Thomas Hearns vs Pernell Whitaker

[zuru]

Welterweight 15 rds

On the Whitaker/Leonard matchup,it's mentioned neither fighter fought the caliber of the other.
Both fought EXCELLENT opposition.But I don't think Whitaker ever fought someone like Hearns.
Hearns is just as fast as Whitaker.
At no point does Whitaker hurt Hearns.
If Mayweather gave a good fight,imagine the deluxe model.Hearns scores a ko when he catches him clean.

[Woldemar]

Hearns SD.

[DrDuke]

Hearns in prime could be KOed, but not outboxed. Hearns would use his size, range and jab, he would secure a decision win.

[zuru]

Hearns could definitely be kod but I don't think Whitaker is capable.I take nothing away from Whitaker, a master boxer.And one of THE best defensive fighters ever.
But styles make fights and this one I think is a nightmare for him.Hearns was a freak.

[Nile4000]

Hearns KO1 Whitaker.

[elmersalsa]

Hearns KO1 Whitaker.

Sweet Pea could get KO'd, but not in the first round. Let's pump the breaks here.

[Noxy]

It seems a strange match given the size difference but they did both fight at WW. Somehow Hearns made welter. I think Hearns would take it on points.

[Nile4000]

Hearns KO1 Whitaker.

Sweet Pea could get KO'd, but not in the first round. Let's pump the breaks here.

Sorry, Tommy going to lay him out hard.

[elmersalsa]

Sweet Pea could get KO'd, but not in the first round. Let's pump the breaks here.

Sorry, Tommy going to lay him out hard.

No way! Ain't nobody stops the great Pernell Whitaker in the first round. Nobody ever done that. The man was way too slick and intelligent to get stopped early.

It would be a chess match just like Hearns vs Benitez

[Nile4000]

Sorry, Tommy going to lay him out hard.

No way! Ain't nobody stops the great Pernell Whitaker in the first round. Nobody ever done that. The man was way too slick and intelligent to get stopped early.

It would be a chess match just like Hearns vs Benitez

He is going to stick to playing chess after Tommy has him starched. Pernell has never dealt with someone of Hearns' ilk.

[Evander]

Loved Thomas Hearns, easily one of my all times favs.
However, Pernell Whitaker prime at 147 would be virtually impossible to beat, his defence still ranks as the best I've ever seen during the time I've been watching boxing,
Even though they're two great boxers I think it would be a one sided fight regardless of who won, just one of those contests where one style would completely dominate the other even though the talent levels are very high on both sides.
Look at Roy Jones v James Toney, what was rightly built as a monster match up with Toney as the fav turned out to be a one sided boxing match with RJ dominating from start to finish.
Even though Toney was on top of his game and a very highly ranked P4P fighter at the time, it only took 2-3 rounds before James went back to his corner and said to Bill Miller "I can't touch him".
You can't train people to do what Pernell could do it just came naturally, I'd take Sweet Pea by decision.

[gilgamesh]

I think Hearns would be able to use his height and reach to get the better of Whitaker in the majority of the rounds here. Whitaker is obviously a defensive master, but I don't think offensively he'd be giving Tommy much to worry about, and Tommy is a pretty damn great boxer in his own right aside from the major punching power.

I think Hearns would quickly accept that he'll be lucky to hit Whitaker at all so he'll be throwing to make contact more than loading up with huge shots, but I think he'd be able to win the boxing match fairly clear using his advantages in size and reach.

Not out of the question obviously that he drops Whitaker if he drops a good right hand on him.

[elmersalsa]

Loved Thomas Hearns, easily one of my all times favs.
However, Pernell Whitaker prime at 147 would be virtually impossible to beat, his defence still ranks as the best I've ever seen during the time I've been watching boxing,
Even though they're two great boxers I think it would be a one sided fight regardless of who won, just one of those contests where one style would completely dominate the other even though the talent levels are very high on both sides.
Look at Roy Jones v James Toney, what was rightly built as a monster match up with Toney as the fav turned out to be a one sided boxing match with RJ dominating from start to finish.
Even though Toney was on top of his game and a very highly ranked P4P fighter at the time, it only took 2-3 rounds before James went back to his corner and said to Bill Miller "I can't touch him".
You can't train people to do what Pernell could do it just came naturally, I'd take Sweet Pea by decision.

Fair point. I take that.

[Nile4000]

Whatever you guys are smoking, must be very potent .

[elmersalsa]

Whatever you guys are smoking, must be very potent .

Thomas Hearns was very good. So was Pernell Whitaker. One of the last TRUE MASTERS of the last 50 years.

[margaret thatcher]

Tommy close decision