Roy Jones Jr. vs Thomas Hearns at Middleweight

Yeah.

Or words to that affect.

He said in the presser that he knew Tommy was vulnerable etc.

I’ll try and find the quote.

 

It seems that we can not agree on this. It is not Jones style to fight aggressively like Barkley and Hagler and he does not have the chin either. This would be a boxing match. Beating Tommy in a boxing match is close to impossible. I see Hearns winning by a close margin.

 

Jones too much speed.

 

Well he’d have swerved the fight then. Because Roy would not have signed for the fight and then tried to have boxed him.

They would have been stupid tactics, especially as Roy had great power and everyone knew that Tommy was vulnerable.

 

The problem is that Hearns was often either stopped outright or had the fight completely turn against him by one punch - even in fights where he was utterly dominating (e.g. Leonard I, on two separate junctures; Barkley I) and even fights where he would win ultimately (e.g. Roldan). I don't know a single fighter of his caliber off the top of my head (say, top 3-4 welterweight and top 20-40 all-time pound-per-pound?) who showed such a propensity to have things come crashing down against him after a single flush shot or two. While I agree with you that he was defensively irresponsible and invited flush shots, also keep in mind that nobody other than Hagler went right at him from the get-go due to their fear of his power; and this at least partly explains why some folks couldn't get him out of there earlier.

 

It's not like Hearns was slow; and height and reach often have a tendency to neutralize speed - especially when that speed gap is not so large.

 

look I am not dismissing a knockout by RJ a a possibility.It just that the more likely outcome to me would be a Hearns points win. But of course nobody can know for sure.

 

I hear you. All I’m saying, is that Roy wouldn’t have been dumb enough to have signed for the fight and then boxed with him.

 

you are probably right

 

It is up to Tommy, but when he knew to be careful later in his career like with Hill who was a good counterpuncher he laid back. It would be up to Tommy to fight smart, and that was his weakness. He liked to go for the knockout, but with the right mindset I think he beats Jones by decision or late knockout. Jones never fought someone like Hearns who could pick him apart from the outside who was fast.

 

We are not exactly disagreeing here. I think I favored Hearns, albeit with lots of reservations, against Jones. But Hearns would be susceptible of getting knocked out, too.

 

I mean overall speed at 160.

 

It is up to Tommy if he wants to win the fight boxing or excite the crowd. His weakness was always himself. He had the speed and reach to beat anyone but he always decided to make easy fights harder, especially guys like Roldan who didn't have to be tough.

 

Roy would beat the dog**** out of Hearns.

 

Stylistically this could resemble the Forrest - Mosley fights.