Skilled Sluggers

I definitely wouldn't call Hearns a slugger. He was an outside fighter operating behind a good jab who happened to hit very hard.

 

I guess it depends on your definition. A slugger doesn’t have to be an inside fighter with no jab to me. A slugger to me is a guy willing and able to go toe-to-toe — even in losing, the Hagler fight was him choosing to slug as were many of his other fights.

 

In addition to many already listed on this thread I will add Carlos Zarate

 

Aaron Pryor: A human windmill with power, but when he needed it, could fight behind the jab, and counter.
J.Jackson off the charts power. But his ability to "read" his opponents, anticipate what they would do beat them to the punch, or use the perfect counter was also a big factor with many of his ko's.
George Foreman the ultimate slugger, but his skills are often overlooked, his ability to cut off the ring and put his opponents in a phone booth was legendary, excellent jab didn't try and be something he wasn't, fought to his strength
Sonny Liston, see George Foreman.
Joe Frazier a swarmer with power, but look closely, especially in his prime, he almost never was hit cleanly either he slipped or rode most of what came at him. Plus , he had uncanny timing and placement with his left hook.
Prime Mike Tyson , could out jab much taller opponents hard to land on cleanly.
Bob Foster. He had some of the most spectacular Ko's in the history of the sport, but watch how he set it up. Behind his jab, cutting the ring off, anticipation and counters.
Julio Chavez Sr. he was the tide coming in , you know its coming, wasn't a damn thing his opponents could do about it in his prime, Some tried to run, some tried to fight. But his relentlessness pressure and his ability to take away most of what his opponents wanted to do was exceptional.
His timing and punch placement was extraordinary.
Danny " Little Red" Lopez probably could ko some Middleweights , but his jab is often overlooked .
Was great at setting up his opponents.

 

So was Wilfredo Gomez.

 

Iran Barkley

 

When I hear the word slugger/brawler I immediately think of guys like Marcos Maidana, Bonavena, Shawn Porter, Samuel Peter, Lamon Brewster, David Lemiux--guys who enter the ring with the only thing on their mind being trying to take your head off with every punch. And failing that, beat you to a pulp and win the decision because they overwhelmed you with painful clubbing shots all over. They occasionally have good jabs but they use it for the sole purpose of busting guys up to continue throwing wild bombs or to figure out if they're close enough to throw bombs.

Hearns going toe to toe against Hagler was actually kind of uncharacteristic of him. In many fights, like against leonard and Benitez, he was very cerebral and stayed at mid to long range primarily. He usually only stood his ground and throw with weight behind his shots when he had a guy hurt or they were wide open. He very much knew his strenghts--that being his height and long reach, and used those to his advantage whenever possible. Against Cuevas and Duran he knew they were infighters and kept them at the end of his jab before landing his vicious right cross to end it as soon as possible before they could drag him into deep waters. He didn't only use his jab to bust guys up like most sluggers, he used it to control range, score points, doubled it up, tripled it, used it as a feint, all kinds of stuff. He was the grandmaster of the jab.

I think with the Hagler fight it was an ego thing since they were both big name super stars known for knocking guys the hell out so they both said screw it, let's see who can overpower the other.

You are free to disagree but that's just what I think when I see Hearns most of the time, a guy who uses his high ring IQ and stays on the outside until he sees openings for his big shots. I don't think of him as a slugger, maybe an outside fighter/boxer puncher hybrid. He didn't really have the chin and his arms were a little too lanky to be a true "slugger" taking one to give one with non stop pressure.

 

Beat me to it.

The footwork could be slow, but the arsenal and punch selection were lethal.

His buddy Schmeling would be another.

Of course, Mike Tyson.

 

Orlando Canizales

 

I think Artur Beterbiev and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai should be classified as "skilled slugger" types.