Boxing History Hot Take: Hearns-Hagler rematch

    I wish I had a better title than Boxing History Hot Take but it'll do for now as we start the first of an occasional series of posts that deal with a take that might not always be in step with the average observation.

I'm going to start with this hot take- If there had ever been a rematch between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns- Hearns would have won.

The rematch was supposed to happen, should each man win their fights on s closed circuit/PPV card that saw Hagler defend his middleweight titles against undefeated knockout artist John "The Beast" Mugabi with Hearns in the co-feature facing unbeaten 1980 Olympian James Shuler.

Hearns stopped Shuler in the first round to win the then-important NABF title (the NABF and USBA were valued in their day as the top steppingstone championships) and seemed to be in position for a rematch that almost everyone wanted to see.

However, after watching Hagler have his problems in a very good fight against Mugabi before winning via eleventh round stoppage, Sugar Ray Leonard announced his plans to return from retirement to face Hagler.

Seeing the even larger dollars for a thought to be easier fight against the inactive Leonard (Leonard had fought only once in the five years leading up to the Hagler fight and that fight was just short of three years before fighting Hagler), Hagler decided to take the more lucrative Leonard fight as he expected to win and then could have the natural return match with Hearns for another large payday.

Of course, Leonard would win a controversial split decision over Hagler, who would stomp into retirement, and never return to the ring- depriving Hearns of his rematch.

Why do I think Hearns would have won the rematch?

Let's start with this- Hearns would have learned his lesson and boxed more against Hagler.

Hagler wore down the powerful Mugabi but he was hit often by the oft-wide open Ugandan and Hearns could be a very skilled boxer when he chose to.

The Hagler-Leonard fight was two years after the Hagler-Hearns affair and the punches that Leonard landed are punches that Hearns likely would have landed as well- punches that the slowing Hagler didn't get hit with in the past.

If Hearns is able to resist the temptation to slug with Hagler, Hearns is more than likely to win a pretty lopsided decision as Hagler's best chance is for a toe to toe war despite the punching power of the "Hit Man".

However, it's not out of the question that Hearns knocks Hagler out in the rematch.

I know it seems unlikely, but remember that Pipino Cuevas and Roberto Duran were fighters with chins of granite and Hearns dispatched both with spectacular knockouts.

And watch the first round of fury between Hagler and Hearns and watch the right hand that Hearns lands on Hagler as you can see Hagler's knees visibly dip.

That is likely the punch that broke the feared right hand of Hearns, handicapping him during the rest of the famous battle- If Hearns's right hand holds up and the circumstances are favorable, Hearns might score a knockout in a second encounter, although a decision is more likely.

Hearns also might have scored a stoppage on cuts.

Hearns badly cut Hagler in their fight and had the fight continued for another few rounds, it may have been stopped and Hagler did have a history of being cut in other bouts, so I could see Hearns cutting Hagler, standing on the outside with his long jab and slicing Hagler apart.

I can see a scenario of Hagler stopping Hearns again as the "Hit Man's" chin was never his strong suit as Hearns was stopped by the limited Iran Barkley one year after Hagler-Leonard and it could be that (like Barkley) Hagler may have the perfect style to defeat Hearns.

However, Hearns still had plenty left in the tank as even after losing to Barkley the first time (Barkley would win a split decision in their 1992 second bout ), Hearns would draw with Sugar Ray Leonard in a fight that even Leonard admits Hearns won, Hall of Famer Virgil Hill at light heavyweight and wins over solid contenders such as Michael Olijide and James Kinchen as well as a late-career win over veteran cruiserweight contender Nate Miller, and while I cannot conclusively say Hagler was closer to the end of the line than Hearns, it seems like it to me.

Thomas Hearns would have beaten Marvin Hagler in their rematch and that's my boxing history hot take.

Floyd Mayweather vs the Fab Five from the 80's?

I know there is a lot of hype around the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor exhibition right now, but if I'm going to write about Floyd Mayweather, I'd like to write about something interesting and thought about this- If Floyd Mayweather fought in the best era for great welterweights of all time, would he still be undefeated?

I mean, in my eyes, he's not undefeated anyway as being that I have vision and consider myself pretty capable of judging a fight properly, I had him losing to Jose Luis Castillo 116-113 in 2002,( Don't believe me? You watch and score) but in the record book, he is undefeated and that is what matters.

For the purposes of this, Mayweather will take on five Hall of Famers, all of which held the WBA or WBC welterweight titles from 1976-1983, and bring diverse styles that would challenge Mayweather's heart and talent,
So let us toss Mayweather into the TRS Time Machine and see just how he does...

Fight 1-Floyd Mayweather vs Pipino Cuevas.
Cuevas, an all-time TRS favorite (and profiled here in our Forgotten Superstars series) was one of the most devastating punchers in boxing history and defended his WBA title eleven times before being knocked out in two by Thomas Hearns after which his skills declined.
Cuevas would lose in his only other bout vs his Fab Five brethren being stopped by Roberto Duran in four rounds in 1983, but we're taking prime Pipino vs this bout.
Cuevas hurt whoever he hit (he even wobbled Duran past his prime) and if he hit Mayweather, this gets really interesting as few finished foes like the relentless Cuevas.
However, Cuevas liked to wing his punches very wide as he walked opponents down and he wasn't fast on a good day.
This is the most style-friendly fight for Mayweather in his gauntlet run.

Prediction: Mayweather Unanimous Decision.
Cuevas will attack for the distance of the fight (15 rounds, remember), so Mayweather has to be in shape and not get trapped along the ropes or things could change against the heavy-handed Cuevas.
Mayweather avoids the wide punches and dances away from the attacking Cuevas to win a clear decision, but if Cuevas landed one of those legendary hooks, that might be the seminal moment of this event!

Fight 2-Floyd Mayweather vs Wilfred Benitez
Benitez, who won titles in three divisions in a time when that meant something, brings defensive skills that rival Mayweather's in this bout.
The "radar" that Benitez claimed to possess allowed him to slip shots through head movement and would test Mayweather against a fighter who was just as slick as he was.
Benitez was 1-2 against Fab Five opponents with a unanimous decision win over Roberto Duran and losses to Thomas Hearns (majority decision) and Ray Leonard (15th round knockout with seconds to go- the fight probably shouldn't have been stopped, but Leonard was going to win the decision anyway).
Benitez was a slick fighter, but he wasn't comfortable setting the pace and with only one exception ( a highlight-reel knockout of Maurice Hope) didn't knock many out.
This will likely be a fight that Max Kellerman would love, but most would be spending a lot of time at the fridge.

Prediction: Mayweather Unanimous Decision
In a very dull and tactical fight, Mayweather is the fighter who breaks his normal style, throws more shots, and outworks Benitez enough to earn a decision that might even be judged as a majority or split nod.
This fight will likely be best remembered for the pre-fight buildup and staredown than for anything that happens in fight action,

Fight 3-Floyd Mayweather vs Roberto Duran
Duran, who won four titles (and had he not skipped 140 pounds, would have won five) will offer pressure similar to that offered by Pipino Cuevas with more skills.
Duran was 2-4 against Fab Five opponents as the Panamanian stopped Pipino Cuevas in four and defeated Ray Leonard by unanimous decision, while losing to Leonard in eight in the famous "No Mas" bout and a later unanimous decision with both past their prime, losing a unanimous decision to Wilfred Benitez and losing in two rounds to Thomas Hearns in the bout that re-established "the Hitman" as a puncher.
Against Mayweather, Duran would have to set the pace and come towards Mayweather and attempt to walk him down.
Mayweather certainly wouldn't stand and slug with Duran so this one will come down to which fighter can force things into what he wants to do...

Prediction: Mayweather Split Decision
This is the one fight of the five that I can see going either way and I've been back and forth on this one since starting this post.
If this fight was at 135, I'd pick Duran.
Duran is my pick as the best lightweight ever and the lightweight version of Duran overwhelms Mayweather, who was more tactical at 147 than 135 in my opinion.
However, Duran's punch didn't carry as well with the higher weight and even lightweight Duran had trouble with slick boxers with movement.
I lean toward Mayweather by a hairline call on the judge's cards, which would most likely be split and controversial...

Fight 4-Floyd Mayweather vs Thomas Hearns
The "Hit Man" was the first fighter to win titles in five divisions and could punch or box.
Hearns owns two of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history with his KO's of fellow Fab Fivers Cuevas and Duran and could box as well as shown in his majority decision win over Wilfred Benitez.
Those three wins with his 14th-round stoppage loss to Ray Leonard combined with a draw in their rematch, which was such a robbery that even Leonard says he considers their series a tie at one apiece (Hearns dropped Leonard twice) gives Hearns a 3-1-1 record against Fab Five opponents.
Hearns's only weakness was not having the best chin as he was knocked out in four of his five career losses.
This is a very tough out for Floyd Mayweather in this project.

Prediction: Hearns Unanimous Decision
Styles make fights are one of the oldest adages in boxing and it's true.
Considering that, I just don't see any way that Floyd Mayweather wins this fight.
The one weakness of Thomas Hearns (his chin) won't come into play in this bout as Mayweather is just an average puncher at best at welterweight.
Considering the reach advantage of the Hit Man (78 inches to 72), Mayweather will be held at bay by the Hearns jab and unable to win using his usual boxing manner from the outside, he'll have to make a decision-attack and risk a run into the famous Hearns right hand or be jabbed into defeat on the outside,
Looking at Mayweather's safety first career, it's clear which choice he'll make and Hearns will win a comfortable unanimous decision.

Fight 5-Floyd Mayweather vs Ray Leonard
This is the marquee bout and some of the shine has been removed after the Mayweather loss to Hearns, but Mayweather actually matches up better against Leonard than he does Hearns.
Similar in size, speed, and skills, although Mayweather is a little more of a mover (only two knockouts above 135 pounds) with Leonard being a harder puncher, this fight matches up evenly,
Leonard has a 4-1-1 record vs the Fab Five with two wins over Duran and stoppage wins over Hearns and Benitez to go with the Duran loss and the mentioned Hearns draw that was really a loss.
This would be a clear good vs bad in the buildup with the popular Leonard wearing the white hat against the brash and controversial Mayweather.

Prediction: Leonard KO 10
Floyd Mayweather will test Ray Leonard and I think he'll fight more than he did against Thomas Hearns.
In fact, I'll go as far as to say in this fight, Mayweather will fight more like the lightweight Mayweather, who was a far more entertaining fighter to watch,
I think they will have plenty of toe to toe battles with a much better action fight than most expect.
Mayweather will have a slight points lead on the judges' cards entering round ten, but bodywork by Leonard has slowed Floyd, which leaves him vulnerable.
The famous rolling shoulder rolls to block a Leonard right, but Leonard surprises with an explosive left hook that ends the fight.

Floyd Mayweather finishes with a 3-2 record, which indicates he would be very competitive against these fighters, but certainly wasn't head and shoulders above them.

Hope you liked this and let me know if you'd like to see similar things in the future...