Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns are not only viewed as two of the best fighters of all time, but also as two massive punchers.
Duran was a four-weight world champion at lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, and ended his career with a mammoth 103 wins from 119 fights, with 70 of those wins coming by knockout.
Hearns was the first boxer in history to win world titles in five divisions, reigning at welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light heavyweight, and his final record stood at 61 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw, with 48 victories by knockout.
Hearns and Duran met themselves in June 1984, with ‘Hitman’ claiming a second round stoppage victory at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to retain his WBC light middleweight title.
One man who has experience of fighting both men is former three-weight world champion Iran Barkley, who held world honours at middleweight, super-middleweight and light heavyweight.
Barkley fought Hearns on two occasions, winning one of them by third round stoppage and the other by split decision, whilst he was beaten by split decision when he went up against Duran.
Having shared the ring with each of them, Barkley revealed to Ring Magazine who he deemed to be the hardest puncher he faced.
“Hearns’ power’s unbelievable. He was a lot stronger than I thought he was for a slim guy.”
Duran and Hearns were both part of the legendary ‘Four Kings’ alongside fellow greats Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler, and Hearns once ranked those rivals from best to worst.
