Barkley on Hearns power "It was'nt what I thought it was"

[BENNY BLANCO]

I was watching the first Iran Barkley/Tommy Hearns fight and in the post fight interview Barkley made the above statement when asked about Hearns' punching power. What's interesting is that both Hagler and Leonard said they did'nt think Hearns hit as hard as advertised either.

What's the Classic forum thoughts on this?

[AlFrancis]

What did Duran and Cuevas say?

[TheGreatA]

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

I would like to ask Leonard about Hearns' power at 4:00 into his video. I bet he didn't think Hearns' power was oversold then.

I've never seen anyone hurt Hagler more than Hearns did at the beginning of the first round, not that Hagler was all that badly hurt, he just never was really.

Barkley took Hearns' punches well but it seemed like he was on his way out until landing that right hand bomb.

[MrMarvel]

I was watching the first Iran Barkley/Tommy Hearns fight and in the post fight interview Barkley made the above statement when asked about Hearns' punching power. What's interesting is that both Hagler and Leonard said they did'nt think Hearns hit as hard as advertised either.

What's the Classic forum thoughts on this?

That's because they weren't knocked out by it.

[Popkins]

I have always thought that Tommy's single-shot power was a little overrated. For me he is not quite on the same level as Bob Foster or Julian Jackson in terms of concussive punching power. In terms of all-round offense he is as good as almost anyone else in history, but in terms of raw power I am a little bit dubious that Tommy at welter or light-middle hit as hard as say, Foster at light-heavy.

[Jorodz]

I have always thought that Tommy's single-shot power was a little overrated. For me he is not quite on the same level as Bob Foster or Julian Jackson in terms of concussive punching power. In terms of all-round offense he is as good as almost anyone else in history, but in terms of raw power I am a little bit dubious that Tommy at welter or light-middle hit as hard as say, Foster at light-heavy.

the thing with tommy is that at welter and light middle, he was one of the hardest punchers in the division's history. once he moved to middle it just wasn't the same. i don't have the stats handy but his knockout % dropped CONSIDERABLY. he was a HUGE welter, a big light welter, and a relatively small (bulk wise) middle. he had a big frame but once he moved up he wasn't as sturdy, solid, or built and it showed

[fists of fury]

Barkley could have fooled me the way he was wilting from those bodyshots...

Nah, for me Hearns was a scary puncher at 147/154, and still had formidable power at 160/175.

[fists of fury]

For me he is not quite on the same level as Bob Foster or Julian Jackson in terms of concussive punching power.

Few are though. This goes especially for Jackson, who was a bit of a freak in that department.
P4P Tommy at 147/154 hit every bit as hard as Foster at 175, imo.

[AlFrancis]

Tommy Hearns power

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

Those left hooks to the body, a thing of beauty

[turpinr]

had:? barkleys head been scrambled by then.i wouldn't like hearns to "tickle" my ribs.

[he grant]

Keep in mind even for their first fight Hearns was past his best. IN addition, he simply never landed his biggest shot on Iran, who did not have a great chin. Hearns was not the same puncher at middle that he was at 147 and 154 but he still flattened James Schuler with one bomb and had Juan Roldan, who took a ton of Haglers shots, bouncing up and down like a rubber ball. Even with the biggest hitters, sometimes the KO's come and sometimes they don't.

[Holmes' Jab]

Hearns hit like a mule, At welter in especially he was without doubt in the very top tier power-wise. I struggle to rank anyone above him infact.

[Flea Man]

Barkley could have fooled me the way he was wilting from those bodyshots...

Nah, for me Hearns was a scary puncher at 147/154, and still had formidable power at 160/175.


this:deal

[Sister Sledge]

Keep in mind even for their first fight Hearns was past his best. IN addition, he simply never landed his biggest shot on Iran, who did not have a great chin. Hearns was not the same puncher at middle that he was at 147 and 154 but he still flattened James Schuler with one bomb and had Juan Roldan, who took a ton of Haglers shots, bouncing up and down like a rubber ball. Even with the biggest hitters, sometimes the KO's come and sometimes they don't.

Have you not watched any of Barkley's fights? He absorbed punishment like a sponge. It took a ton of shots just to hurt him, let alone knock him down or stop him.

[roscoe]

No one did to Duran what Tommy did to him, in his entire career.........no one! Hearns had crushing power. Barkley was on the way out when he landed that huge shot in the 1st fight. Hearns has world class power, no doubt.

[he grant]

Michael Olajide dropped him. A 39 year old Duran staggered him several times and dropped him. Benn cruched him from second one. He did not have an iron chin.

He was a warrior and came to fight and took many punches but he was no Hagler or Monzon when it came to his chin. A decen chin but nothing great.

[TheGreatA]

Michael Olajide dropped him. A 39 year old Duran staggered him several times and dropped him. Benn cruched him from second one. He did not have an iron chin.

He was a warrior and came to fight and took many punches but he was no Hagler or Monzon when it came to his chin. A decen chin but nothing great.

Then again Hagler and Monzon weren't as open defensively as Barkley was. You couldn't miss him.

He was able to achieve what he did because of that toughness, nothing else.

[Sister Sledge]

Michael Olajide dropped him. A 39 year old Duran staggered him several times and dropped him. Benn cruched him from second one. He did not have an iron chin.

He was a warrior and came to fight and took many punches but he was no Hagler or Monzon when it came to his chin. A decen chin but nothing great.

Just because he was knocked down doesn't mean he doesn't have a great chin. I wouldn't put him in the Hagler or Lamotta category, but he took a great shot.

[Rubber Warrior]

Mike McCallum once said that with Hearns it was about taking away his ideal range on that right hand. The timing and snap with which it was delivered made this difficult, and McCallum was no regular fighter, but me thinks he knew how to avoid the brunt of those elements, given his own prowess in the ring.

No doubt, toughness aside, Hagler and Leonard were able to do this. In Barkley's case, his physical style and toughness didn't present Hearns with the space required to get off in ideal fashion, plus Barkley was a big middleweight.

[Nigel_Benn]

Barkley never stayed on the outside enough for Tommy to get his range, Hearns power was awesome but if his range was narrowed his power was not as great as it was outside look at his kos of Cuevas and Duran Tommy got full extension on his right hand and they both had Iron Jaws.

[Jaws]

Yeah, this is definitely a range thing.

Hearns' didn't have great infighting skills, but his power was freakish at the right range.

[Russell]

Considering Barkley had moderate success as a 220 heavyweight, I can't doubt his chin or comments about Hearns.

[enquirer]

Years later when barkley was asked about the hardest he had been hit (including the stint at heavy i assume.) he replied the tommy hearns left hook to the body in the first fight...

[Bokaj]

Hearns at least hit hard enough at MW to rock one of the most solid jaws ever at that weight. Compare that to what Foster's best right hand did to Ali, which wasn't that much, I'd say.

[he grant]

Everyone comments on how Hearns hurt Hagler in the first round but I have watched it many , many time and never see it. He lands a huge, fast right hand close inside but while Marvin feels it he never seems hurt or staggered. Anyone know the point in the round this hurt Hagler took place.

Excellent point on the range issue. Makes great sense. Maybe this reflects it.

[warrior85]

hearns was an atg puncher,imo the biggest punching welterweight ever,he had scary power

[TheGreatA]

Everyone comments on how Hearns hurt Hagler in the first round but I have watched it many , many time and never see it. He lands a huge, fast right hand close inside but while Marvin feels it he never seems hurt or staggered. Anyone know the point in the round this hurt Hagler took place.

Excellent point on the range issue. Makes great sense. Maybe this reflects it.

I think Hagler's legs were doing funny things for a while there and he was forced to hold on although I'd agree that he was not exactly close to being knocked out. It's the closest I've seen Hagler being hurt though.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]
2:50

Hearns seemed to stun Barkley with some short uppercuts in their rematch.
He could generate some power with short punches as well but it was mostly the long right hand and the left hooks to the body that did the damage.

[Flea Man]

I think Hagler's legs were doing funny things for a while there and he was forced to hold on although I'd agree that he was not exactly close to being knocked out. It's the closest I've seen Hagler being hurt though.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]
2:50

Hearns seemed to stun Barkley with some short uppercuts in their rematch.
He could generate some power with short punches as well but it was mostly the long right hand and the left hooks to the body that did the damage.

Correct Sir and fair play for the time schedule.

Around 2:47 to 2:53 is the closest I've seen to Hagler being on 'queer street'. Still not that close:lol:

[Dave's Top Ten]

Correct Sir and fair play for the time schedule.

Around 2:47 to 2:53 is the closest I've seen to Hagler being on 'queer street'. Still not that close:lol:


I think it's overstated. I think Hagler was surprised and stunned for a second but in some reports of the fight Hagler is described as staggered / almost knocked out. Nowhere near it. The most hurt I've seen Hagler was against Hart. More stunned in that one that against Tommy

[Russell]

The most hurt I've seen Hagler was against Hart. More stunned in that one that against Tommy

Agreed.

[TheGreatA]

I think it's overstated. I think Hagler was surprised and stunned for a second but in some reports of the fight Hagler is described as staggered / almost knocked out. Nowhere near it. The most hurt I've seen Hagler was against Hart. More stunned in that one that against Tommy

What round was it? I would like to review it.

[he grant]

GreatA, are you one and the same as the GreatA that posts on youtube boxing clips ?

[TheGreatA]

GreatA, are you one and the same as the GreatA that posts on youtube boxing clips ?

That's me.

[Dave's Top Ten]

What round was it? I would like to review it.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

end of round 5.

[anarci]

Iagree that sometimes the knockouts just dont come i thought he had lost some power back when ernie singeltary,luigi minchillo,and murray sutherland weregoing the distance but then he turns around and knocks out duran,jamesshuler and hurt hagler.make no mistake even at middleweight he was a big time puncher. I dont agree that he wasnt a big middle ,i think he was big and didnt even look small at lh and cruiser.although thats around when his power dropped but he still hit hard at lh just ask andries and maynard.

[Flea Man]

Agreed, that is the most I've ever seen Hagler be hurt. Still, his survival skills were as good as any, and Hart is supposedly one of the biggest punchers in the divisions history.

[anarci]

Another guy that stunned hagler was roldan,from what i remember he should have been credited with a knockdown

[Gesta]

That's me.

I have seen a few, good work.

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[patscorpio]

Another guy that stunned hagler was roldan,from what i remember he should have been credited with a knockdown
he was credited with a knockdown...flash kd in the first round

[Dave's Top Ten]

he was credited with a knockdown...flash kd in the first round

Although according to Hagler, and one or two other sources, the WBC (I think) reversed the KD decision.

[TheGreatA]

end of round 5.

Thanks. It's always hard to tell with Hagler but it does seem like he was a bit stunned there.

I don't think Roldan knocked him down legit but he did land some big punches on Hagler which didn't seem to affect him though.

[Dave's Top Ten]

Thanks. It's always hard to tell with Hagler but it does seem like he was a bit stunned there.

I don't think Roldan knocked him down legit but he did land some big punches on Hagler which didn't seem to affect him though.

If you watch the hook from Hart a few times, it's a ferocious punch. It's so quick you can actually miss how much of a great punch it was. Full leverage and landed flush on Hagler's cheek. Still, a few seconds later Hagler had the presence of mind to push Hart off and stroll back to his corner seemingly unfazed. Pretty remarkable.

[markclow]

You gotta remember that Hearns was a welterweight.

Hagler & Barkley were natural middleweights.

[BENNY BLANCO]

You gotta remember that Hearns was a welterweight.

Hagler & Barkley were natural middleweights. Well Barkley looked like a light heavyweight in comparison to his 160 pound opposition.

[roscoe]

The Roldan KD was behind the head & Hagler appeared more off balance than anything. He looked in disbelief when the count was put on him.

[Unforgiven]

I think it's nonsense when people claim Hearns was just a welterweight, implying he was too small to be a real middleweight.

Truth is, Hearns had an unusual frame that allowed him to fight comfortably at 147 and all the way up to 175, and he wasn't exactly small at any of those weights. He had a big frame, wide shoulders, a broad back, he was quite a imposing and menacing figure at 160 pounds and over too. His light legs made him capable of weighing in at unusually low weights for his overall size, but he certainly wasn't the usual "natural welterweight" some people claim he was, he was UNUSUAL. He wasn't the skinny-all-over type that Breland was either, he was wide as well as tall. He certainly looked at least as big as Hagler.

He didn't look like a flabby welter, or someone holding unnatural water or muscle for his frame, at 165 or 168 pounds.

[brownshell]

To hav ethe boxing skills Hearns had and be so skinny. He hit as hard as anyone P4P!

[Sister Sledge]

Another guy that stunned hagler was roldan,from what i remember he should have been credited with a knockdown

Roldan never stunned Hagler. He was a big puncher, though.

[divac]

I can understand what Barkley is talking about.

Hearns was'nt a heavy handed puncher.

Hearns power came from the snap at the end of his shots.....I think smaller fighters in stature were more effected by it, Cuevas and Duran for example.

Hearns was at his most devestating self when he was able to measure you with his left hand and then snap the right hand......he was'nt able to quite measure Barkley like that because Barkley was a tall and strong fighter.

I certainly can believe that Barkley tasted more power by a few others.

[Russell]

Agreed, that is the most I've ever seen Hagler be hurt. Still, his survival skills were as good as any, and Hart is supposedly one of the biggest punchers in the divisions history.

No supposedly about it, look at the guy unload with those hooks.

[gooners!!]

Sounds like a strange thing to say when you consider that Sims and Duran were able to hurt him