Welterweight Thomas Hearns vs Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Who was the most similar opponent Hearns fought? Benitez - HEarns was better then and it wasnt an easy fight, Benitez was also possibly in decline and wasn't the conditioned athlete Mayweather was.

Close UD for HEarns, a KO is wishful thinking and exceedingly unlikely with Floyd's defense

 

Benitez won about 3 rounds at the most.

 

Neither were in their primes at 147....

A 80/81 vintage Hearns against a 06/07 Lil Floyd, see's the Motor City Cobra winning a close decision in a boring boxing match.

Hearns WM15 (9-6)

 

Really then why was it an MD? I've only seen highlights so I dont know. Benitez may have been in decline, was reportedly a lazy trainer, his workrate is questionable/boardering lazy, he has 4 MD/SD decisions against lesser foes on his wins list which seem to back this up. I see Floyd being similarly skilled to Benitez but overall showing better athletic ability and stamina to make it close. This will particular be an issue against the somewhat inexperienced HEarns at welter, as Tommy only went into the 12th once at this weight. Having said that I see Hearns fast 1-2 and his size and power advantage being the difference. Although I see Mayweather scoring very telling flush counters.

 

For starters a false KD was called against Hearns and he also received one of two dubious point deductions. He beat Benitez easily.

 

Hearns would win a decision imo Mayweather doesnt match up well against the elite welters imo as i think he is naturally smaller than the vast majority of them therfore i dont rate him that high H2H at 147. However I only have Duran and Whitaker beating him under 140.

 

Tommy wipes him out. KO4.

 

on the face of it you say tommy by easy ko,but really mayweather has enough smarts to make it difficult for hearns.the trouble for mayweather is you had to fight hearns to beat him,for example the role reversal sugar ray leonard had to employ to stop him, simply because he was being outboxed,mayweather just doesn't have that in his locker.i 'd take hearns to win a ud over an elusive and negative floyd.

 

Ditto

 

First of all, Benitez's stamina was fine in that fight, and I thought Benitez looked great, about as good as he could've looked against Hearns. Second of all, Hearns won by about 9 points on my card. It wasn't close at all, though it was competitive. Thirdly, Benitez was much bigger than Floyd and more natural at the weight, and he had to fight on the defensive for the majority of the fight to avoid being taken out. Floyd would have to be purely defensive and on the move to survive this fight, and his movement has never been as good at WW. Either way, if he does do that Hearns knows he has nothing to worry about anyway and takes him out.

Hearns by KO, sometime in the mid rounds.

 

Point is he didnt come close to stopping Benitez, yet hes going to stop an overall superior fighter in Mayweather in the mid rounds?? Ludicrous!! Oh yea but Mayweather is 2 inches shorter (with a shorter reach) :roll:

 

Mayweather was superior at 154(or even 147) than Benitez? That's what's ludicrous my friend. Mayweather is naturally smaller and weaker than Benitez, that does play a part, and his style would play just as much into Hearns's hands, even moreso given his lack of movement in comparison to younger days, and yet even moreso given the aforementioned size and strength disadvantages. Mayweather doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell.

 

I don't pick Mayweather to win BUT I don't see why Hearns stops him mid rounds if he can't stop Benitez at Hearns better weight against a fading fighter in Benitez. Benitez when all said and done did not dominate his opposition as comprehensively as Mayweather.

The fight is at 147 not 154, here Hearns hasnt hit his prime and potentially has stamina issues. Yes I think he is better than Benitez who himself was small at 154 against Hearns. I'd even say Mayweather has the better 154lb win against a bigger more competant genuine 154lber

Who did Benitez emphatically beat that puts him in a league above Floyd? When it comes to completeness of defense I go with Floyd. Speed/Stamina are Floyd by a reasonable margin.

Hearns wins a UD but looks bad in doing so and loses 50% of the rounds whether 10-5 or 8-4

 

Losing 50% of the rounds would make it a draw.

Benitez was not fading by the Hearns fight, though he did start to fade afterwards. He looked about as good as he could've possibly looked against Hearns, I was actually quite impressed with him. He simply didn't have the offense needed to take many rounds.

Benitez was well bigger at 154 than Floyd, and Floyd beating old Oscar doesn't really compare to Benitez's performances against Duran, Hope, and even Hearns. There is no way that Floyd was a better fighter or would beat Benitez at 154, or even 147 IMO. Floyd is just too small and hasn't proven a goddamn thing at either weight except that he can fight there.

I think Benitez was better defensively personally, and just as quick at the higher weights, combined with being the bigger, stronger man with better power.

 

Hearns. Not even a shadow of a doubt in my mind.