Floyd Mayweather vs. Tommy Hearns: Former World Champ Uses Deontay Wilder Example to End the Debate

On November 19, 2005, Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought his first welterweight fight. Four months later, he would win his first championship belt in the division. But in that duration, on February 4, 2006, an era came to an end. One of the greatest boxers in history, Thomas Hearns, finally hung up his gloves.

Mayweather Jr. retired nearly a decade later. But many can’t help but pose an intriguing question. Towards the twilight years of his career, Hearns fought in the cruiserweight and lightweight divisions. However, he commenced his career as a welterweight. So what would have happened if the two greats had collided as 147-pounders? Who would have won? A former champion seems certain of the route this gripping square-off would have taken.

‘The Hitman’ tips up ‘The Money’: Shawn Porter

“Floyd Mayweather versus Tommy ‘The Hitman’ Hearns at 147. Who’s gonna take that one?” Now that’s a million-dollar question. But who would risk the answer? Both are boxing greats and living legends. Where one excelled as a defensive genius, the other relished pummeling opponents with a relentless attack. After spending nearly 20 years inside the ring, Mayweather Jr. retired with an unbeaten record.

Thomas Hearns, on the other hand, over an illustrious career faced defeats at the hands of other legends such as ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. However, Shawn Porter, a former welterweight champion himself, believes Hearns would have won the battle.

“It is what it is, y’all. ‘Hitman’ takes that. It is what it is.” He said this during the interview. He shared that he had gone through ‘The Hitman’s career right from his amateur days. Hence, according to Porter, he had never been as skilled as many expected him to be, despite all the boxing he had been doing since a young age.

‘Showtime’ said, “I, when I went back and watched a little bit of of ‘Hitman’s career, watched like how he is origins from the amateurs and stuff like that. I don’t, I truly don’t think, Tommy was as skillful as you would expect given how much boxing he had done at a young age.”

However, the fact remains that, like Deontay Wilder, he possessed that fatal right hand. And like the former heavyweight champion, Hearns was completely aware of how to use it for maximum benefits. More so, he had an amazing mix of both power and speed.

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Hence, in a nutshell, Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns would have won the match hands-down. “…but he knew what he was doing. A lot like, uh, Deontay Wilder. He just had this feeling on when to let that right hand go; um, he knew how to set it up, uh. He had speed; he, I mean clearly, he had power; yeah, ‘Hitman’ wins that fight. It is what it is,” said Shawn Porter.

Additionally, it should be noted that for all his lower-division appearance, Hearns was a six-footer with a 78-inch reach. The features helped him leverage his advantage subsequently in upper divisions such as super middleweight and light heavyweight. A masterful Mayweather Jr. would have successfully evaded and dodged ‘The Hitman’s scathing attacks. But then it would have become a question of—for how long, given the latter’s ferocity?

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What’s your take? Do you also agree with Shawn Porter’s assessment? Please share your view with us in the comments below.

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