Hearns - Duran (1980 at Welterweight)

[keithmoonhangover]

Imagine Leonard picked up an injury before the first Duran fight and Hearns fought Roberto instead of Pipino Cuevas. How would this fight pan out?

[Rambo]

Duran would win Round 4, i think Hearns would lose for elbows, DQ in 4

[Goodnight, Irene]

Depends if Duran is in shape. Oh, & the size of the ring. Ah, & if he had to drop a lot of weight pre-fight. Also, if he's not in the mood to quit.

If the stars align, Duran is positively undefeatable. Otherwise, Hearns by fvcking murder. Again. Love the way a handful of pounds is supposed to alter the most devastating KO of its' generation.

[boxerbob]

big fan of the 2 of them but at welterweight hearns is virtually unbeatable , hes just too big and powerfull

[jezzamundo]

big fan of the 2 of them but at LIGHT welterweight hearns is virtually unbeatable , hes just too big and powerfull

Fixed!

Remember that Leonard beat Hearns at welterweight. For the record, I think Duran has a chance here, only because Hearns had a rather average chin. Hearns had huge height and reach advantages and was probably quicker than Roberto as well - I think Hearns wins this at least 8 times out of 10. This time I'll go for Hearns by KO in round 4.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

A change in weight class isn't helping Duran here. Hearns beats him 100 times out of 100. It's funny to put Duran in Cuevas place because I don't know which destruction is more brutal.

[Goodnight, Irene]

big fan of the 2 of them but at LIGHT welterweight hearns is virtually unbeatable , hes just too big and powerfull

Fixed!

Remember that Leonard beat Hearns at welterweight. For the record, I think Duran has a chance here, only because Hearns had a rather average chin. Hearns had huge height and reach advantages and was probably quicker than Roberto as well - I think Hearns wins this at least 8 times out of 10. This time I'll go for Hearns by KO in round 4.

Did you mean to fix that to Super, not Junior WW?

[Idisagree]

Duran could have possibly lasted a few more rounds but in the end Hearns would have KO him just the same.

[jezzamundo]

big fan of the 2 of them but at LIGHT welterweight hearns is virtually unbeatable , hes just too big and powerfull

Fixed!

Remember that Leonard beat Hearns at welterweight. For the record, I think Duran has a chance here, only because Hearns had a rather average chin. Hearns had huge height and reach advantages and was probably quicker than Roberto as well - I think Hearns wins this at least 8 times out of 10. This time I'll go for Hearns by KO in round 4.

Did you mean to fix that to Super, not Junior WW?

Yes. Damn it, I try to be clever and end up looking like a clown!

[elmersalsa]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

[jezzamundo]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

Again, I don't see how just one weight class down from 154lb and Hearns goes from being a 100% to the likely loser. He was a wicked puncher at 147lb also and Duran obviously had problems with his style.

[Goodnight, Irene]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

I started reading this post thinking it was a troll's work, then I looked at the author, & I knew it was serious. Wow.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

At 135 Hearns would have been 11 years old. Your posts are astoundingly biased. You don't even pretend to care.

[yancey]

Depends if Duran is in shape. Oh, & the size of the ring. Ah, & if he had to drop a lot of weight pre-fight. Also, if he's not in the mood to quit.

If the stars align, Duran is positively undefeatable. Otherwise, Hearns by fvcking murder. Again. Love the way a handful of pounds is supposed to alter the most devastating KO of its' generation.

That right hand Hearns landed on Duran was simply awesome, one of the best ever.

[jezzamundo]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

At 135 Hearns would have been 11 years old. Your posts are astoundingly biased. You don't even pretend to care.

Wow, I didn't even notice that. No way could Hearns have fought as a professional at 140lb or below, he was 6'1 with broad shoulders and long arms.

[LeedsLad]

Some of the stuff that Duran fans write amazes me.

He had more peaks than the Himalayas and more troughs than a pig farm according to some.

Tommy would dominate him just like he did Cuevas. Sometimes there's a man you just cannot beat, regardless of how great you are. Hearns had a significant height and reach advantage, a superb jab and murderous right hand.

Hearns from 1982-84 beats any Duran at any weight.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Some of the stuff that Duran fans write amazes me.

He had more peaks than the Himalayas and more troughs than a pig farm according to some.

Tommy would dominate him just like he did Cuevas. Sometimes there's a man you just cannot beat, regardless of how great you are. Hearns had a significant height and reach advantage, a superb jab and murderous right hand.

Hearns from 1982-84 beats any Duran at any weight.

Good post, I agree with all that.

[Ezzard]

Okay…

I’ll bite at this one.

Contrast Duran’s start against Leonard (first two rounds)… staying out of range, feinting his way in, moving all the time…

With his start against Hearns… Bore in, trying to go chest to chest from the off…

Hearns was a formidable fighter. Truly immense. His weaknesses were getting hit in the body and being taken into the late rounds. An opponent who could find their way inside and fight in that pocket was a problem for Tommy. Duran was as good as I’ve ever seen at doing exactly that.

Hearns reach was only just a little more than Hagler’s and Duran was able to slip inside Hagler’s jab and tag him with repeated right hands.

The KO in the Hearns fight may have been delivered by a chilling right hand but Duran was smashed with literally dozens of flush bombs from Tommy before he finally dropped for good.

Of course, Hearns would come in at 147 and not 145 and that may have made a big difference to his resilience in the Leonard fight.

These guys are probably my #1 and #2 favourites during my time of watching boxing.

[Ketchel]

Duran is one of my favourite boxers of all time but styles make fights and Hearns was all wrong for Roberto. Hearns beats him 10 out of 10.

[Idisagree]

At 135 to 147lbs, Duran by KO in 8. All Duran has to do is pressure Hearns and that's it. Just like Hagler and Leonard did to him. And just like Aaron Pryor did to him in the amateurs.

At 154lbs, Hearns beats Duran 10 out 10. It is not Duran's weight class. The higher the weight class, the better for Tommy.

This is a miracle, I agree with Elmer, if Duran and Hearns fought at 135 it would have Duran by KO.

All he has to do is pressure Hearns

Of course, we are talking about the Duran that was able to KO a horse, a bull, and Abdullah the Butcher with one punch.

[manno]

I know Durans defence was underestimated but with his low held left he's virtually saying to Tommy's right hand - Throw it and i'll catch it. Duran all time personal fave but cant get past him being put to sleep like that.

[elmersalsa]

I favor Duran in this bout not because he is my favorite fighter. This guy was one of the most awesome fighters that ever lived. I rank him in my personal top 5 pound per pound of all-time.

I could understand some people in this forum saying that the great Thomas Hearns would have stopped Duran the same way if the fight was at welterweight. I could understand that. But they forgot that Hearns at any point of his career had the best of chins. Oh, but with Duran, "a light hitting" opponent, he would have a great chin....What a joke.

Second, I don't think if it were that magnificent "Manos de Piedra" of the first Sugar Ray Leonard fight in Montreal, loses to any version of Hearns at ww. How could that be? Duran had one of the best underrated defenses I have seen in a boxer. He could throw you off- balance, giving you angles, and in shape was a complete fighting machine. Probably the height and reach of Hearns will give him problems, but I cannot see Duran being stopped. He had a hell of a chin to go with. So, Leonard and Aaron Pryor had better chins than Duran? I don't think so.

Third, I don't believe that crap of styles makes fights. If you beat the guy one time, that does not mean you will beat him every time or you will beat him all the time. If that is the case, then Esteban De Jesus if not given a rematch to Duran, right now we would be saying that Duran will alway lose to Esteban. If Duran never gave Leonard a rematch, then we say that Duran would have always beat him.

Fourth, if you give Hearns pressure, that's it. Pryor beat Hearns at the amateurs. How? by applying enormous pressure. Oh, now these same people will say " Hearns did not had the punch at the amateur level"...Well, what about when he fought Leonard? Once Leonard gave him pressure, that was it for the Hitman. Oh, Hearns was at 145 lbs and should have come at 147. Now, at middleweight, the great Marvin Hagler and the overachieving Iran Barkley gave Hearns pressure, and what happened? Let's leave it that way.

Now, Duran, one of the most and greatest pressure fighters of all time, will lose to Hearns at ww? Once Duran gives him pressure, Hearns wilts..Just like he did with Leonard, Pryor, Hagler, and Barkley.

I must be crazy I guess. These same people got the nerve to compare Duran to Pipino Cuevas...My goodness

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I must be crazy

[BoxBuzz]

The outcome was a fluke totally atypical......It would likely be an even fight that could go either way.

The die hards on either side need to get real.

I liken it to Iran Barkley vs Hearns....even with the repeat. If Iran could beat Tommy 2 for 2, Duran could split a pair. Flukes are flukes. Duran was surely not "made" for Tommy, in fact he could be Tommy's worst nightmare on a different night.

However we are stuck in the world of manifest reality and on that night Hearns put a deluxe whuppin' on Roberto.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I favor Duran in this bout not because he is my favorite fighter. This guy was one of the most awesome fighters that ever lived. I rank him in my personal top 5 pound per pound of all-time.

I could understand some people in this forum saying that the great Thomas Hearns would have stopped Duran the same way if the fight was at welterweight. I could understand that. But they forgot that Hearns at any point of his career had the best of chins. Oh, but with Duran, "a light hitting" opponent, he would have a great chin....What a joke.

Second, I don't think if it were that magnificent "Manos de Piedra" of the first Sugar Ray Leonard fight in Montreal, loses to any version of Hearns at ww. How could that be? Duran had one of the best underrated defenses I have seen in a boxer. He could throw you off- balance, giving you angles, and in shape was a complete fighting machine. Probably the height and reach of Hearns will give him problems, but I cannot see Duran being stopped. He had a hell of a chin to go with. So, Leonard and Aaron Pryor had better chins than Duran? I don't think so.

Third, I don't believe that crap of styles makes fights. If you beat the guy one time, that does not mean you will beat him every time or you will beat him all the time. If that is the case, then Esteban De Jesus if not given a rematch to Duran, right now we would be saying that Duran will alway lose to Esteban. If Duran never gave Leonard a rematch, then we say that Duran would have always beat him.

Fourth, if you give Hearns pressure, that's it. Pryor beat Hearns at the amateurs. How? by applying enormous pressure. Oh, now these same people will say " Hearns did not had the punch at the amateur level"...Well, what about when he fought Leonard? Once Leonard gave him pressure, that was it for the Hitman. Oh, Hearns was at 145 lbs and should have come at 147. Now, at middleweight, the great Marvin Hagler and the overachieving Iran Barkley gave Hearns pressure, and what happened? Let's leave it that way.

Now, Duran, one of the most and greatest pressure fighters of all time, will lose to Hearns at ww? Once Duran gives him pressure, Hearns wilts..Just like he did with Leonard, Pryor, Hagler, and Barkley.

I must be crazy I guess. These same people got the nerve to compare Duran to Pipino Cuevas...My goodness

Awesome. I love it.