Tommy Hearns, The Thread

Here is a great article not so much explaining the split but more about the new trainer, what they worked on and the fight plan.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1991/06/...-former-illustrious-peers-is-still-a-champion

https://www.mitchalbom.com/their-boxing-story-just-like-a-love-story/

From memory it was about Manny's cut and wanting to control his own finances as well as Manny's time being split between multiple fighters.

 

Hearns just had to learn to hold late in fights. In the second fight he did hold/clinch some. At 54 Hearns beats Leonard.

 

Tommy was a bit like George Foreman going into his 1981 bout with Leonard. He was a terror but he never had to develop parts of his game. He was a little green in some areas. He did manage to apply what he learned in a rematch...8 years later.

 

A lot of posts excellent here that I want to respond to here, but for now, I will just address the poll. I think only Ray Leonard would beat Hearns among the welterweight/junior middleweight fighters in my lifetime. The combination of the one-punch power and the ability to outbox anyone due to the length and the jab (back stopped by that big right hand) would be too much. I do not like to do hypotheticals involving fighters before my time, but I assume Ray Robinson would beat Hearns for the same reason Leonard did; he hit harder than Leonard and presumptively had just as good a chin.

As an aside, I am surprised that the Duran of Montreal isn't listed among the candidates. That version of Duran beats every 147 within my lifetime, except Hearns.

 

For me and I've wrote this many times on this forum , Hearns is the 3rd best welter in history
head to head. Only Robinson and of course Leonard are the only two I would place
above him. On the list above the only fighter I would give above 75% chance of beating
Hearns is Robinson. Everyone else is less than 30% excluding Burley and Walker
whom in my opinion there isn't enough data to make a reasonable hypothesis
on.
Hearns is the best Jr.Middle in history, outside of a punch "out of the blue" by a
extreme puncher like J.Jackson or J.Mugabi I haven't seen any fighter better than
40% to defeat him at that weight other than Leonard who would be 50/50.
This includes Mccallum, A great fighter, but not as great as he thinks he is.
Of the fab #5 (I include the often over looked Benitez ) I personally place
Hearns #2 of the group head to head . However I place him#1 in overall achievement .
Hearns accomplished the most of the group. But the entire group were extraordinary.

 

Has there been any fighter in since the 70s that was more fun to watch? Other than Tyson. Hearns layed it out every time he fought. His chin was not the best but he went into fight guns blazing.

 

Watched Robsinson / Basilio last night. Robinson was getting on in his years..... Could not believe how good he was.. 1958.....

 

Mayweather avoided Pac until it was abundantly
clear he had lost a step. He wouldn't get near a boxing ring
with a prime Hearns.

 

More from Hearns


Thomas Hearns vs. Angel Espada (former WBA Welterweight Champ)

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Thomas Hearns vs. Bruce Curry (future WBC Junior Welterweight Champ)

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Thomas Hearns vs. Saensak Muangsurin (former WBC Junior Welterweight Champ)

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Thomas Hearns vs. Eddie Gazo (former WBA Junior Middleweight Champ)

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Thomas Hearns vs. Andrew Maynard (1988 Olympic Light Heavyweight Gold Medalist)

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Thomas Hearns vs. Nate Miller (former WBA Cruiserweight Champ)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJUDBWrFWvY

 

I do not understand how anyone can pick McCallum over Hearns I just dont see it at all. Everybody talking about McCallums body attack. Are we forgetting about Hearns left hook to the body? Faster and harder than any body shot Mike through and when Hearns wanted too he would keep coming at you with that shot. McCallum has somehow developed this boogeyman status on here. While I think he was a fantastic fighter Toney beat him 3 times IMO and Kalambay twice IMO and no the fab 4 weren't running and hiding from him like some might want you to believe. A simple bit of research into the timeline will tell you that.
Hearns wide UD v McCallum.
Robinson takes him at 147
Leonard too
Napoles and Rodriguez make it very tough but I'll give the edge to Thomas.

 

I would give Moochie, a focused one, a strong chance of beating Tommy.

 

I agree, Bob. Prime for prime, as good as McCallum was at 154, Hearns was simply better. He was just an awesome fighter there - the best Jnr middleweight there's ever been.

 

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