How would these two tough as nails middleweight champions deal with the power and boxing skills of Mr. Hearns? It would be interesting.
I think Hearns would cut up Fullmer and stop him late. Dick Tiger? Hearns I could see win a decision or a late rounds knockout.
Gene was never once stopped on cuts in his entire career and Tiger was only ever stopped when past his prime by one of the hardest hitting and NATURAL lightheavyweights that ever stepped into the ring, so what leads you to believe that Hearns stops both of these incredibly durable men? I have a hard time visualizing Hearns beating either guy to be honest if the fight is scheduled for 15 championship rounds, thats a long time to try and keep at bay two physical powerhouses like Tiger and Fullmer. Hearns would need to box and box and box some more to win against these guys, he would have to try and keep any close quarters exchanges to an absolute minimum here as these two guys have such a huge advantage in physical strenght over him its not even funny. Fullmer especially with his mauling/bruising style would be a nightmare for Tommy. I can see him getting out to an early lead with his superior boxing ability and making things very tough for Gene over the first half of the fight, but as the bout drags into the later rounds Gene`s bodywork and roughhousing tactics are gonna start taking their toll on the spindly legged and physically weaker Hearns who in my opinion will wilt under the assault of the Utah strongman in the last third of the fight. Gene probably takes him out with one of his wild overhand rights to the head or has the ref step in and stop the fight on a battered and exhausted Hearns against the ropes between rounds 11-14. As for Tiger if he pursues Tommy with the same vigour and intensity that he did Joey G in their 4th and final encounter than Tommy will also get taken out late I reckon. Tiger was too tentative and lackdaisical in that 3rd bout vs Joey G and allowed his title to slip away as a result, and if that Tiger shows up against Tommy the Detroit Hitman can and likely would win a decision. Either way, Tommy has his hands full with these two on any given night and I sure as hell wouldn`t make him a big favourite over either guy, Tommy was a great boxer but he was severaly lacking in strenght at middleweight and would always be troubled by fighters who held a significant advantage in that department over him and who could close the gap between themselves and the taller lankier Hitman.
I think Fullmer would bully, hold, and maul his way to a win. It was hard to outbox or control Fullmer, and I think his strength and infighting would be too much for Hearns on the inside. Tiger is tougher to call, as Tiger was sometimes vulnerable to boxers and movement. But I think if Tiger makes a concentrated effort to cut off the ring, as he did in his wins over Giardello and Benvenuti, then I think he'd have a good shot at Hearns as well. I never liked Hearns' footwork much above 154 as well.
True. Hearns was roughed up and outstrengthed by far less physically strong, rugged men than Tiger and Fullmer, and NONE of his welter triumphs were against men as strong or tough as these two. Personally, I tend to favor, in hypothetical matches, the guys of the past who were familiar with the old classic 15 round distance, and I see both Tiger and Fullmer as being far too strong for Tommy, and I don't think he would last the limit with either man.
