Best MW version of Duran vs current GGG

The things that are hardest to assess are the mental game -- Duran often got into opponents' heads, and in-ring he often had guys eating out of his hands as he fainted them out of position and then worked his savage magic.

Firepower-wise, size-wise ... Duran shouldn't be able to compete with GGG.

And probably couldn't if we go modern day-before weigh-in rules where GGG is surely closer to 170 in the ring, whereas Duran probably comes in at closer to 157 and stays around that weight.

But if he wins the mental game, maybe he boxes and mesmerizes his way into a close fight as he did with Hagler. And if it's a 12-rounder ... I doubt it, but maybe, just maybe.

 

GGG would win solidly for mine.

 

Well,,Duran was ahead on 2 cards in the Hagler fight after 12, he lost 2 of the last 3 rounds, and I put Hagler a notch above Golovkin right now.The Duran who fought Hagler might lose a 12 round fight, but? as you say, I don't know! GGG isn't as strong as Hagler inside nor would he have the immense reach advantage Marvin had 75 to 67. I don't know

 

I really love both of these guys, but Duran was a small middleweight and Golovkin is going to have a massive size advantage over him. Duran was also much better at the lighter weights.

If GGG came in swinging, Duran would totally slip and roll and use all sorts of clever tricks to frustrate Golovkin and fire back. If Golovkin fought disciplined from behind the jab, and worked the body in close, I just can't see it ending well for Duran. He's just too small imho, and GGG hits too fragging hard.

I see it competitive at the start (maybe Duran wins the early rounds) but towards the end the size and power difference begins to tell and the last rounds are going to be one way traffic.

Duran was good enough to give GGG a hard and frustrating fight, and, if Golovkin wasn't firing on all cylinders, he could win. But all things being equal, GGG in a UD, I think.

 

Good post by Contro btw.

 

Duran was crafty. He could make u miss and punish you for it. The best version of mw Duran could really push Ggg and make him pay for any hesitation or mistakes. He stood up to Hagler and barkley so I believe he can pull off the win. He has to keep moving, makin ggg miss and counter. Use all that experience and he'll out point him. But if he tries going head to head macho crap he'll be battered by ggg. It's a winnable fight , I honestly believe it.

 

I agree it's winnable,adding the fact that Duran had fought the best fighters in 5 divisions and GGG would have fought no one even remotely as experienced and skilled

 

You couldn't put anything beyond Duran, really. It would be an intrigue because Duran was not invulnerable at the weight and GGG, thus far, has not fought anyone close to having Duran's all-round skillset.

I think, if there is a definite 'cause-and-effect' pattern to Golovkin's work (only some of the OP's insights immediately jump out at me) then Duran is certainly the skillster, who could capitalize on that pattern to win rounds.

The size issue would always be a challenge for Duran but, it's not like it was a factor that he didn't adapt to, often successfully - over many years.

Duran is not the favorite here but, he could be considered a value-for-money bet.

 

Golovkin stops him.

 

Tough fight to call. I'm not sold on Triple G, and I think he's little overrated based on who he's actually fought. That said, it would still be a tough fight for Duran to win. His stamina wasn't as good as he moved up, and GGG would take even more out of him with his body attack. It would look much like the Hagler fight in that Duran would be landing the cleaner blows, but GGG would be landing more and working more.

 

I actually like Duran's chances better if he comes in around 152.

And if you make GGG weigh in on the day of the fight as was done in Duran's days, would probably take a bit of starch out of him and make him more cautious and in a energy-conserving mode

 

I don't think there have been many MW's stronger than Hagler and Barkley was 6ft 1.5 and a imposing fighter.......I think its a chess match...I think the 1983 Duran sneaks a 12 round points win with clever counter punching and pivots and sneaks

 

Look, I'm hardly writing Duran off, and if he won it would be in an epic performance that would go down in the books as a classic. Just seems to me that Golovkin is so darn good and big, and with such solid fundamentals, that he'd manage to make that size count. I rate GGG > Barkley by a bit, btw.

P4P, I favour Duran but at the lighter weights a few extra lbs seem to make a big difference.