Thomas Hearns, when he was in the mood, was lethal, one of the most destructive punchers ever, and a damn fine boxer, he could have defensive lapses though. Jake LaMotta was a very tough SOB, perhaps the toughest. He is still alive, he is tougher than father time. He also had a pretty good set of skills, the biggest problem I have with Raging Bull is there are a couple of scenes where he is made to look as if he didn't care if he got hit. Of course he had a great chin, but he also had a similar tactic to Duran, he rolled his head with the punches to reduce the impact. I believe Hearns was fast enough that this didn't help Duran much, and he would certainly land on LaMotta, but Jake is the naturally bigger and stronger man, look at the video that was shown earlier with what I saw as very good underatted defense from someone who is often dismissed defensively. He is a Tank. Actually similar in build to Juan Roldan, but leagues better as a fighter. I don't agree when guys get dismissed as crude, I had a brief spell as an amateur boxer, and if you ever get a chance to spar or watch any decent fighter up close in a gym setting, they have skills you might find startling. Jake might look sloppy or crude (I don't think he does, but some do) when he is fighting SRR, but, ffs, SRR!!!! 99.99% fighters look like 2nd raters. LaMotta doesn't hit like Hagler, either from a power or punch variety standpoint, he is not blasting Hearns out in 3 rounds. (Tommy is also not the china chinned schmoo that people make him out to be) Hearns is not stopping LaMotta, either, unless it was a freak cut, or something of that nature, and LaMotta was pretty thick skinned. I could see Hearns winning a decision, but I would bet on Jake probably 7 out of 10 times or more. I love both guys, Thomas Hearns was one of my favority fighters growing up, even though he poleaxed my hero, Duran, and I remember after watching Raging Bull going to the public library to look at newspaper archives (the librarians must have loved a punk kid asked for old stuff like that) to read about him. I really enjoyed that slip/defense clip by the way, thanks for sharing. I would pay good money to see this.
Bump I think Jake stops him too in a 15 rounder. I think Tommy is ahead on points up to the 10th but I don't see him going 15 with Jake at 160, not Tommys best weight and he would really be working here. .. Jake to strong for Tommy in the latter rounds.. Any new thoughts in this one? Seems to be pretty even split opinion wise
I see this fight a lot like Barkley. Hearns would not knock out Lamotta or hurt him much, but he cut him up and that is the issue in this fight.
I think Jake could probably stop Hearns late in a 12 rounder but it would be a memorably vicious and violent fight. Lamotta is arguably the toughest human being who ever lived.
LaMotta, I'm sure it'd be hard fought as Hearns was a great fighter and dangerous as hell, but I think LaMotta was just a higher class of fighter.
Tommy was his worst enemy. If he fought the right fight he could beat almost anyone.. He did not think defense he always thought offense, but had he had a Floyd mentality of just winning and not performing like he said he had to do and give people their money's worth, he could have outboxed and stopped many guys.
I think Hearns wins this. LaMotta is a bit overrated in my opinion, he lost to guys like Villemain and Dauthuille in his prime. A thread pitting Hearns against either of these guys would be greeted with ridicule.
LOL, sorry, wrong thread. I think Tommy has the tools to beat Jake, but the endurance is lacking. Jake beats Tommy by 13th round TKO, or a UD.
