Decided to do a little series of threads over at ESB to gauge opinion on either natural pairs of fights like good fights in a series or other similar fights that bear comparison. Anyway, here's the first one. My contention is that while Leonard-Hearns 1 was a classic matchup with the highest stakes that lived up to its billing, for in-ring action I think Leonard-Hearns 2 had just as many momentum shifts and had better back and forth action in some of the rounds. Interested to see what other people think so please vote and leave a comment with your opinion why you voted for one over the other.
Agreed a 100%. There was long stretches in Leonard-Hearns 1 were not much was happening. Still a great fight, but the second one was a better action fight
First was a better match-up and a better spectacle, but the second was much more enjoyable to watch IMO.
It's like the Fury vs Wilder 3rd fight..............it's so easy to look back on it and , rightfully, say it was not the greatest fight of all times. BUT......... if you were there, it was edge of the seat, it was pure spectacle. Same with the two SRL vs Hearns fights. There's an intangible to a fight that you can't assess in retrospect and these fights demonstrate it. Hearns vs Leonard Part Uno must have been much more riveting if you were there than their rematch.
It's worth pointing out that I find it hard to watch fights knowing the result in advance and knowing it is WRONG. Hearns won the rematch, absolutely.
Feels a bit heretical to say it but Hearns-Leonard was a mostly boring fight with some great moments. Round 8 to 12 (not 100% sure) was mostly Leonard stalking Hearns but not throwing and Hearns jabbing and moving. Yet the great moments were great indeed. Round 6 and 7 in particular were bangers.
There was More "Action" in the RE Because Leonard and Hearns were DIMINISHED Versions of Themselves... REED Voted Leonard-Hearns I Based on ALL Things Considered - The Anticipation, the Build-Up, the Fact It was a Unification Fight (Back When That RARELY Happened) and Because it was Billed as Boxer vs. Puncher Yet BOTH Men Assumed BOTH Roles @ Various Points of the Bout... You LEARN Something About the Combatants After a Truly MEANINGFUL Fight; We Learned NATHAN About Leonard or Hearns After Their RE... REED
