1. Hearns is underrated p4p and in the ATG discussions; somewhat overrated above 154. 2. SRL is somewhat underrated on this forum. Clearly won the Hagler fight and almost beat Duran at his own game in Montreal. His technical skills are overrated though--he's a speed and power athlete but people mistake his cutesy showmanship for technical mastery ala Mayweather and Lomachenko. 3. Holyfield: Underrated p4p, maybe slightly underrated at heavyweight because he had the misfortune of fighting two of the very top p4p heavyweights of all time. 4. Hopkins: Overrated at 160 due to the length of his reign. 5. JCC: Rated about right. Underappreciated by some, overrated by others.
I’ve always said that if Holyfield had retired after the second Moorer fight he would be a top 3 ATG at heavyweight. Holyfield was so gifted and tenacious that he was able to fight on remaining ultra competitive despite being years past his prime.
Tommy Hearns - Underrated SRL - Rated about right Evander Holyfield - Slightly overrated IMO Bernard Hopkins - Rated about right JCC - Underrated
I think Hopkins is overated I don't see anything he does that a lot of 60's middles couldn't . His competition wasn't much either.
Right. This fight was kinda a "tune-up" before the Big One against Hearns. SRL held both the Unified WW title & a JrMW version title, briefly before he gave up the JrMW one.
Completely agree with all that. I've made similar posts to yours in the past but it still confuses how people could think SRL is overrated with his resume and talent what's even more confusing to me is people in this thread are saying Hearns was vastly underrated and SRL overrated but they fought each other prime for prime and Ray won by TKO. Tommy also getting flattened by Iran Barkely and Hagler in 3 rounds doesn't help him, yes he has good wins over Duran, Benitez, Cuevas and Virgil Hill but he was too fragile for me.
That'a very perceive observation, and that's a psychological mechanism that shows up again and again in pretty much any kind of "connoisseurship". I catch myself doing it sometimes.
I mean Leonard fought great boxers in their PRIME and beat them. Hearns,Benitez, Kalue, were unbeaten and lost to Leonard. And Leonard stopped them all. Hagler hadn't lost in years and Leonard best him. Duran had ONE loss. Leonard embarrassed him and made him QUIT. I'm amazed that people call him overrated. Very few boxers have a resume like Rays. I think what damaged Ray were all his comebacks. One too many. Anyone that thinks Norris would have beaten a prime Leonard is insane.