Pick A Featherweight to step up to Lighweight To Take Beat Duran

I don't think there was a featherweight who could have beaten Duran. One could argue in favour of Henry Armstrong, but he was barely a featherweight and more of a lightweight anyway - but I don't think he'd beat Duran. Duran's right uppercuts to the body (a largely unnoticed Duran technique) would slow Armstrong down for perhaps the first time in his career and pave the way for more punishing blows to the head. I don't think steady, bombarding pressure is the way to beat Duran, who was probably the craftiest infighter of all time, and whose power, stamina and strength could rival Armstrong's. Basically, it's Duran's superior skill that wins it. By decision.

A fighter who matched Duran for 'skill' and might have even been superior is Willie Pep. Having a hunch that Duran had problems with movers, it's not completely out of the question to imagine a wizard like Pep scraping a victory. But in all seriousness, what has he got to offer? It's not like Duran is a mere bull who was susceptible to being outsmarted - he roughly equalled Pep for agility, stamina, speed and skill, but was bigger, stronger, harder punching and more durable. Pep has the style here, but not the substance. I would expect a raging Duran to stop Pep in the late rounds.

 

Liar. You would have said 'Um Bongo.'

 

Other options like Sandy Saddler and Kid Chocolate just wouldn't have worked. Saddler might have been rough enough to give Duran something to think about, but Chocolate would be totally outgunned (which is a shame to say because he was magnificent, if unfulfilled). Salvador Sanchez doesn't seem like a bad choice, but this is Duran. He had too much of everything.

 

Whitaker has the style and the substance.

 

You know I disagree with that.

 

i totally agree with that almost down to the bone he was quick was hard to hit great on the inside great on the outside was the same hieght and reach of duran that bothers me:think becuase duran may looked like slow and ponderous against speedstars but he was no fool and at lightwieght he was damn quick

 

Henry Armstrong is the best bet.

 

I agree with I am Legend. I don't think Saddler can do it, but he probably has the best chance.

 

Could be an absolute longshot, but how about Young Griffo?

He stepped up from the featherweight ranks and got the better of the two best lightweights of his day, Jack McAuliffe and Kid Lavigne (got dudded both times though with the decisions). He held his own in a bout with Joe Gans as well, (though he was pummeled in susbequent bouts near the tail end of his career). Griffo had a great defense, and was pretty rugged as well, so perhaps he could do the unthinkable.

 

Well, the best way to do this is to look at the style that gave Duran the most trouble. Obviously, Duran's worst nightmare throughout his entire career was Thomas Hearns, so it would be a featherweight who resembled him the most. The closest thing to that at featherweight IMO is Sandy Saddler. He was 5'-8", which is freakishly tall for a featherweight. He had a telephone poll-like reach, and tremendous power like Hearns, so if I were to pick a featherweight to beat Duran it would be Sandy Saddler. Now, whether he would beat Duran is another story.:good

 

Alexis Arguello is another close match, especially in so far as height and punching power goes. And he has great lightweight credentials to boot.

 

I doubt it. If Alexis couldn't beat Pryor, then he has little chace of beating Duran.