To hell with the IBRO, RING and ESPN... I want to know what the great posters here at boxingscene thinks who is the greatest among the FAB FOUR of 80s boxing... Duran, Hagler, Leonard and Hearns...
My decision is based not only on the fact that he took on and beat all 3 men during his career, but on the fact that he showed such durability and versatility in doing so.
For the longest time, the knock on Ray was that he wasn't "for real". There was this notion that when faced with a good, stern puncher, who wouldn't simply fade away, he'd somehow crumble.
People thought he couldn't win a fight without being on his bicycle.
A great example of his versatility is in the first Hearns fight, Ray starts out boxing very well, and Tommy played the role of the stalker. Which is exactly what everybody thought would happen.
But midway through the fight, everything changes. Ray becomes the stalker, and Tommy the boxer. Ray basically walked Tommy down and beat him at his own game, in a gritty, grueling battle.
As for Duran, Hearns and Hagler, and where they rank.....That's a judgment call.
My decision is based not only on the fact that he took on and beat all 3 men during his career, but on the fact that he showed such durability and versatility in doing so.
For the longest time, the knock on Ray was that he wasn't "for real". There was this notion that when faced with a good, stern puncher, who wouldn't simply fade away, he'd somehow crumble.
People thought he couldn't win a fight without being on his bicycle.
A great example of his versatility is in the first Hearns fight, Ray starts out boxing very well, and Tommy played the role of the stalker. Which is exactly what everybody thought would happen.
But midway through the fight, everything changes. Ray becomes the stalker, and Tommy the boxer. Ray basically walked Tommy down and beat him at his own game, in a gritty, grueling battle.
As for Duran, Hearns and Hagler, and where they rank.....That's a judgment call.
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