Is Iran Barkley underrated/overlooked?

Yeah, he is a bit. It fought a load of tough fighters even before he won a title.
I don't feel he gets enough credit for the Hearns KO at all. Then again, a lot of people almost act as if Hagler's 3rd-round-KO of Hearns was almost a fluke too. I guess this is a result of Hearns being overrated, or favoured.

 

No. Close fight but Duran edged him, especially in the Championship rounds and with the knockdown.

9,10,11,12 are clear Duran rounds. You can't give up the last 4 rounds in a 12 rounder decisively, get knocked down, and call robbery. One judge's card was a bit much, but Duran deserved the nod.

The press all scored it for Duran as well. How the hell was he robbed?

atsch

 

Tough one dimensional fighter, who studied voodoo to beat Hearns...

He gets more than enough kudos.

 

Barkley is under-rated. He beat Hearns twice and gave Duran a tough fight. His loss to Duran, though, was legitimate. Iran was a tough guy and a crowd pleaser.

 

I forget after which fight it was, but I think it was Jim Lampley interviewing the Blade, who asked what his plans were now that he had won the fight…

"Rob your house!"

 

He may be. He beat Hearns twice let's not forget, and gave (an admittedly old) but superb Duran the fight of his life. I had it for Barkley by a point in the only time I scored it many years ago. No argument about the decision though...it was razor thin either way.
He also beat much faded Coetzee in a heavyweight clash.
He also looked more convincing against Kalambay in a losing effort than Mike McCallum did. So yeah, he did some damage alright.

Overall, I think his legacy suffers a bit because of his one-round capitulation against Benn, and the general sentiment that he caught lightning in a bottle against Hearns in the first fight.

But still, one big, tough SOB with some underrated skills I think.

 

Let us not also forget, most felt Duran was a decade past his pomp and did not stand a chance against the man coming off flattening Hearns...

 

Also gave Nunn the fight of his life at a time when Nunn was considered lb4lb #1. Was arguably the unofficial reigning WBC/IBF middleweight champion going into the Benn fight!

He was officially WBC, WBA and IBF champion at three different weights which really isn't that shabby for a seemingly one-dimensional street fighter.

 

Maske proved to be his better by a country mile.

Praise to Maske.

 

Barkley was a dead man walking by then! Iran was at his best around '85-'86 beating so many top operators like Kinchen, Tinley, Scypion etc. The Robbie Sims and Sanderline Williams fights were unbelievable wars. What he did to 'the next big thing' Olajide was highly impressive! What he did to Hearns, even more so!

 

He was a mere two years from beating Hearns and Van Horne. And Maske was all of 3 years younger.

Hail Maske.

 

You absolutely can.

Not saying that is the case with Duran vs. Barkley specifically, but that logic is terrible. If you swept the first eight clearly, then yes it can be a robbery even losing the last four and getting knocked down.

Hell, technically if you swept only seven clearly (provided they were very clear) it can be a robbery.

 

People act as thou Haglers KO of Hearns was a flukehuh WTF, Hagler almost decapitated him, see the way Hearns fell to the floor after Hagler smashed his SKULL, fluke my ass.....

I suppose the same fools thought Leonards KO of Hearns in the 1st fight was a fluke too when Ray was blasting Mr chinny spaghetti legs all over the ring in the 13th and 14th rounds way back in 1981:yep

Hearns will always be remembered as a poor mans Leonard because he didn't have Rays chin, Legs, Stamina and superior physical strength....

 

Barkley was a pretty good scrapper, BUT Duran clearly won without controversy:deal...

I picked Iran to beat Toney in 93, and the beating Barkley took was disturbing..