Boxing legend Thomas Hearns outlined how a fight against Floyd Mayweather would have played out.
‘Hitman’ Hearns revealed what strategy he’d use if he ever came up against the great Mayweather inside the ropes.
However, Hearns doesn’t believe he’d have gotten the knockout if they ever had traded blows in the same era.
Mayweather, who claimed the WBN Fighter of the Decade for 2010 to 2020 – awarded in 2021, is revered with the all-time best.
Thomas Hearns
Hearns was himself part of an everlasting legacy of fighters involved in the greatest rivalry of all time during the 1980s.
On what his strategy would be in a fight against Mayweather, Hearns told Lem Satterfield for Ring Magazine: “Against me, I would have to respect him.
“I think that he could go the distance with me. I would have to out-think him and definitely out-jab him. He’s a shorter man. So he can’t get to me.
“I would have to keep the jab on him and keep him at a distance. Force him to use his head movement all of the time.
“Somewhere down the line, I would probably hit him with a couple of right hands.
“I would probably get him with a good right hand if not an average right hand. If I was to go to the body, you know that might play into what he is probably trying to do strategically.
“I think that if I got closer to him trying to land a body shot, that would be what he wants. So I think that my best thing would be to stay on the outside and box him.
“But I think that he could go the distance with me.”
HBOFloyd Mayweather
Retiring in 2017 after an easy win over Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather is said to be considering another comeback in late 2022.
The exhibition offers remain constant for the 45-year-old, including one in Japan this fall.
It’s still a step-up from a ludicrous contest against a YouTube no-hoper. The whole event was simply a money-grab for his opponent, who is now a wrestler.
Even being outweighed by fifty pounds, Mayweather toyed with his foe but refrained from overcoming the challenge.
In the end, the fight was a draw.
Motorcity Cobra
As for Hearns, many brutal battles during his career have ruled out any possibility of returning to action for some time now.
The man fought tooth and nail with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Roberto Duran as part of the ‘Fab Four’ era.
Ending a five-year exile in 2005, Hearns won two bouts before walking away for good a year later. He’s now approaching 64 years old.
‘The Motor City Cobra’ completed his C.V with a 61-5-1 record. A benchmark any champion would be proud of, including Floyd Mayweather.
How could we ever forget that Mayweather retired on 50-0?
WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
