Thomas Hearns was honest when asked how he would fare against one of modern boxing’s best.
The Tennessee-native burst onto the scene back in 1977 and would embark on an accomplished professional career which would stretch across four decades between 1977 up until his retirement from the sport in 2006.
Hearns would later become the first fighter ever to win world titles in five separate weight classes, a feat he achieved back in April 1987 when he defeated Britain’s Dennis Andries to capture the WBC light-heavyweight title with a 10th round stoppage.
He would end up playing a key role in one of the sports greatest eras during the 1980s as he would become one of ‘The Four Kings’, alongside former rivals Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
As with most champions, Hearns was confident in his abilities matched-up against anyone on the planet. However, speaking to Boxing News, ‘The Hitman’ hinted that former pound-for-pound great Floyd Mayweather Jr would have given him problems had he faced him during his career, as he claims his countryman was an ‘excellent’ fighter.
“I don’t know what would have happened between me and Floyd because Floyd’s an excellent boxer, you would have had two boxers trying to box each other, figure out who’s trying to do what, that’s kind of mind boggling when both minds are thinking the same, I don’t know.”
Mayweather is regarded as being one of, if not the greatest fighter of the modern era. The five-weight world champion took the sport by storm during the 2000s, defeating the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao before he called time on his career in 2017 with an unbeaten record of 50-0.
Whether or not Hearns, who was naturally the bigger man, could have pieced together the defensive puzzle Mayweather presented will be forever resigned to the fantasy fight category. Another man may have the chance to try soon, as Floyd has said he may enter talks for fight number 51.
