Roberto Duran .Vs. Thomas Hearns 1980

This is key. I can't see Hearns losing on the scorecards at any given time against Duran. A younger WW Duran might be able to move better and get inside Hearns' long jab and work the body. This is his best chance at beating Hearns. Slip and counter on the inside and slow him down and stop him late with body shots.

Hearns is the favourite at any stage in their careers though.

 

Montreal Duran beats him, probably a come from behind KO. Hell, this Duran could beat any welterweight, maybe even SRR. This Duran wanted that W and the best p4p fighter spot BADLY!!! Leonard would have done worse if he tried to box. SRL's jabs didn't land often and clean at all. If he tried to outbox Duran, SRL would tire more and then, Duran would have knocked him out.

No doubt, Hearns could outbox anyone and never get outboxed himself as he is quite tall for one in the lighter weight classes.

The fight: It is like Leonard-Hearns I. Only Duran gets floored and Hearns tires and he makes a comeback. Duran scores a KO and Hearns lies on the ground for quite some time.

 

Duran wins by Knockout or TKO. He was a much different fighter in 1980 than he the one that Hearns faced in `84. Hearns also was a little more green.

Tommy would not be able to get Duran out early and then he would melt at the pressure from Duran. His legs just wouldnt stand up. Duran would have been a little too much for him at that time.

Hearns was at his very best IMO at 154. He was stronger and more experianced. Duran was bout 60% of the fighter he had been in his prime years.

 

hearns would smash him like little insect once and again

 

How I see it. Duran is unlikely to get stopped as early, and prime Duran would set such an insane pace that the longer it goes the worse it bodes for Hearns. Duran stops him late.

 

Duran by late rounds stoppage

I am assuming it's the Duran who fought the first Leonard fight.

He will slip the right hand in the early rounds.

Still, Duran will be behind on points as he eats plenty of jabs.

As the fight progresses, Duran increases the body attack as Hearns slows down.

Around the 12th round, Duran traps a tiring Hearns on the ropes and finishes him with a combination.

Duran in 1980 at 147 is too good defensively and too sharp to get caught ala Cuevas.

 

You can talk about montreal duran,Sidney duran, Madrid duran, the Moon duran, las vegas duran . hearns kills every version of duran

 

Duran and Cuevas were made for Hearns.

 

Yep. I can't believe ppl think Duran wins this.

 

Hearns slaughters every version of Duran every time.

 

yep

 

People here really think that "Montreal Duran" was an unstoppable, superhero juggernaut.

 

Like Foreman-Frazier in a way.

 

It wasn't meant for Duran to beat Hearns....or even to not get knocked out by Hearns.

 

I don't. I just think few would beat him, Obviously SRL didn't, Mayweather likely wouldn't and those who would is a pretty small list. I just finished watching the hearns - Duran fight, and I honestly don't see him ever beating Hearns.

But FWIW, I would likely have said the exact same thing prior to Duran beating Barkley, so my take on this is never say never, but it would be highly unlikely that Duran would ever beat that version of Hearns. But a Montreal prime version of Duran against a green, underweight version of Hearns, is, if nothing else, a more balanced scenario. The key to victory is who establishes the distance in which the fight takes place.