Would Hearns be the GOAT if he won a HW strap?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Glass City Cobra, Jan 8, 2023.


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  1. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    I was a big Hearns fan but always felt his best was 154 where he had a couple of years as a great fighter ... I don't think he had the chin or durability for the bigger weights against the best of he best .. he clearly was good enough against very good but not great Hill and a tough , hard-hitting but decent Anders .. speaking odfthat Roldan fight, damn was that a nail bitter ... what a fight ..
     
    he grant, Jan 11, 2023
    he grant, Jan 11, 2023
    #61
  2. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    No, it would just prove he beat an easy touch who was holding a heavyweight belt at the time. He was still KO'ed by fighters at his own weight.
     
    jabber74, Jan 11, 2023
    jabber74, Jan 11, 2023
    #62
    mark ant likes this.
  3. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    If he beat Leonard at welter, Hagler at middle and then beat someone like Holyfield at heavyweight then, yeah, he’d be a genuine contender for the top spot. You’d probably have to scrap the KO loss to Barkey from his record as well…

    A heavyweight win over a single belt holder would improve his standing but not enough to consider him for the top spot imo, particularly when you factor in those prior losses to fellow ATGs.

    Regardless, he was a great fighter.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2023
    Jel, Jan 12, 2023
    Jel, Jan 12, 2023
    #63
  4. northpaw

    northpaw Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    A natural WW winning a HW strap? Yes I would have him in the conversation of GOAT.
     
    northpaw, Jan 12, 2023
    northpaw, Jan 12, 2023
    #64
  5. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Be a damn site harder for him to beat Holy at heavyweight than to beat Hagler or Leonard.
     
    mark ant, Jan 12, 2023
    mark ant, Jan 12, 2023
    #65
  6. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    Hearns was always a glass cannon with maxed out stats in power+skill but below average durability. The fact he was stopped at lower weights doesn't mean anything. Plenty of boxers were KOd at lower weights but didn't get KOd when they moved up including Pacquiao. Winning a HW title wouldn't change this common knowledge regardless of if the champion he beat was great, average, or terrible. I think it would be impossible to just gloss over such a win unless the champion was sick/injured/out of shape etc and it would be one hell of an achievement. Whether or not that could make Hearns the greatest is a different discussion.
     
    Glass City Cobra, Jan 13, 2023
    Glass City Cobra, Jan 13, 2023
    #66
  7. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    True, but the really old Hoylfield of the late 90's/early 2000's was very inconsistent and beatable. Went life and death with guys like Byrd, Toney, Ruiz, etc and hadn't scored a KO in ages. I think h2h Hagler and Leonard would be more challenging because they were much faster, younger, and had the coordination and timing to really frustrate Hearns.
     
    Glass City Cobra, Jan 13, 2023
    Glass City Cobra, Jan 13, 2023
    #67
    mark ant likes this.
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