How did you guys score the fight? My friend says he had Barkley ahead by 2 rounds and couldn't believe the decision. What do you guys think.. and how did you score the fight?
It was very close, but Duran pulled away at the end with the knockdown. In other words, I pretty much have it the same as most. I thought both men performed exceptionally well.
Barkley was made for Duran. A guy who did not move and sat in the center and bombed away. Duran edged this fight I thought with the knockdown. It was a great fight, but I fight I predicted Duran would win.
I had Duran winning by at least three points. I thought he won relatively clearly. He sweeped the last few rounds and scored a hard knockdown. Awe-inspiring performance. A great fight.
Hearns and Duran were the same quality fighter. Greats. A little different. I never said Hearns was made for Hagler. Fact is most champions in 1988/1989 would have beaten Duran completely. Nunn, Hearns (rematch), Tate,Kalambay. Duran got a guy who was made for him who came off a great win against a great fighter. But if you ignore the Hearns fight where Barkley won the title, at that point he had not beaten anyone really of note.
By your reasoning King Kong had a style tailor-made for Duran, but Duran would have no business being in the same jungle as him. "...If you ignore the Hearns fight..."? Only a revisionist would even suggest that.
As for revisionism. With Duran, people build up Buchanan and Barkley further than what they were. Barkley had a good win against Hearns. But his career other than that was mediocre. At the time Duran barely beat Barkley, guys like Kalambay and Nunn were beating him relatively easily and Benn stopped him in one round.
I had Duran by 2 points. I don't think having Barkley by a point or two is a bad scorecard. It was a very good fight.