Is Hearns the best boxer-puncher of all time?

[nac386]

His KO ratio does not reflect someone with slugger power.

I don't think it has to. He started very young, and then quickly entered the elite heights of the sport. By the time he developed into a great puncher, he was fighting guys like Golovkin and Cotto. It's very hard to knock out elite fighters, that's why we don't see it often. But even without a great KO ratio, he has proven his power in recent years by battering guys like Kirland, Angulo, Khan, and Smith, and by backing up a guy like Golovkin or Cotto.

I guess you could say that Canelo is a boxer-puncher, who leans towards boxing. While Golovkin is a boxer-puncher, who leans towards punching. Then you Mayweather, the boxer. Or Matthysse, the puncher.

 

[spacetime]

I don't think it has to. He started very young, and then quickly entered the elite heights of the sport. By the time he developed into a great puncher, he was fighting guys like Golovkin and Cotto. It's very hard to knock out elite fighters, that's why we don't see it often. But even without a great KO ratio, he has proven his power in recent years by battering guys like Kirland, Angulo, Khan, and Smith, and by backing up a guy like Golovkin or Cotto.

It's not hard to knockout elite fighers if you have slugger power, and especially not if you are at the level of Canelo as a boxer. Canelo has solid power, not exceptional.

 

[nac386]

It's not hard to knockout elite fighers if you have slugger power, and especially not if you are at the level of Canelo as a boxer. Canelo has solid power, not exceptional.

What elite fighters have been knocked out in the last 5 years? Not very many. It's not an easy thing to do.

Who do you think is a current boxer-puncher, if not Canelo?

 

[HandNoise]

I'm just sayin, most fighters get lucky in some, unlucky in others. Sugar Ray didn't for some bizzare reason either by chance or popularity. When it was close, he either drew or won

It was the name the sport was trying to push. The top dollar guy. Guys like Duran, Hearns and Hagler were either Brawlers or prone to naturally brawl by adrenaline. Leonard mixed it up and played it safe when he had to so it made more sense as an investement.

Guys who had good skill with a difficult style but no power havn’t got it easy just the last decade. It’s always been that way, no power no money. Benitez was ahead of the fight against Leonard for many until the huge cut and Leonard never rematched him. Arguably Viruet won twice against Duran but was robbed also won over Mamby but was scored a draw making fights was nearly impossible, ended up fighting Alvin hayes for little money and taking a dive to retire. Very skilled and tricky but was cursed with the power of an anemic 75yr old grandma, the old school collazo but craftier.

 

[HandNoise]

It's not hard to knockout elite fighers if you have slugger power, and especially not if you are at the level of Canelo as a boxer. Canelo has solid power, not exceptional.

I think your being a bit hard on Canelo, Mosley always has something to say about everyone, and he fought Canelo 6 years ago. The Canelo we’ve been seeing now is definitely a different fighter. I think he’s evolved to that next level fighter, not just his boxing and timing but also a tad bit of power, be it timing combined with better technique.

 

[spacetime]

What elite fighters have been knocked out in the last 5 years? Not very many. It's not an easy thing to do.

Who do you think is a current boxer-puncher, if not Canelo?

But Canelo has not only faced elites and he still has an unconvincing KO ratio for a fighter with supposed slugger power... Someone who possesses slugger power is characterised by a high KO ratio against anyone but elites, and a few of the elites. It goes with the territory. Someone with slugger power is a constant KO threat in a fight. Canelo just isn't that guy. Canelo is what I would call a mid range boxer. Mid range boxers throw very good combinations, but are not the best defenders. They get hit more than outside boxers, but their combinations are much better. It's a trade-off. You tagged more, but you also land a higher amount of power punches due to your superior combos.

 

[spacetime]

I think your being a bit hard on Canelo, Mosley always has something to say about everyone, and he fought Canelo 6 years ago. The Canelo we’ve been seeing now is definitely a different fighter. I think he’s evolved to that next level fighter, not just his boxing and timing but also a tad bit of power, be it timing combined with better technique.

Not really. He has probably average power for his division. A good prototypical boxer in terms of power. Not lacking, but not overwhelming either.

 

[HandNoise]

I find it hard to put him above Robinson, like the other poster said just the smoothness in his combos, amazing speed even in his haymaker hooks, what other fighter threw hooks just as fast? Maybe a young primed Camacho? Who was lighter anyways.

In welterweight Hearns most of the time if not all the time had the obvious advantage if he persuaded to box in his height and reach, even fighting other big middleweights he’d often have an inch or two in reach. He didn’t just mostly rely on the jab and right hand but arguably it’s all he threw most the time not taking away it’s the more logical thing to follow with his build and long arms but I think a boxer-puncher had to mix it well and display power in both hands. Matter fact that’s to add on the definition of a Boxer-Puncher is to have decent power in both hands and ability in throwing every punch well. That was defintely Robinson not to mention it’s always said the amazing footage that exists of him is around the time he was out of his prime due to the time is was in that era and technology, imagine what a prime Robinson must of looked like on tape.

 

[newcastleman]

He was the most awesome fighter to watch during the 80s until Iron Mike emerged.
I'm 53 and in all my time, I've never seen a boxer under 190 lb that I wouldn't give prime Hearns a good shot at being able to beat.

 

[mozfonky]

He was the most awesome fighter to watch during the 80s until Iron Mike emerged.
I'm 53 and in all my time, I've never seen a boxer under 190 lb that I wouldn't give prime Hearns a good shot at being able to beat.

yup, those vulnerabilities guaranteed anything could happen, he could kayo anyone and he could be kayoed. the iran barkley fight he was winning going away, one of his issues wasn't just his chin, it was like he switched to total offence and didn't even think about anything hitting him back, some guys are like that, especially when they hit hard. Even duran stunned him one time in their fight because he was doing the all out killer thing. He was something else, even when everyone had written him off, he still came back and outboxed virgil hill.

 

[Absolut]

It was the name the sport was trying to push. The top dollar guy. Guys like Duran, Hearns and Hagler were either Brawlers or prone to naturally brawl by adrenaline. Leonard mixed it up and played it safe when he had to so it made more sense as an investement.

Guys who had good skill with a difficult style but no power havn’t got it easy just the last decade. It’s always been that way, no power no money. Benitez was ahead of the fight against Leonard for many until the huge cut and Leonard never rematched him. Arguably Viruet won twice against Duran but was robbed also won over Mamby but was scored a draw making fights was nearly impossible, ended up fighting Alvin hayes for little money and taking a dive to retire. Very skilled and tricky but was cursed with the power of an anemic 75yr old grandma, the old school collazo but craftier.

Duran was a beast- doesn't get the skill/ defensive credit he deserves. He pressured and brawled a lot, but was a very skilled boxer. Hearns' KO of him was brutally scary.

 

[Breaducce]

For sure. But he did not possess all-time great power in his right hand like Hearns. Hearns was more complete. He also outboxed Sugar Ray in their first fight IMO... There was no place to go to.. Hearns was the most complete fighter ever IMO.

Oh no man..... The HitMan is one of my all time favorite fighters of all time but he was not more complete then Sugar Ray. Outside of his power what else did he have that Ray didn't? Ray was a better combination puncher, and inside fighter then Tommy, had a better chin, better feet, and was just a more fluid boxer then Tommy. Tommy was an exceptional boxer though, with probably the best right hand of all time and an exceptional jab, but Ray was just more versatile and had better ring IQ which is why he won their first fight. I had Tommy winning the rematch though.

 

[Hagler]

Obviously an ATG boxer-puncher, only vulnerable to those who had the balls and chin to take the fight to him. I wouldn't put him above SRR because of how he could get broken from inside, but he's very high on the list.

 

[aries]

That was one fight. Hearns later revealed that he had no other choice than to duke it out with Hagler due to an injury or desease. Joe Louis did not punch on the same power level as Hearns, and I certainly don't think his boxing abilities were better.

You mean because Hearns broke his hand on Haglers notoriously thick skull? Sounds like he chose the wrong tactics to me.

 

[spacetime]

You mean because Hearns broke his hand on Haglers notoriously thick skull? Sounds like he chose the wrong tactics to me.

No. There was something wrong before the fight which forced Hearns to brawl. He was not in condition to go all rounds. I forgot what it was that plagued him.

 

[Absolut]

No. There was something wrong before the fight which forced Hearns to brawl. He was not in condition to go all rounds. I forgot what it was that plagued him.

Manny Steward said Hearns, unbeknownst to him, got a leg massage prior to the fight.

 

[Boxing_paloney]

I think being a “boxer-puncher” is about using your boxing to place your punch/punches well enough to end fights. So I wouldn’t say you have to have a lot of power to fall into that category although it helps

 

[spacetime]

I think being a “boxer-puncher” is about using your boxing to place your punch/punches well enough to end fights. So I wouldn’t say you have to have a lot of power to fall into that category although it helps

Boxer puncher=universal. One who has sound boxing fundamentals, yet still the brute force power of a puncher. An out or in- fighter can still be better in his specialization, but the boxer-puncher is not adverse to either way of fighting. He has the tools for it, even though he might prefer one over the other.

I'm a boxer puncher myself. My style has a solid foundation combined with puncher power. If you keep me on the outside, you have to get pass the jab. If you get me close, hold on to your fucking hat if I connect with a 1-2

 

[spacetime]

Mike Tyson could have easily been a boxer puncher if he had longer limbs. He had a very solid foundation mixed in with power. Powerful jab:

Mike Tyson was complete technically, but not physically. Otherwise he would be an obvious candidate.

 

[sepp2323]

Not saying he is the best but hagler was better p4p. With that said neither touch the top 20. Armstrong, Pep, robinson blow hearns away