Again, Hearns record at 160 was 3-2 with both losses by KO. He was getting past his best. Box him a couple rounds and his footwork is all over the place. Saying Roy was not a classically trained boxer is just the same as sayinh Ali was not a classically trained boxer. Tho both were certainly "classically trained" both had talents that rewrote the rules.
I disagree with the premise of this thread entirely. I'd make Jones the clear favorite, and frankly, I think he gets Tommy out of there in 5
Yes it certainly could happen Jones taking Hearns out. And Griffith was midget I Was talking about (I just couldn't remember his name). And as I also said Griffith posed no threat to Jones, And Jones knew that and was angry because of the DQ. Hill? Did he create the opening through his aggressiveness or did he fire a perfect right hand? Would he have attempted that with Hearns who unlike Hill was a very serious threat to knock him out if he miscalculated? Over his career Jones was a safety 1st fighter. Yes he had a lot of knock outs (some spectacular) but overall against most world class competition he was cautious. Against Hearns at 160 in a 12rd fight. I can see Hearns using that jab, Jones fighting cautiously not taking that chance of getting blasted by a Hearns right hand, losing the dec. But I wouldn't be surprised if Jones landed that perfect shot off say Hearns dropping that jab to his waist after using it knocking Hearns cold. I'd say Hearns 60/40 winning the fight. My opinion.
You're entitled to your opinion, and I respect it. But I don't agree that Roy would have fought him cautiously. Again, in my honest opinion, he'd have either have fought him aggressively, or he'd have swerved the fight. Roy's a smart guy. So I'm going to credit him with possessing enough knowledge to have realised that trying to outbox Tommy would have been silly tactics to employ. Of course Griffin posed a threat to Roy. Did you not see the first fight? Roy wasn't really a safety first fighter. A safety first fighter doesn't like to engage, and just steals the rounds. Yes, in many of his fights, it's true that he was in cruise control. But from the top of my head, he was aggressive against the following fighters: Malinga, Tate, Pazienza, Byrd, Thornton, Sosa, Brannon, Griffin, Hill, Telesco and Hall. Again, when I speak of Roy being aggressive, I'm not talking about him having a shootout with Tommy. Obviously, he would never have done that. But again, he wouldn't have tried to have outboxed him in a cautious manner. Or if he had've done, he'd have had to have changed tactics at some point. After Roy beat Hill, he used the following quote: "You box a fighter, and you fight a boxer" Nice debating with you.
Jorge Linares if you don't get a crack on his chin or skin is probably the best fighter ever H2H. Steward also called him the best fighter he had ever seen.
Roy absolutely demolished Tate, a man who could stand up against clean punches from Julian Jackson. Also Hearns could get barely past Kinchen, had to hold on for his dear life. He was lucky Mills Lane lacked the strength to pull Hearns away from James, he made Wladimir look straight in that round.
I respect your opinion also ( Maybe not the insinuation Griffith was a threat to Jones the 1st fight, it wasn't the FIGHT I SAW or remember) against world class competition Jones was cautious and picked his spots. Against Hearns a 1st fight situation I see him respecting Hearns right hand, being patient but meanwhile falling behind in points from Hearns long reach and left jab. Losing a dec.
I also do not see that Jones would be agressive against a puncher like Hearns, especially with his height and reach. It is not his style.
Roy would try to ambush him. He would never win a decision vs tommy. Winning over 12 rounds suggests roy would be landing a number punches on hearns which would stop hearns before the fight went 12 rounds. Trying I win a decision would be too risky. Roy would he cautious until he found a moment where he could knock hearns out. Over a 12 round distance I favor his chances to jump in with a big shot to knock him out or hurt him enough to finish. Roy had the kind of explosiveness where he only had to do it once. Hearns could maybe really hurt roy with one punch as well, but roy could actually afford to just circle like he did in tarver 3 I he just finds one opportunity while hearns probably has to work towards that one shot that could stop jones and probably needs several attempts. And roy was very smart if he sees tommy is trying to time him he will change hat he does completely. His style was not defined. 10% tommy KO's him with one shot 30% chance roy never gets him and tommy wins UD 50% chance roy KO 10% roy wins a decision somehow
Well it is never a good strategy to wait for the one shot. More often than not you end up losing a decision.
The trouble with Hearns was his chin. Leonard exposed it, Haggler exposed it. So a prime Jones had an excellent chance of doing the same.
