So you're telling me Leonard's chin is what kept him in the first fight? As opposed to movement, speed and amazing reflexes? Once they went and he slowed down and was hitwith the shots Hearn's knocked him down twice. So yes, obviously his chin wasn't as good as his speed and reflexes. Who in the **** thinks Leonard's chin is Hagler'esque anyway? He never took Hearn's shots the way Hagler did.
I would pick Kid Gavilan by a close decision. I think Hearns would start out strong and win some of the earlier rounds, but as the fight wore on he would tire. The reasons being, like mentioned before, Kid Gavilan had a granite chin, and Hearns would be forced to go 15 rounds. Also Kid Gavilan could stand right in front of a guy and make him miss all night long, which would fatigue Hearns. Gavilan's defensive game compares to another Hearns victim, Wilfred Benitez, but Gavilan was better than Benitez. More durable and had better conditioning and stamina, and in my opinion, better power.
Saw it years ago. Leonard had a good chin, but I think it's ridiculous to say it was a greater asset then his speed and reflexes, among other things.
The fight your talkin about he got knocked down twice in was at Middleweight. And yeah he cut Ray in the first fight but he didn't come close to stoppin him. I'm more of a Hearns fan than Leonard fan and I can tell you Leonard show'd that first fight that someobdy could stand up to Hearns punches.
Yeah, he never got KD'd in the first fight. The only one that was ever hurt was Hearns on two occasions.
I know, how much did i contradict myself there???! I think i was just trying to emphasise (spellcheck??) the point that i think people overrate him as a boxer more than anything else, just a stylistic thing on the subject of this thread though, i could take either man, but i see them fighting offensively throughout a large part of what will be ultimately be deciding this one, and i just may think Tommy can edge that area, not too sure though
I'd pick Napoles over him more or less immediately in terms of ability in that area, just that Napoles being only naturally almost a lightweight means Hearns could likely get the better there. Sounds like excuses though this from me you might say. Tommy was outboxing Leonard, for the most part it was offensive boxing though, which is fine, i just need to re-phrase my statement here sorry, the area i bleieve Tommy gets overrated is as a mover and a sort of wizard some will have you believe he is, i feel his defense is lacking quite a bit and he's beatable at the top level in that mode. I know it sounds as though its getting old, but i think Robinson would have as good a chance as any as outboxing him, Robinson's jab might not have looked brilliant, but was so effective, he could shut people out with it, and i believe his footwork was technically better than Hearns'. Im not totally of the thinking that Robinson would HAVE to go on the offensive after being outshot at long range to win the bout, though i understand the reasons that provoke such thought and in honesty its a likely scenario, but not close to a foregone conclusion imo. I suppose Gavilan would have as good a chance as any at attempting the outboxing of Hearns, but with two top tier guys (of which Gavilan would be the greater 147 pounder), its close and tight, but i still think the fighting and offensive stuff will sort this one moreso than any other aspect of it. Also, Burley deserves much thought here, think of the reach and the crafty angles, head movement etc. I do rate Hearns very highly h2h, and a top tier boxer no doubt, but some (not meaning you) act like he was of the wizard cloth, not by my reckoning by a long way though
I must go now, Anfield awaits! Been too long since ive been! (most American posters might not know what im talking about!) I'll be posting later anyway!
I don't think Robinson would have a prayer from long range to be honest, and Napoles is too small to outbox him, though not too small IMO to beat him.
