Based on the way Oscar fought Tito, I think we can conclude he’d try a similar strategy with Hearns. I don’t see it working. For me, Oscar either gets stopped late, or loses a very lopsided decision.
Trying to fight Hearns like he did Tito is a very bad idea. Hearns would chop him up and keep him at the end of his power shots. Hearns is a bad match up. Oscar also has a bit of a suspect gas tank so even if he could ride out an early firefight I don't think he would have enough left to take advantage of Tommy's late fight stamina issues. I think Hearns stops him by the middle rounds.
As far as stamina goes, I don’t even think Tommy’s stamina was that bad. I don’t think he was a guy who would routinely fade late. You had to be able to hurt Hearns consistently over the long haul to wear him down or have enough power to sleep him. Agreed that Oscar had a suspect gas tank, now. His track record in the championship rounds of big fights is atrocious.
De la hoya would have to pressure the fuck out of hearns to win that fight. And while he was a decent pressure fighter when he wanted to (see against corley) i dont think he was nearly good enough at it to win against hearns
Once Oscar realised he couldnt win at distance, I can see him summoning the cojones to roll the dice a few times in the fight, even having some success. Maybe wobbling Hearns once or twice. But once that failed & he knew he was gonna get knocked out if he forced the issue he'd just fight to see the bell from ~10 onward. Hearns 11-4 plus a kd to Hearns.
With the way he fight Tito isn’t going to work against a much rangier and powerful guy like Hearns. I think Hearns would make ODLH run even more scared.
Possibly, but he fought that way against Tito simply because he could. Trinidad wasn't able to mount much of an offense until Oscar tired. Obviously De La Hoya wouldn't go at Hearns the way Hagler did, but i don't seem him running away like it's rounds 11 and 12 against Trinidad.
I think once De La Hoya starts to take more flush punches he’s going to get on his bike. Oscar also has a poor record in the championship rounds of big fights, so he would not only typically fade, but he’s also got a guy in front of him whom he can’t outbox or over power. Hearns either catches him at some point with something he can’t recover from or De La Hoya hears the final bell and loses lopsidedly. Depends on how much Oscar is willing to risk.
De La Hoya has absolutely no chance. He'd be out-jabbed and countered. He'd spend virtually the entire fight out of range for his hook and every time he'd try it he'd get a lightning bolt of a right hand in his face for his troubles. Not only that; but Hearns' left hook to the body would absolutely butcher De La Hoya. And Hearns' gas tank looks like Marvin Hagler next to De La Hoya's.
