Why do people think Thomas Hearns would beat Floyd so easily?

[hugh grant]

For me to believe he could beat yearns or srl or Duran. All Floyd has got to dois fight GGG at 160. If he holds his own and doesn't disgrace himself and does himself proud I would be willing to not totally write Floyd chances off against the famous quartet, including hagler!

[robertzimmerman]

The most sain post I've read this week, good post.

I'm really surprised at the level of nostalgia on these boards where people are not giving Floyd the time of day. Especially when Hearn wasn't the king of the fab 4. Then I get told to explain Floyd and generalship. He's boring, he's running this that. Well if I'm peppering you with straight rights, jabs to the body and head whilst pivoting out of danger, that's me being a ring general. I'm dictating the pace and CONTROLLING the fight. We witnessed a master of it for 16+ years.

IMO he could control the fight for 12 vs Hearns. Slip the jab touch then body. I respect Hearns and his tenacity but to **** on our generations best is just hating.

How would Floyd have peppered Hearns with straight rights and jabs to the body?

Tommy had a 78" reach. He'd have been out of range. Floyd would only have gotten close, if he'd have been prepared to fight in an aggressive manner. But it's not in his nature.

This wouldn't even have been a fair fight.

Floyd was at his peak at the lower weights and Tommy was a freak of nature.

Floyd is a better overall fighter in my opinion, but this match would have been horrible.

It has nothing to do with nostalgia.

If you watched Floyd's career in it's entirety, you'd know that he'd have just shelled up in this fight. He'd have been in survival mode from the opening bell, which would of meant that it'd have been impossible for him to have won more rounds.

[robertzimmerman]

Read my last post for a precise explanation of Mayweathers ring generalship. Maybe you can learn a thing or two.

I don't think he questioned Floyd's ring generalship in general, just in regards to a fight against Tommy.

[robertzimmerman]

The odds of Floyd doing that are not as good as the odds of Hearns controlling Floyd from the outside, as someone mentioned as an argument for Floyd, his best chance is to actually be aggressive, but I don't think he could pull that off either. This has nothing to do with Nostalgia, some people here don't know what they are talking about, but quite a few have put up valid arguments as to how and why Hearns would win. As I said in my original post I think it would be a chess match, but a chess match where Floyd just has too many disadvantages, or a better way to put it is that the disadvantages that he has are too much to overcome. He would definitely have success and win rounds, maybe 3, but anything more than that I find far fetched with their respective styles. I think if you asked Floyd Snr and Roger they would probably pick Hearns too, and remember they think and in fact all 3 brothers think Floyd whips Leonard.

You want to talk about ring generalship? Being a ring general against Cotto, Pacquiao, and Berto is not the same as being a ring general against Hearns at WW. Hearns would take centre ring and Floyd would struggle big time to impose himself, first of all there is a HUGE height and reach disadvantage, but more importantly Hearns knew how to maximise it. He could box, he had fast feet, fast hands, great fundamentals, Floyd would have to put himself out of position against Hearns, and at times I can see it looking similar to Haye and Klistchko. Not all the time, because Mayweather has better footwork and better fundamentals to Haye, but a bit like that at times. When you have a guy who is that good at fighting at his range you need something to take him out of that. Hearns is a KO threat in any round as well and that can't be overlooked when you are considering the likely scenarios. I actually think Floyd has a better chance against Leonard, Duran, and Hagler! The last pick might surprise people, but Hagler was not the biggest Middleweight and I think Floyd could outbox him.

Hearns is the worst match up for him. As I said in my original post - one thing which I also think people overlook in this match up is Manny Steward. He is a great tactician and he reads fights like no one I have seen in boxing. Hearns definitely had the better corner and thats just another thing for Floyd to contend with, its a nightmare match up for him, it really is.

Great post.

[soul_survivor]

Taller, longer reach, higher punch output, more power, better boxing skills, better jab, better power hand, better switch from head to body...pretty much better in every department except defence but that won't matter when 5'8'' Floyd ain't even getting close.

What you have to understand is, Hearns outboxed THE boxer of his generation for some 6 rounds. What do you think happens to lil Floyd?

[robertzimmerman]

Spot on. Ray tried It and got out boxed for 6 rounds and decided he would have to fight to win. Floyd would never put his neck on the chopping block the way Ray did.

He wouldn't have done. But then neither would Ray, had he have been in Floyd's shoes.

It's just circumstances.

Ray showed amazing heart, but he knew he had the size and the power to pull out the win. Floyd knew that he didn't have the power, so he'd never have chosen what Ray did as an option.

Student thinks that we're hating on Floyd or we've got an agenda. But as far as I can see, we're all been logical.

Don't forget that Ray was bigger and stronger than Floyd and was a fully fledged WW, whereas Floyd started at SFW.

It's just not a fair fight.

There's no 5'8 boxer in history with Floyd's power (or lack of) who could have beaten Tommy at WW.

[ironmt]

He wouldn't have done. But then neither would Ray, had he have been in Floyd's shoes.

It's just circumstances.

Ray showed amazing heart, but he knew he had the size and the power to pull out the win. Floyd knew that he didn't have the power, so he'd never have chosen what Ray did as an option.

Student thinks that we're hating on Floyd or we've got an agenda. But as far as I can see, we're all been logical.

Don't forget that Ray was bigger and stronger than Floyd and was a fully fledged WW, whereas Floyd started at SFW.

It's just not a fair fight.

There's no 5'8 boxer in history with Floyd's power (or lack of) who could have beaten Tommy at WW.

There Is no doubt that Ray showed amazing heart. He was hit with some big shots and was being stocked for 6 rounds by a man with a much longer reach and with a substantial height advantage. It comes down to styles and Floyd did not have the aggressive style due to his lack of power at the higher weight classes as you stated. He would have had to try and survive and he would have failed miserably attempting that game plan against Hearns.

[Reloaded]

"nullifying power , there are lots of ATG WWs Floyd could beat thats another silly comment as he did beat some ATG WWs"

really? Who are the ATG's he beat?

Your welcome to your opinion in my opinion he's not a top ten welter ever!
He has NO Power! Don't you understand that he fights No One that has power!
If you can't keep a quality talent who has power at bay you won't win let alone survive!
I'm not taling about Pepino Cuevas who had a power left hook but couldn't box oranges. We're talking about Hearns!

Yes were are talking about Hearns and we are also talking about an ATG defensive fighter that has the lowest connect against percentage of any fighter in history .

Floyd could possible bamboozle Hearns we just dont know , be the same for Sweat Pea , these guys are experts at nullifying power punchers if you cant land clean on them often you lose .

I never said Floyd would beat Tommy I dont think he could because of the size but its possible and thats my point you guys are always soooooooo adamant Floyd gets beat by everyone but the truth is he never did in real life so the next avenue is to downplay his comp , well the funny thing about that for me is the guys that are supposedly always beating Floyd were all beat by lesser fighters than Floyd , something just smells off to me .

[Redd Foxx]

I've looked at some of the pro-Mayweather arguments and still do not see a way that Mayweather copes with the disadvantages. He can give up power and possibly even reach, but without a speed advantage, he's going to be slipping punches until a few too many land and put him away. Tommy was not only long but he fought tall, making his reach even more effective. That nullifies half of the Mayweathercounter punching game.

People try to get snarky saying past fighters get too much credit but they can't articulate any other argument for Floyd winning this. Forget about the different eras. It's just a bad match for Mayweather. I get the feeling that a lot of people are responding without even knowing about Hearns.

[ironmt]

I've looked at some of the pro-Mayweather arguments and still do not see a way that Mayweather copes with the disadvantages. He can give up power and possibly even reach, but without a speed advantage, he's going to be slipping punches until a few too many land and put him away. Tommy was not only long but he fought tall, making his reach even more effective. That nullifies half of the Mayweathercounter punching game.

People try to get snarky saying past fighters get too much credit but they can't articulate any other argument for Floyd winning this. Forget about the different eras. It's just a bad match for Mayweather. I get the feeling that a lot of people are responding without even knowing about Hearns.

I think your feeling Is right. Seems to happen quite frequently here.