Roberto Duran .Vs. Thomas Hearns 1980

Duran lasts longer, until around the 8th round. His reflexes and speed of hand and foot were better than four years later at jr middleweight. Physically he'd be tuned finer, but he still gets KO'd based on Hearns' height, reach, power, and handspeed.

 

Montreal Duran certainly could pull it off, and I could easily see him getting to Tommy late, but I'd favor Hearns. Partly due to style, but more so size. Hearns has what, 6 or 7 inches in height and reach on Duran. That's hard to overcome for a fighter who is at his best on the inside facing one of the all-time greatest punchers.

 

11 inches in reach. Duran 67" and Hearns 78". I can see Hearns' uppercut being a key weapon when Duran got inside his reach and past his jab, also the right hand. When Hagler pressed and tried to get inside we all know what happened, Hearns fired right back to try and keep him in check. Duran never had Hagler's reach and outside ability while trying to close the distance to do equally as well. I'm looking at the comparison with both fights based on styles rather than strength and power as Duran clearly wasn't the physical specimen that Hagler was when he faced Tommy. However, maybe thats evened out a little as Duran slipped and feinted as well as Hagler, probably better.

 

Same result but a few rounds later. Hearns would be too fast and the right would be landing flush. And in this case Duran fans could not make up the excuses they do. Yet they still would. Hearns would do to Duran what he did to Cueves and to Duran himself in 1984, but it might take a little longer. I think he would almost punish Duran longer and make it more devastating.. It would not be good for Duran. He could never beat a prime Hearns. Hearns was too fast and sharp. Duran always loses.

 

Yes, the fight may last a little longer, to rounds 7-8-9, but I agree that Hearns has always had Duran's number, just a bad style match-up.

 

Bad speed matchup also

 

Roberto completely mugged Leonard in 1980...I dont think Sugar expected such a skilled fighter to be coming at him.

If Duran was to have the same element of suprise its a lot closer then people may think.
I do think however if he was to win or give Hearns a close fight a rematch would be a much clearer win for Tommy.

I strongly disagree that Tommy would do to him what Hearns did to Pipino as that was as emphatic a win as you will ever see. Pipino is completely inferior to Duran in every way except pure punching power (but that doesnt neccesarily make him the more effective puncher), especially the version that took on Leonard the first time.

I dont think Duran in the Hearns fight was the same guy who beat Davey Moore a year earlier nor the same fighter who even took on Hagler 6 months earlier. I dont want to take away from Tommy's amazing demolishen but I think Roberto's inconsistencies at those higher weights prior to and after this loss had a lot more to do with elements outside the ring.

This would more then likely be a Hearns victory but Duran's ability to slip and feint his way inside would definitely make this interesting. A prime Duran was in such great shape he could take very big bombs and recover quickly. Tommy's bombs are a different ball game but I think this is a good fight especially if we a taking into consideration that Hearns may have underrated Duran, much like Leonard probably did.

 

The Duran that fought Hearns was a completely diiferent fighter than the Duran of 1980. I think the 1980 Duran beats Hearns.

 

I actually think Duran would fight the same if they fought in 1980. If you watch interviews with him, he was very confident that all he'd have to do is hit Tommy once and that would be it. As such I think he would go straight at Hearns for the ko, and end up getting flattened again.
Possibly a little later, around the 5th or 6th I think.

 

As been said before on this forum, per Manny Steward, Duran was always very quiet around Hearns when they saw each other at banquets and events (pre- when they fought).

Duran knew he would have to face Tommy sometime down the line.

For a smaller fighter, looking at a 6'2" Hearns gives you something to think about.

 

I'm a Roberto Duran nut-grabber to the max, but 1980 doesn't really matter at all..... Duran was just too short with short arms compared to the lanky Tommy Hearns..... Hearns just has Duran's number......

MR.BILL:bbb

 

MR.BILL. You're certainly an honest man.

 

The old adage of styles make fights is why I think Hearns would have still won this fight whatever year.

 

Hearns any year for me. Foreman - Frazier all over again.