Welterweight tournament final. Sugar Ray Robinson vs Thomas Hearns. Who wins?

Question

Welterweight tournament final. Sugar Ray Robinson vs Thomas Hearns. Who wins?

Answer 1

Leonard never actually "Figured Out" how to beat Hearns.  Most, maybe 90%, of the credit is due to Leonard's tremendous heart and will to win.  The  rest can be chalked up to Hearn's struggle to make 147 and the fact that he obviously over-trained, coming in at 145.5.  Ever wonder why Leonard never granted Hearns a rematch at 154.  I'm Sure Hearns would have won there.

History will always place Leonard above Hearns at 147, and rightfully so.  There are some at 147 who would trouble Hearns but lose to Leonard.  However, I'm not totally sure Leonard is clearly the better fighter, just between the two.  PRIME Hearns was 154.  Ray would not have beaten him there.

The difference between Leonard and Robinson is that Robinson would not have had as much trouble solving Hearns' style.  It wasn't until round 6 that Leonard found his opening, went to the body and nearly KO'd Hearns.  Ray1 would do it sooner.  He has better balance than Leonard, hits a bit harder and moves slightly better on his feet, thus avoiding Hearns' return fire better.  

You will NOT Out-box Hearns.  Robinson comes closest and he is probably the ONLY one at 147 who could BOX with Hearns.  The way to beat Hearns is to withstand his power and speed,  get past his defense/offense (no easy feat and a heavy price to pay if you're not successful),  and get to the body and chin.   IOW,  You GOTTA Knock Him OUT!.

Hearns' height won't make much of difference to Robinson.  It gave Leonard fits, along with Hearns' jab........the reason Robinson takes an early lead against Leonard.  Robinson can match Hearns with the jab.  He takes a few hard shots, while landing his own, but Hearns fails to hurt or KO him.  

In round 4 Robinson hurts Hearns with a body-body-head combination.  Hearns fires back but is caught again on the chin and goes down.  He's back up but clearly hurt.  Hearns boxes carefully for the rest of the round and in the next 2.  

The two box fairly evenly for rounds 5 - 7.  Robinson has been studying Hearns' pattern while Hearns is just trying to pile up points and find an opening.  In round 7 Robinson steps in, under Hearns' jab, with a hard right to the body.  He's out again.  Robinson faints a right to the jaw and steps in with a hard right to the body again.  This takes Hearns off his game for just a second,  all the time Ray needs.  A quick left hook lands solid and drops Hearns on his back.

With a heart the size of Texas, Hearns struggles to rise.  He makes it to his feet but the referee stops it as Hearns is still clearly dazed.  

Robinson by KO in 7

Answer 2

There isn't much footage of Robinson as a wetlerweight, but that was the class where everyone who was there decided he was the greatest fighter of all-time, so you'd have to pick him against Hearns - his record shows that he was probably one of the biggest punchers at that weight ever, with boxing skills that where unmatched.

Both guys were able to move all the way up to 175 and be competitive, but if you go by historians, Robinson would have been able to bring it better in this type of "superfight".

Answer 3

interesting question, hearns was a formidable punchers with good boxing skills and a weak chin, Robinson was a complete triple threat, he was technically skilled enough to pick you apart from the outside,he was strong enougn to mix it up on the inside and he had the chin to take your best shots and still keep fighting and that would be the major difference between him and the hitman, hearns would put up a very good fight but he did not have the chin to survive someone like robinson, sugar ray had everything going for him in his prime, the skills,the chin,the power and the heart to match, eventually he would have caught hearns with nice power shot and knocked him out.

Answer 4

Hearns got KO'd by Leonard in their first meeting. In their 2nd meeting although Leonard got a gift draw dec. He did have Hearns out on his feet twice but Hearns managed to survive.

Thta wouldn't be the case with Robinson. Hearns weakness was his chin.

I'll pick Robinson by KO in 6 or 7

Answer 5

Sugar Ray Robinson.

Answer 6

Hearns lasts 7 rounds.  Robinson win by KO.

Answer 7

hearns is competitive for the first 8 rounds, till robinson takes over and stops hearns in the 11th round.

Answer 8

SUGAR RAY.

Answer 9

Sugar Ray was the greatest boxer ever. Thomas Hearns was very good. Enough said there.