I'll say that I Agree with you ,but if its the old classical 15 rounds ,then there's a big danger of a repeat performance of their first fight . If its 12 round s ,as mad as it sound s ,I ve got Tommy getting a close decision .
There will always be nothing between these two. Hearns best was at 154. He filled out nicely and had put time into learning to clinch and matured a bit. Over 12 i've got Hearns by a whisker, over 15 Ray might come on but it would be more difficult at 154 imo. Again there's nothing in it and if they fought multiple times they would share victories imo.
Hearns got hit much less in his 154 matches compared to Ray v Kalule, the Norris fight wasn`t Ray at his quickest.Ray would be more cautios than he was in the Kalule fight though just like the first fight, but Hearns came in too light for that match, he would be in better condition for this one and Ray may never land THAT punch this time.
We have two fights they fought 20 pounds apart pretty much, or 17 with weight agreement. And both fights were very similar yet Hearns had a lot more experience in 1989. I would have to say Hearns would win a 12 round decision or a very close one at 15 rounds at 154. Each time they fought it seems like Ray and Tommy hit each other without much trouble so it looks like a similar give and take fight and Hearns would have fought Ray after Benitez I take it, another fight which he had to summon some skills to win. I don't see the weight changing too much except Hearns was better at 154 than at 147 and more experienced, and probably better than Ray at 154 compared to 147. They were always very evenly matched. Even as amateurs their records were not too different.
The problem with Tommy was he could have been more defensive, but he liked to throw a lot of punches and that left him open to counters at times and counters when he got tired. I don't think Ray even wanted to fight Hearns again, I think he fought him in 1989 because the thought Kinchen showed he could win easily. He was wrong.
Tommy at '54 was too strong. I believe he would have learned from the first fight and paced himself better and perhaps clinched. I think Ray knew this too. That's why he waited till he thought Hearns was shot to give him another chance.
Tommy paced himself more in the rematch and seemed to fight more cautiously but he was too strong at 154. Only thing is SRL is a hard guy to knock out that I couldn't see Hearns ever stopping him.
I think less shop worn, absolute prime Hearns finshes what he started later in his old years in 89. Hearns had his total strengtth here at 154 from 1984 and would be too fast and too hard hitting for RAY. With superb timing, Hearns in 7. Knockout.
I do believe this. Hearns at 154 in 1982 was not as powerful as 1984.. I think he grew into the weight, which to me makes me think had he stayed at middleweight and campaigned there for 2 years without all that moving up, he might have really turned out more lights out. Meaning, in 1988 he would have stopped Dewitt at middleweight. It sounds ridiculous I know.
