Thomas Hearns replaces Bob Foster’s LHW title run, where does he come unstuck?

I voted Tiger, though I'd make Tommy almost 50/50 there if he opted to exclusively box as safely as possible at range. If he tries to take Tiger out, he's going to get KO'd.

I'd make the best LHW version of Hearns favourite over all the others, but I doubt he'd go unbeaten in 15 x title fights over the course of 6 years like Foster did. Not up at LHW. Even if assumed Hearns would be at his best for each of those 15 x fights over the course of 6-years and even if you made him as much as a 90%/10% favourite in each match up, statistically you're still favouring him to lose at least once. 14 x successful lineal title reigns are rare in boxing for a reason.

 

I wouldn't favor any of them, honestly.

Beating Virgil Hill and Dennis Andries was pretty impressive. I wouldn't even take guys like Tommy Hicks (who Foster defended against) over someone like Andrew Maynard, who Hearns demolished.

 

Thomas Hearns ain't winning 6 fights in a row here at 175.

 

Dick Tiger wasn't exactly dominant at light heavy, himself.

I think he had one stoppage against a light heavy.

Is the 5'8" Tiger outpointing Hearns at 175?

 

Dick Tiger had 81 fights and stopped 27 guys. I don't think a Hearns KO loss is likely, honestly.

Hearns also wasn't easy to outbox. Some pretty ordinary guys outboxed Tiger.

 

If Hearns took it to him, in a 15 round fight, I disagree.

Hearns boxing safe, utilising movement at range, could win a points decision.

Tiger wasn't the best at pressuring, but you sure as hell didn't want to pressure him, unless you had Fosteresque size and power.

 

Hearns outboxed some of the best boxers in history. And outpunched more dangerous pressure fighters that displayed more power than Tiger.

I just don't see an angle for Tiger here. Hearns had some off nights, but it would have to be a very off night for him (IMO) to lose that one.

 

I think Jorge Ahumada would beat Hearns he was a tough rugged guy I see him give a prime Conteh a tough fight that Conteh had to dig deep in.

Those are the type of fighters to give Hearns problems fighters that will keep pressuring him not allowing him range.

 

Tiger was substantially better than Barkley, who both stopped and outpointed Hearns, albeit the style match up is likely not quite as bad for Tommy.

Hearns isn't stopping Tiger. Whether Tiger stopped Hearns would depend on the scheduled fight distance (15-rounds, as is the case in this hypothetical scenario, would not favour Tommy) and Tommy's approach.

If Hearns fought Tiger like he did Hagler, he won't get stopped as quickly, but won't last 15.

If Hearns exclusively boxed cautiously, utilising lateral movement at range, throwing not to KO, but rather, allied with his footwork, to keep Dick outside of his own punching range, then a 15R decision to Hearns is a distinct possibility, imo.

 

Tiger and Barkley weren't very similar fighters at all, physically or stylewise. Tiger was much smaller than Barkley, who walked around at 210 pounds. And Tiger didn't bash guys out like Barkley did. Barkley was more of a free-swinging, all-or-nothing type.

I've seen about every Tiger fight there was to watch over the decades; there weren't a lot of crushing KOs among them.

I certainly respect Dick Tiger. But I don't see him outboxing Hearns.

And if Tiger needs a KO to win, well, we saw how often that happened.

 

Did Foster beat Ahumada?

 

Not on my video.

 

It seems that the few times Hearns lost in his career, his desperate opponents threw absolute caution to the wind and went crazy throwing punches.

Hagler was cut, the doctor even inspected it, he was in danger of losing as a result, and just went for it. Leonard was way behind on the cards (in both fights) and just went nuts at the close to secure a stoppage (and a draw in the rematch). Barkley was hurt and bleeding and was being crippled with body shots in their first fight, when he literally threw a punch while he wasn't even looking at Hearns and caught him flush, before following up with a second right. And then just threw caution to the wind in all 12 rounds of their return.

Nobody beat Hearns on points or via stoppage just going the classic boxer route. And they only stopped him when they were in desperate straights themselves.

 

I acknowledged the style match up vs Tiger wasn't as bad for Hearns as it was vs Barkley, but this should be balanced with Tiger being not just better than Iran, but considerably better, regardless of their respective walking around weights.