Steward, who trained Hearns, didn't mince words about the outcome. He said:
"I have no doubt in my mind, out of all respect to Mayweather for doing what he's did and what he's accomplished, that he would never be really a serious threat to me with Thomas Hearns."
Steward backed up his claim with solid reasons. He pointed out that Hearns was much bigger physically. He also noted that Hearns never struggled against technical boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfred Benitez, and Virgil Hill. Steward highlighted Hearns' great left jab as another advantage.
Hearns, known as the "Hitman," fought in the 1980s, often called boxing's golden era. He won world titles in five weight classes and was part of the legendary "Four Kings" along with Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Sugar Ray Leonard. Hearns faced many legendary fighters and only lost a few times before retiring in 2006.
Mayweather, on the other hand, retired in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record. The pound-for-pound star beat top fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, and Manny Pacquiao.
While we'll never know for sure who would win, Steward's opinion adds an interesting perspective to this fantasy match-up debate.