How Could These Fighters Use A Realistic Gameplan To Beat Their Stylistic Nightmare Opponent

Floyd Mayweather would have to use educated pressure and attempt to counter Hearns on the front foot using master bait and low volume.
Joe Frazier tried his best game plan in their rematch, did better, but still nowhere near enough to beat him, giving more room, being patient on the outside rather than steaming in and attempting to get low and catch him off guard and using more set ups.
Liston would have to close the ring off which he wasn’t the best at doing, and try and make Ali move into something, or look to catch Ali with something big over Ali’s jab as Shavers did.
Benn would have to get on Toney’s chest and throw awkward overhand rights and wild punches, mixing in body shots, throwing completely vertical overhand rights over the top as Maidana did against Broner at times.

 

We don't really know that Hearns was a stylistic nightmare for Floyd as they never fought, and he never fought someone like Hearns. He would seem to have the best chance at victory out of them all.

 

Marvellous Marvin Hagler against Gene Fullmer or Jake LaMotta for me - those sort of psychical guys who’d pressure Marv, rough him up and stay on him present a lot of trouble, Hamsho and Vito just weren’t as good as those guys.
I think I’d be unsurprised to see Jose Napoles beat Hagler very convincingly but in all three of those fights I think there is a hard path to victory within his ability however.
Jersey Joe Walcott came very close to beating his “stylistic nightmare” as we say that was against Rocky Marciano if he’d just held on or was a little younger - just maybe.
Archie Moore was so good he could’ve beat Burley or Charles - he came close with Ezz but it just didn’t work out for him.
I think the worst fighter in the world you could give Thomas Hearns that he might be able to beat is the above mentioned Gene Fullmer if not him then perhaps Hamsho but not Jake.

 

I hate to say it, but I might bet on the Floyd of the Corrales fight over Hearns. Assuming we could somehow get a 147lb or 154lb version of that guy.

Anywhere they actually crossed over in weight class though, I just can’t bet on Floyd. Too much to overcome while not at his absolute best.

Doesn’t mean he might not pull it off in a total snoozer that everybody hates. He was always goddamn good at reading guys, figuring them out, adapting, and figuring out a way to outpoint them.

 

Even a peak trained and conditioned FOTC version of Frazier would have MAJOR difficulties against 70's Foreman--it was just a bad matchup for Joe no matter what!

Regarding Liston vs Ali I would still give Ali a 70-75% chance against a late 50's-early 60's version of Sonny in peak condition. BUT, Liston's got a decent "punchers chance"--especially if Ali got a bit careless--(which he was prone to do in the early part of his career prior to winning the HW title.)

Mayweather would have to make the fight "boring" and try to take all the steam out of the Hearns arsenal with defensive tactics but I think Hearns would eventually get to Floyd with that booming right and it would be curtains shortly thereafter. (I just don't think Floyd could keep Hearns at bay for an entire fight regardless of how good he was defensively.)

 

Corrales was horribly weight drained and having issues outside the ring hes also a come forward slugger/puncher.

Hearns on the other hand was never outboxed in his entire career and had a ATG jab and ATG power in his right hand.

Mayweather has never fought anyone close to those dimensions in their prime with those attributes.

I wouldn't say Benitez is identical to Mayweather but he is a fighter known for his exceptional defensive skills. And Benitez was forced to fight a passive defensive fight losing almost every round to Hearns.

Mayweather could do what Benitez did and survive and lose a wide decision, if he tries to be aggressive vs Hearns at Welterweight he will be knocked out pure a simple. Mayweather doesn't have the fire power that SRL had nor is he as big as him.

Mayweather only had 2 stoppages at Welterweight in the 9 years he fought there. One was a sucker punch vs Ortiz and the other was vs Hatton who spent 98 percent of his career at Jr Welterweight.

Mayweather has absolutely nothing to trouble Hearns in regards to power and hes certainly not outboxing Hearns sitting in the pocket with his shoulder roll.

 

Yup let’s leave out Frazier bring absolutely shot in the rematch.

 

Prime Frazier wouldn’t have beaten Foreman using any style, I’m stating what he could’ve done to have the most success.

 

We do though. Whenever someone (elite) went for broke and viciously attacked him, he ended up in serious trouble. For example, His first fight with SRL and the Hagler fight. Once a fighter decides to no longer "box" Hearns, they have a much better chance at winning.

I can't see Floyd doing this. It's just out of character for him.

 

For Frazier, other than what he did in the rematch, I’d also suggest he find a strict referee who doesn’t allow Foreman to manhandle Frazier and shove him out of range whenever he gets there.

Frazier actually found his way inside and got off a number of hooks on Foreman including one that briefly stunned him which is when Foreman ramped up his shoving.

Unfortunately Frazier is more likely than not gonna get caught sooner rather than later, and that will be the beginning of the end. But this time around, he’ll let Foreman know he’d been in a fight.

 

Make Frazier watch Morrison-Foreman 100 times and convince him he's going to have to do something similar which I don't know if he can, he had two shots and he couldn't do it.

 

Start w Liston against Ali. Would have told Liston to stop head hunting w the jab and jab at the body. Double up the jab even triple it up. Get a better pace of throwing punches (he threw a lot less it seemed then he usually does in those first few rounds). Ali was to good w his head movement at that time. Just beat the body. He will take a few rounds off from the dancing soon after then attack the head then.

Frazier fight is a tougher one. Foreman was built to destroy swarmers. One thing I would tell Frazier to attempt to do is throw ur shots one two at a time then get out of range by stepping back or side stepping and crowd him put ur head in his chest n shove him back. When no time to get out of range. Do not stand in front of the man at any time. Not sure that would work on George as he seemed so much stronger than Frazier. Pushing him back constantly. But Frazier needed to get dirty right back at him. Push back hit low whatever, get George off his game plan. Drag him into the late rounds where his power will be less.

Mayweather v Hearns will already be a chess match with both men adjusting as they go. Prob tell Mayweather to play it cautious even if he has to sacrifice a few early rounds. Work the body sap some of the power out of him then take control in the later rounds.

 

Frazier needed to get dirty back. Shoving himself, head butts, etc. if ref isn’t going to stop it he needs to take action to stop it. Sounds bad but it’s a dirty sport