Hearns vs Forrest

[Barry Washington]

Can the Viper beat the Motor City Cobra?

I think he could, but not sure if he would.

What do you think?

[Tomasino]

Can the Viper beat the Motor City Cobra?

I think he could, but not sure if he would.

What do you think?

I'd take Tommy over Vernon by decision. Although on a bad night Hearns could lose to a peak Vernon Forrest.

[gilgamesh]

If Ricardo Mayorga could spark Vernon Forrest I gotta believe Thomas Hearns definitely would.

I could see them having a close and competitive Boxing match on Vernon Forrest's best night, but I think Tommy would knock him out more often than not.

[Barry Washington]

I agree when I see Vernon winning it's due to Hearns having an off night and Vernon being in peak form

[Othro]

Forrest can get knocked out or shut out . His choice.

[misterpunch]

tommy destroys vernon

[Vladimir5555]

Hearns TKO 3

[drunkenpiper36]

Hearns.

[elmersalsa]

I do not understand why we make this type of matchups? We are matching someone EXTRAORDINARY like the great Thomas Hearns, against someone THAT WAS AVERAGE at best. Vernon Forrest was not that good for crying out loud.

[drunkenpiper36]

I do not understand why we make this type of matchups? We are matching someone EXTRAORDINARY like the great Thomas Hearns, against someone THAT WAS AVERAGE at best. Vernon Forrest was not that good for crying out loud.

Maybe the thread starter saw a stylistic issue which he felt gave Forest a chance. I myself do not, but who knows?

[Barry Washington]

Yeah, it's a styles issue. Think Forrest is a live dog in this match-up

[Nile4000]

Hearns would stop Forrest in four.

[Kalan]

Yeah, it's a styles issue. Think Forrest is a live dog in this match-up

Yeah, true. It's a bad style match-up for Tommy because of Vernon's big right and hard combos... But it depends on what Vernon Forrest we're talking about... Forrest's effectiveness after he dominated Shane Mosley was extremely limited by left elbow and left shoulder problems and he'd never beat Hearns.

Forrest had numerous surgeries on his shoulder and elbow and they bothered him for the rest of his career. Even though he beat Quartey and Mora after that he never looked good. The jab, the hook, and the combinations never looked like the man who dominated Sugar Shane. He took a couple years off following the Mayorga upset losses to solve the physical issues. He had to change his left hook. He had to learn how to throw it all over again to compensate for the shoulder. His jab never regained the pop so I think Hearns would run him over.

But the guy who trounced Mosley in their 1st fight??? ... Yeah, he beats Hearns... Probably beats Floyd.

[elmersalsa]

Yeah, it's a styles issue. Think Forrest is a live dog in this match-up

Yeah, true. It's a bad style match-up for Tommy because of Vernon's big right and hard combos... But it depends on what Vernon Forrest we're talking about... Forrest's effectiveness after he dominated Shane Mosley was extremely limited by left elbow and left shoulder problems and he'd never beat Hearns.

Forrest had numerous surgeries on his shoulder and elbow and they bothered him for the rest of his career. Even though he beat Quartey and Mora after that he never looked good. The jab, the hook, and the combinations never looked like the man who dominated Sugar Shane. He took a couple years off following the Mayorga upset losses to solve the physical issues. He had to change his left hook. He had to learn how to throw it all over again to compensate for the shoulder. His jab never regained the pop so I think Hearns would run him over.

But the guy who trounced Mosley in their 1st fight??? ... Yeah, he beats Hearns... Probably beats Floyd.

I think that you don't like the great Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns. I don't care in what weight class I don't see Vernon Forrest has a chance. I can't picture Tommy losing TWICE to a BUM like Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga.

[Jaywheel]

I think that you don't like the great Vernon Forrest. I don't care in what weight class I don't see Tommy Hearns has a chance. I can't picture Vernon losing TWICE to a BUM like Iran Barkley..

[Noxy]

Forrest was great. Hearns takes this one though.

[Kalan]

I think that you don't like the great Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns. I don't care in what weight class I don't see Vernon Forrest has a chance. I can't picture Tommy losing TWICE to a BUM like Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga.

I can... Big looping Barkley right... And I can't picture Forrest losing to Mayorga if he had the same juice and left arm he had for Mosley 1.

[elmersalsa]

I sometimes think what do they see in Vernon Forrest that he could beat The Hitman. I haven't seen any indication or quality of Forrest to even pull an upset against Hearns. For crying out loud, it's two different leagues! Forrest never showed me that he belongs in Hearns' class. None of these fighters of the 2000s decade I see beating the great Tommy Hearns. This isn't even a fair match to begin with. It would be worse at 154lbs.

These guys like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Shane Mosley, nor Vernon Forrest don't belong in the same sentence with The Hitman.

[elmersalsa]

I think that you don't like the great Vernon Forrest. I don't care in what weight class I don't see Tommy Hearns has a chance. I can't picture Vernon losing TWICE to a BUM like Iran Barkley..

Ricardo Mayorga is not in Iran Barkley's class

[Kalan]

I sometimes think what do they see in Vernon Forrest that he could beat The Hitman. I haven't seen any indication or quality of Forrest to even pull an upset against Hearns. For crying out loud, it's two different leagues! Forrest never showed me that he belongs in Hearns' class. None of these fighters of the 2000s decade I see beating the great Tommy Hearns. This isn't even a fair match to begin with. It would be worse at 154lbs.

These guys like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Shane Mosley, nor Vernon Forrest don't belong in the same sentence with The Hitman.

You mean the Sh!tman... Because that's what Tommy was when he got hit on the chin real good. Bye Bye Tommy

[Jaywheel]

I think that you don't like the great Vernon Forrest. I don't care in what weight class I don't see Tommy Hearns has a chance. I can't picture Vernon losing TWICE to a BUM like Iran Barkley..

Ricardo Mayorga is not in Iran Barkley's class

The great El Matador Mayorga was an unaccounted passenger on the Challenger shuttle. He survived the explosion and came down to earth in a parachute while smoking a cigar. Barkley NEVER did THAT. On a scale from 0 to Meldrick Taylor, Mayorga is a 12.

[Ambling Alp II]

Mayorga was as good as Barkley. Barkley did beat Hearns twice; however Hearns was inconsistent after the Hagler fight.
Take away Barkley's wins over Hearns and you really don't have much.

Anytime before the Hagler fight, Hearns wins this easily. After that, Forrest would have a chance.

elmer props up Barkley because then it makes Duran's win over Barkley a bigger deal. elmer of course worships Duran.
He downgrades Mayorga because De la Hoya beat him and he can't give De la Hoya credit because he doesn't like him.

[Kalan]

It's not that Hearns was no good after Hagler, he was always fast, rangy, and a good puncher. Hagler exposed his weaknesses. Hands down and poor defense, but Leonard exposed them first. Hearns would load his shots so he was easy to nail him with counters. Duran was a good counterpuncher but very short and small for the weight. He was right in Tommy's wheelhouse and too short to setup counters off Hearns' bombs.

It's kind of funny how style dynamics work. Barkley was tall, but stockier than Hearns, with shorter arms.. Duran was able to reach Barkley with the jab and set him up for right counters. You could see everything IB threw. Barkley was much bigger and taller than Duran and even Hagler. He wasn't fast, but he could throw hard. Like a lot of Steward boxers Hearns kept his hands low. Barkley nailed Hearns with a couple hard left hooks in the 2nd that hurt him. In the 3rd Hearns ducked under a decoy hook and came up with his guard down. Barkley got him with 2 rights. Hearns fell hard and barely beat the count. He was smashed through the ropes immediately and it was over. I think several Middleweights of the period would have beaten Hearns. There were some good ones.

Forrest was a lot better than Barkley. He'd have to fight Hearns at 147 up through the 1st Mosley fight. At his peak Forrest was one of the best Welters ever. He was a very fast, tough, slick boxing hard puncher up to that point. He could rip your body out. When the shoulder went he was never The Viper after that.

[elmersalsa]

I just can't see how a guy like Vernon Forrest could beat someone as extraordinary as the great Thomas Hearns. Especially, the version of The Hitman at 154lbs. Forrest has never showed me that he was close to very good.

First, in my mind, to beat Hearns, you gotta be aggressive. That was something that Forrest never was. To beat Hearns, you gotta be on top of him and apply lots of pressure.

Second, of the welterweights or middleweights to beat Hearns, I can see these guys:
Kid Gavilan
Carmen Basilio
Gene Fullmer
Sugar Ray Robinson
Henry Armstrong at welterweight
Roberto Duran at welterweight, especially the Montreal version.
Sugar Ray Leonard at welterweight
Donald Curry
Emile Griffith

Now, those guys I can see they could beat Hearns depending on the weight class. But, Vernon Forrest? Really? Forrest? Not even at welterweight which is his best chance to beat Hearns I see him doing something. At 154lbs and beyond, it would be worst for him.

Hearns vs Forrest is not even a fair match. THE BOXING QUALITY IS NOT THE SAME. END OF STORY FOR ME.

[elmersalsa]

We are talking of one of the greatest fighters in history against a guy that was AVERAGE at best. Vernon Forrest WAS NOT IMPRESSIVE AT ALL!