Hearns-Roldan is a great fight. What does it say about Hearns?

Johnny,

Hagler had a few rocky moments with Roldan in 1984, but we all know the 1st round knockdown was a slip from Hagler with the aide of a glancing blow from Roldan to the top of Hagler's dome... However, all in all, that war of a fight took a lot out of Juan Roldan down the road.... Roldan seemingly got worse and less resistant to punches following each loss he suffered.....

The 1987 and '88 TKO losses to "Hearns and Nunn" pretty much finished off Juan Roldan as a serious threat at 160....... I'm not sure how many more times he fought after that, but I know his career was basically over by 1989.....

MR.BILLhat

 

There's two ways of looking at this one.

From the perspective of the trainer it is frustrating to see Hearn's range dissolve and his long arms tangle between Roldan's reckless drives.

Alternately, Hearn's is often at the brunt of question marks about his abilities to survive or cop a whack. Here is he hurt, clinches up a bit and fires right back to get the win. It is exciting and Roldan is not the best, but Ted Spoon does believe he was a bit of a stylistic pest for Hearn's yet Tommy got the win.

 

Is that Darren Barker or Sue Barker?

 

I too often refer to "The Blade" as "The Barker" cuz he's a street dawg....:good

MR.BILL

 

I like it.

 

I wonder if Hearns would still get hit w/ the same punches by Roldan had he opted to move up to LHW after this fight instead of before.

 

Great fight. I still like hearns as a welterweight better. He could utilize his physical advantages there more so. I think Tommy is a top 5 147lber of all time.

 

That's what I'm saying........ Hearns looked energized and solid at 173 for Andries in 1987.... I have that fight on tape........ But the ref from South America was a clueless fool who did a shitty job in that event......

When Hearns dropped back down to 160, he looked gaunt and weak legged....

I have NEVER approved of an aging fighter slimming down to a lighter weight after they have filled out at a higher weight...... WORD!
:-deal:nono

MR.BILL

 

Hearns was not great in this fight because of weight. He was moving all over the place in weight at the time. This was October of 1987. In March of 1986 he was at middleweight. Then 3 months later he defends his 154 pound title against Medal. Then in October 1986 he fights Dewitt at middleweight. Then in March of 1987 he fights at light heavyweight and beats Andries for his 3rd title. So by October of 1987 he moves back down to middleweight. He went from 154 pounds in June of 1986 to just over 8 months later at light heavyweight. Then he went back down to middleweight. Not too smart and not something most fighters can do. But his experience got him through it. I think moving up and down so much affected his stamina and legs. His experience got him through this like I said. This was the first fight where he looked very experienced after all his big fights. He used the experience it to win. When he got a little tired he started to work the body. I loved seeing him mature as a fighter in this fight. He just knew the whole game. He was slowing down a little as a fighter at this point, but his experience made him just as effective as when he was younger. Tying up, body punches, right hand etc.

 

I disagree that ordinary middleweights would beat him. No ordinary fighter ever beat Hearns. He lost to only 3 guys really. I excuse the Uriah Grant fight from 2000.

 

Roldan ,as you say was no boxer, but he was unpredictable as hell ,threw punches from all angles , had fast hands,and could bang . He must have been a night- mare to time with a shot, an energized Mayorga.

 

Was there a meaning in the message Bill (To me) or were you just summarising the Roldan career for everyone.

 

I was merely stating that Roldan basically wound down like a Timex watch after each loss by KO / TKO....... At first he was a wild bull with a rock solid chin, but I sense Hagler took a lot of fight outta Roldan in 1984... Hagler had a knack of ruining guys after they fought for Hagler's title......... 'John Mugabi' was also basically ruined by Hagler later in '86, as with a few others........ That's all........

I feel Roldan had lost a lot of steam and willpower by 1987 when he fought Hearns......

The '88 TKO loss to Nunn was the icing on the cake and the end of the road for Roldan...... I lost all interest in Roldan by 1989......

MR.BILLhat