Yeah. When Hearns was looping and quasi hooking his rght hand in I knew there was trouble. His power came from driving right down Main street and turning the punch on his 1st 2 knuckles. He wasn't doing this except that 1st shot. Another thing to ponder; Angelo Dundee said that is Thomas Hearns had better balance, he would be almost unstoppable. Tommy often, when boxing , looked like a newborn cold trying to "get his legs".
Actually. that last punch on Duran was different than what he usually threw. He got more power on it and you heard it land. Usually you did not. It was a go home punch. Usually he threw punches in the center of the ring. The one time he threw a punch like that was against Leonard in round 3 in 1989 when he knocked him down. Almost the exact same thing as the last Duran punch. He threw a jab to the body and went upstairs but Ray ducked that punch, but the punch or Tommy's arm cuffed him on the back of the head and pulled him down. Tommy's legs were not great, but with that big upper body and thin legs he would never have strong legs going the distance. When he was welterweight and superwelt. he lasted better. Maybe because he was younger, or the weight in his upper body was not so much that his legs didn't get tired.
This,,,,, I 've watched practically all of Roberto Durans fights on film, many several times. After his win over Ray Leonard the lion was well fed. He had been acclaimed as the best fighter in the world period, the mountain had been climbed, the poor kid was rich now , able to do anything he wanted. I don't think we ever saw the real Duran after Montreal again, his beating of Moore was closest. Gil Clancy during the broadcast of the Hearns fight said it best,," Duran never had it from the opening bell".. he looked like he'd showed up for a sparring session he looked so bad. This doesn't take away from Hearns or is intended as an excuse, Tommy Hearns never looked better ,just an explanation .He later gases out and loses to Robbie Sims and looks done again, then motivated for what ever reason he becomes the oldest man to win the middleweight championship just a few weeks shy of his 38 birthday knocking out the man who blasted out Hearns 5 years later!!! The motivated Duran of 1980 would use the head movement and quickness that Sugar Ray Leonard couldn't handle and get inside on Tommy, the hook Duran wobbled Leonard with in the second round would cause Tommy's weak chin to buckle . I doubt a hurt Tommy Hearns survives more than 60 seconds against this version of the Los Manos de Piedra.
I do think the prime 147 lb Duran would give Hearns a much better fight than what happened at 154 - still Hearn's physical advantages are massive. Duran would have to take some hellacious right hands. The naturally bigger Duran was able to do it against Hearns at 147. Duran may be able to do it. But, I still favor Hearns to win that matchup.
You never actually watched the fight did you? Hearns beat the **** out of him, even managed to cut him, all before nailing him with that shot. Hearns owns Duran the same way he owned Cuevas.
he also walked to the wrong corner after the 1st, I don’t think any version of Duran can be favoured.