Hearns vs Trinidad

[oakleyno1]

Someone mentioned them as a hypothetical matchup ... Who would you pick at welter primes let's say over 15 rounds ?!

[Dia bando]

Hitman all day by KO 1 to 3 rounds max Tito can bang a bit but Tommy just has way to much power and is a far better boxer.

[J_Undisputed]

Hearns goes out trying to intimidate Tito and drops him. Tito gets up and Hearns hangs in the pocket trying to engage Tito just a little too much and gets caught. Hearns doesn't want more of that (neither would steward) and adjusts trying to pick Tito off for the rest of the fight from the outside, the way de la hoya did only more effective. (he wobbles him/drops him once or twice more but its nothing like the drowning from hopkins).

Theres a chance tito could win by stoppage, depending on when and where he caught Tommy and puts him on the tilt a whirl and how much time he had left in the round to finish him, but chances are the kronk team is very aware of that and avoids it except if/when tommy goes rogue and gets caught with a reminder.

[Sleepwalker]

I doubt Trinidad hurts Hearns, even if he catches him with a shot, especially at 147.

Hearns by stoppage in round 7

[TitoFan]

My totally unbiased opinion.....

At 147 Trinidad KO's Hearns in the middle rounds.
Any heavier than that and I think Hearns has the definite edge.

[Spicoli]

Off the top you have to love the confidence these two stepped in with. Hardly a hint of doubt between them.But Trinidad never really faced anything like that fluid size and brick down the middle at 147, and what Oscar could do before turning reversed Usain Bolt I think Hearns can. Both can be hurt but I'm not convinced Tito climbs off the canvas smiling so much vs Hearns as he did with guys far below the talent level.

[X]

Tito was an excellent fighter, with great knockout power, will and courage. He had some technical flaws though, his balance was pretty atrocious and his power compensated for quite a few deficiencies.

I think Tommy more than matches Tito for speed and power, but he had much sounder boxing skills. He was a very underrated boxer.

Either guy could definitely hurt the other, but I strongly suspect that Hearns' much better all round skill set would mean he doesn't get outboxed, doesn't get caught by a big shot .... and it's him who lands that huge right first. He doesn't let people off the hook when he has them going either.

Anyone who could comprehensively outbox Ray Leonard and crush Roberto Duran would have the beating of Tito.

[Dark Lord Al]

Hearns was much more fluid , he punched with much more speed. I would imagine both respect each others power early , but Hearns was the motor city cobra at WW , he strikes in the blink of an eye and Felix is staring at the ring lights.
As all great champions do Felix climbs up at 8 , but the follow up assault is swift and final.

Hearns KO 2.

[Master]

Real exciting fight with 2 tall big punchers.

Love both fighters with a passion so I have no bias (unlike Tito )

Tito was knocked down early on a number of occasions, mainly because he started slowly, so could see Tommy KO early and keep Tito down. (50% chance)

If Tommy is reckless then I could see Tito knock out Tommy in the exchange. (30% chance)

If they both survive the early knockdowns then Tommy on points as he was the better boxer. (15% chance)

Tito could go for broke if he feels he is losing the fight and try for the knock out late. (5% chance)

[mikeeod]

I think about this match up quite a bit, and have been all over the place on how I see it unfold. Both were large, dominant welters with impressive offensive arsenals in their respective primes. That being said, both had enough flaws that they were not unbeatable, especially when fighting fellow elite fighters.

Hearns was significantly taller than Tito, which was a factor that Tito rarely had to deal with. Tommy also was much faster and mobile in his prime (hand and feet), and was able to outbox master boxers like Ray Leonard and Wilfredo Benitez. The one punch power advantage belonged to Tommy thanks to his right hand (he had a great left hook as well), but his chinks in the armor were his chin and stamina.

Tito was a monster at 147, and during his best years was actually a solid boxer who had legitimate one punch power (people forget how solid Tito was before he fell in love with his punch). I would argue that Tito's left hook was only slightly less effective/menacing than Hearns's right hand, and I feel that Tito was a much more devastating body puncher than Tommy ever was. Tito had phenomenal stamina during his prime, and was the definition of relentless pressure, grinding down top notch competition, many times rising from a knockdown to do so. Tito was a notoriously slow starter, was thoroughly out boxed by Oscar, Hop, and Winky, and became a one dimensional pressure fighter who moved in straight lines forward and backward (little to no lateral movement).

Tommy came out of the gate looking to blow the other fighter out, where Tito took a few rounds to find his groove, so I can see and agree with everyone's point/prediction that Tito would visit the canvas early. That being said, Tito always got up from the knock downs scarier/more determined, and often broke his opponents mentally through hard punching and sustained pressure. Tommy definitely had the versatility, speed, and boxing skills to change tactics and box circles around Tito, developing a lead on the scorecards and winning a decision.

My question/dilemma now, is whether Tommy could sustain that pace and not wilt from Tito's pressure, body work, and punch. Some days I think Tito doesn't touch him, but often remember that welter Tito could counter effectively, and was a devastating body puncher. So, while I see Tommy standing a better chance to win, it isn't by that much and feel that Tito had the power to land one left hook to the body or head and change the outcome of the fight. Would've loved to see these two warriors share a ring.

[Master]

I think we can all agree that above welterweight Hearns is more likely the winner of the fights.

Welterweight 51% Hearns wins
Light Middle 60%
Middleweight 70%
Supermiddle 80%

(What is it with me and % today? )

[TitoFan]

I think about this match up quite a bit, and have been all over the place on how I see it unfold. Both were large, dominant welters with impressive offensive arsenals in their respective primes. That being said, both had enough flaws that they were not unbeatable, especially when fighting fellow elite fighters.

Hearns was significantly taller than Tito, which was a factor that Tito rarely had to deal with. Tommy also was much faster and mobile in his prime (hand and feet), and was able to outbox master boxers like Ray Leonard and Wilfredo Benitez. The one punch power advantage belonged to Tommy thanks to his right hand (he had a great left hook as well), but his chinks in the armor were his chin and stamina.

Tito was a monster at 147, and during his best years was actually a solid boxer who had legitimate one punch power (people forget how solid Tito was before he fell in love with his punch). I would argue that Tito's left hook was only slightly less effective/menacing than Hearns's right hand, and I feel that Tito was a much more devastating body puncher than Tommy ever was. Tito had phenomenal stamina during his prime, and was the definition of relentless pressure, grinding down top notch competition, many times rising from a knockdown to do so. Tito was a notoriously slow starter, was thoroughly out boxed by Oscar, Hop, and Winky, and became a one dimensional pressure fighter who moved in straight lines forward and backward (little to no lateral movement).

Tommy came out of the gate looking to blow the other fighter out, where Tito took a few rounds to find his groove, so I can see and agree with everyone's point/prediction that Tito would visit the canvas early. That being said, Tito always got up from the knock downs scarier/more determined, and often broke his opponents mentally through hard punching and sustained pressure. Tommy definitely had the versatility, speed, and boxing skills to change tactics and box circles around Tito, developing a lead on the scorecards and winning a decision.

My question/dilemma now, is whether Tommy could sustain that pace and not wilt from Tito's pressure, body work, and punch. Some days I think Tito doesn't touch him, but often remember that welter Tito could counter effectively, and was a devastating body puncher. So, while I see Tommy standing a better chance to win, it isn't by that much and feel that Tito had the power to land one left hook to the body or head and change the outcome of the fight. Would've loved to see these two warriors share a ring.

Great post with a lot of good points.

[TitoFan]

Hearns was much too tall for 147, whereas Trinidad was at his best between 147 and 154. Hearns feasted on much shorter guys, like Pipino Cuevas, for instance. But he was rail-thin and could be hurt to the body. Yes, people tend to forget about Trinidad's peak and some of the world-class opposition he destroyed.

I'm gonna follow Master's lead and use percentages.

Welterweight: Trinidad - 60%
Jr. Middleweight: 50/50
Middleweight: Hearns - 75%

[Mr140]

Hearns is going to make Tito look like a fool much like Oscar, Hopkins and Wright did. Tito could be out boxed his movement was not elite and could not adjust his game plan. As for Hearns chin he was stopped by Hagler and Blade who were huge hitters it took Leonard for ever to stop him.

[Master]

Hearns is going to make Tito look like a fool much like Oscar, Hopkins and Wright did. Tito could be out boxed his movement was not elite and could not adjust his game plan. As for Hearns chin he was stopped by Hagler and Blade who were huge hitters it took Leonard for ever to stop him.

Hearns was hurt many times in his career notably Roldan and Kitchen but fought back and won.