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

Again, read post #53

 

He won 14 consecutive world title fights, but I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.

If it's that Hearns is a greater p4p fighter than Foster, I agree, he clearly is.

 

Nice one, DP. I would bet the house John knocks Tommy out, as much as I respect Tommy

 

You obviously know that Hearns would need to campaign exclusively there which is the point I think you are missing TBH in order to do the challenge

and I will take it one step further , I most certaintly would give Hearns a better chance to do Fosters run if he campaigned there at 175 for 5 years over Foster winning titles in 5 different weight clases

 

I would too. Foster was physically only capable of competing in 2 weight divisions.

 

One of the scariest things ever to consider is that he fought at middleweight as an amateur. He must have cleaned some clocks.

 

Agreed. Bob Fosters lengthy reign was not met with power punchers or all time greats with the exception of an aged Dick Tiger. I think my initial hesitance to favor Hearns to reign indefinitely is because the thought of Tommy defending a light heavyweight title for an extended period seems daunting to me. It’s one thing to move up in weight and get an isolated big win here and there ( like Hill or Andries. ) But to concur an entire division and stay atop the mountain for a long tenure is another matter. Nevertheless, as I first stated, I would make Hearns a favorite over every one of Foster’s challengers individually.

 

If this has any resemblance to his actual career, then Hearns became a light heavy in 1987, when he was 27 years old, a year younger than Foster was when he beat Tiger. If we assume a similar frequency of title defenses then Hearns would be 33 by the time he got to defense 14. During his actual career during this time period he fought 11 times across middle, super middle and light heavy (with one cruiserweight bout in 1993). His record was 8-2-1 with 5 KOs. So, if Hearns was to do what Bob Foster did in a similar time frame, he’d have to increase his activity a bit. That would mean an extra 4 fights over that time period. Possible… if he didn’t lose.

 

Nice post there, Jel. Well done!!

 

I need to run. Just wanted to say the only disagreement I would have is with the time frames, because we're dealing with different eras.

People trying to figure this out, and are waiting until Hearns fought Andries to assume that's when he "could" start a light heavyweight run, is understandable.

But he clearly could've begun earlier.

You only needed one fighter over 160 pounds in Tiger's era to have your bout contracted as a light heavyweight fight. (Robinson didn't even crack 160 when he challenged Maxim.) In non-title fights, some bouts were listed as middleweight fights when both were a couple pounds over, but the fighters involved agreed to allow it in those instances.

If we waited for Dick Tiger to weigh in the 170s before we considered him a light heavyweight, he never would've been. He never weighed 169.

Anyone 161 and above could be light heavyweight fights in Tiger's era.

Hearns fought Ernie Singletary in 1981 just three months after the Leonard fight. He fought Jeff McCracken (who was always sort of too big for middleweight but small for a light heavy) the next year who weighed 161. He fought Murray Sutherland in 1982. Hell, Sutherland and Singletary fought for the inaugural IBF Super Middleweight Title later. Hearns had no problem with them. He could clearly handle the size physically of a person who, in earlier years, would've been a light heavy.

I'm not saying you have to push Hearns back to the early 80s to start a light heavy run, but you certainly could've started sooner than 1987, that's all I mean.

Tiger weighed 167 when he fought Foster. Fourie weighed 168 and 167 for his two title tries. Hicks was 171. Mark Tessman was 170. My point is these guys weren't MONSTERS like today who were drying out and then beefing up 30 pounds before the bell. They weighed in the day OF the fight and entered the ring pretty much where they were. Today, a lot of welters weigh 167 when they enter the ring.

So I wouldn't fixate on the moment Hearns first fought in the 170s to start this imaginary campaign, because Tiger NEVER did.

Anyway, have a good one.

 

Pretty much what I said as well. Agree with you here. And Hearns always sparred with Lhtheavies throughout his career as well.