At 154lb. Arguably both fighters best weight and we're talking the Wright who decisioned Trinidad in '04 vs the Hearns who bombed-out Duran in '94.
Winky's defense is some of the most overrated in history. Vargas busted through it, Simon busted through it, Taylor busted through it, of course Hearns would be able to! That clam shell shit would do very good in blocking Hearns' right. Tommy was so powerful, and fast, his right hand would go THROUGH Winky's guard IMO. Only way Winky lasts the distance IMO is he steps off the gas, and backs up and survives. If he comes at Hearns the way he did Vargas, and Taylor, he gets stopped IMO. Either way, Hearns whups his ass!
Disagree, his best bet is to smother Hearns with aggression and activity. If he does that Hearns aint KOing shit! :nono:
Trying to smother and be aggressive against Hearns is suicide unless you have the punch and chin of Hagler(which Winky does NOT) or the punch of Barkley(which Winky does NOT). And even Hagler got hurt by Hearns! Winky is going down in this fight!
Disagree. He didn't employ his defense in either the Vargas fight or the Taylor fight. He fought aggressively against both in order to make a more fan friendly fight I guess. If you want to see how Wright fights against guys he views as a possible threat, watch his defense against Tito. Did Tito even land 1 powerpunch in that fight? Never saw the Simon fight.
We're talking about a prime Tommy Hearns here, a different fighter ENTIRELY than the Rican zombie. Wright fighting Hearns the way he did Tito wouldnt work cause of Tommy's height, range, and handspeed. Hearns was pretty much unbeatable from long range cause of his physical gifts. To beat him, you'd have to crowd him, and HURT him, and Winky doesnt have the firepower to pull that off. Hearns' two weaknesses were his chin, and stamina. Winky doesnt hit hard enough to dent his chin, and Wright HIMSELF has a history of fading late, so Tommy's stamina wouldnt be tested either. Wright is nowhere near as multi-dimensional as some of his fans would have you believe. Tommy stops him IMO, and if Winky does last the distance, he still vists the canvas at least twice in this fight.
Barkley had a PUNCH Sly! Do you honestly think he'd have beaten Tommy w/o his punch? Hearns was beating his ass in the first fight, and on the verge of stopping him to the body until Barkley landed that big right. Winky has no power, and therefore no chance. Hearns would bust through his guard, and turn his face into somethin turrible!
Against Vargas and Simon, Wright wasn't fighting the way he does now...nor crowding nearly as much. Vs. Taylor - I don't know that Jermain busted THROUGH it as much as he went 'around' it...think about it. And I agree with Sly....backing up and trying to 'survive' at distance vs. Hearns gets you killed. Would you want to be at the end of one of those jabs or huge right hands? If you can smother and crowd Hearns; make it rough; stay on his chest; fight him inside...he can't get the extension he needs and he is easier to impose your physicality on. Still a great fighter, just not nearly as effective there....and you also drain his stamina/legs more. So Wright's best bet is to come forward as quickly as possible...and try to stay in his chest as long as possible. Make it a brawl 'n' maul. Sure, he'll likely still get nailed by jabs and that right hand...eventually clean. But it's better than "backing up." See SRL-Hearns I and the Barkley fights...and also see Hagler RUNNING and LUNGING to get inside as quickly as he can. Peace.
Wait a minute...you're right he didn't do that nearly as much in the Vargas fight; but in the Taylor fight he most definitely did. That was his whole strategy - make Taylor FIGHT and back up and smother him...don't give him range. He did do it in the Trinidad fight too...but that was just silly. :doh: :: Peace.
I wasn't trying to say Wright would win or even last the distance. I was merely disagreeing with the argument you were using.
I know what you were trying to say, but I was just pointing out that Tommy was an entirely different animal stylewise than Tito. Trying to block Hearns' punches with your gloves aint gonna do too much good IMO.
The bottom line is although Winky was physically stronger than Hearns, he lacks the power to put any hurt on Hearns, therefore couldnt win. I think Tommy would hurt him early, and make Winky cautious of trying to get inside. Wright definitely wouldnt come out and bull rush the way Hagler did, thats not how Winky fights.
Hearns hit like Tito.. prolly harder... and was a better boxer.. I think he'd stop Winky.. I know that's saying a lot considering Wink's defense but Tommy would get him IMO
