Greatest ever performances by weight drained fighters

The only reasons people come the conclusion Hearns was weight drained for the first Leonard fight.

*He had a very tall frame, 6' 1", and was freakishly thin.

*He ended up at higher weights, as high up as light-heavyweight and cruiserweight late in his career.

*The Leonard fight was his last fight at welterweight.

All those factors are why people say "Hearns was weighed drained and lacked stamina.


Exclusive RING interview with Hearns from Jan 1982.

R: You weighed 145 pounds for the fight, surprisingly light isn't it?

H: People think just because I'm tall and have a big upperbody that I should be heavier and that I have problems making 147 pounds. Let me set the record straight right now. I don't have any problems making 147 pounds. I think I proved that by coming in at 145.

R: Might you have overtrained or de-hydrated from making the weight?

H: I couldn't have been de-hydrated. I told you, I made the weight naturally. I didn't have to starve myself. I ate like I always eat before a fight. As for overtraining, that couldn't have been possible. When a fighter overtrains, he gets tired and is not strong during a bout. I never got tired and felt very strong. All I know is that I didn't sweat that much.

R: When referee Davy Pearl ended the fight, were you tired then?

H: Not at all. I was hurt, but not badly hurt.

 

Yeah, Haye's performance against Mormeck was pretty impressive.

 

Gans vs Battling Nelson

 

That settles it on Hearns and this issue.... Next!

 

Eddie MM vs Spinks was a gutsy effort.

 

Greb v Walker.Greb lived on orange juice before the fight and had to run around a reservoir the day of the fight to make the weight ,he started uncharacteristically slowly for him,Walker built up a lead ,then Greb came on and dominated the second half of the fight.

 

Thomas Hearns' 1981 fight with Ray Leonard has to be the best effort by a weight drained fighter in the last 30 years. For most of the 14 rounds this 147 pound version of Johnny Owen was almost Terry Norris-like, battering Ray's eye at will.

Predictably, he faded in the last two rounds.

 

Exclusive RING interview with Hearns from Jan 1982.

R: You weighed 145 pounds for the fight, surprisingly light isn't it?

H: People think just because I'm tall and have a big upperbody that I should be heavier and that I have problems making 147 pounds. Let me set the record straight right now. I don't have any problems making 147 pounds. I think I proved that by coming in at 145.

R: Might you have overtrained or de-hydrated from making the weight?

H: I couldn't have been de-hydrated. I told you, I made the weight naturally. I didn't have to starve myself. I ate like I always eat before a fight. As for overtraining, that couldn't have been possible. When a fighter overtrains, he gets tired and is not strong during a bout. I never got tired and felt very strong. All I know is that I didn't sweat that much.

R: When referee Davy Pearl ended the fight, were you tired then?

H: Not at all. I was hurt, but not badly hurt.


:hi:

 

^ Observers commented that he appeared dried out. Thomas says he doesn't know why he wasn't sweating. It's because he was dried out coming down at 145. Predictably, he never fought again at 147.

I trust I've made myself clear.