it. I don’t see him ignoring or walking through it.
His boxing skills are excellent but really no better than Hearns so he would probably find himself behind on points and needing a KO
Given enough rounds he could well find it but he might not. Hagler knew what he had to do to win that fight. GGG doesn’t fight that style to the best of my knowledge. If I am wrong please let me know, but he has never really been in a do or die position so he hasn’t shown that approach.
In a 15 round fight I would favour GGG to catch him and end it.
12 rounds he might not.
If GGG wins likely is a KO/TKO else Hearns by decision
Not an easy fight for GGG by any stretch. Favourite for sure but not a lock and no easy night even with a win.

 

Iron chin stuff is built on the Canelo fight, yet is Canelo the huge puncher we like to think he is.

 

Yes, he's a big puncher, especially since he weighs more than both Hagler and Hearns at middleweight. He's breaking orbital bones and knocking people out left and right.

Hearns got washed by Barkley and struggled with Kinchens pressure and got dropped in the 4th. I'd favor GGG because it's just a bad style for Hearns. He'll land on Hearns eventually even if he gets outboxed for the whole fight. I think Hearns would beat Canelo though

 

Superb post. Says everything articulately and in a fair and balanced way. I know what to think about this fight now.

 

Thank-you very much

 

Breaking orbital bones is a clear hit, but this is boxing.. I don't think he hits as hard and at that time when he first started at middleweight to say GGG has a great chin or iron chin. The punch Barkley landed on Hearns in 1988 would have stopped Canelo and GGG, the Kinchen fight in my mind was Tommy getting hit when he came back too early from the Barkley fight, but look at the punches he took from Leonard and Barkley in the rematch. I don't know if that is a bad style for Hearns.. It also might be a good style for Hearns since GGG would stand right in front of him, and if Tommy fought with the jab to set up the right he could do well.