I think the answer depends on the reason Alexis lost to Pryor because at lightweight Duran fought a lot like but with more tact, maybe Alexis wasn`t as good at light welter, I read the ring magazine when they said Alexis would have been rated higher than he was if he could of made one of those right hands count against Pryor depends on whether a lightweight Duran could absorb a shot like a light welter Pryor but Duran`s defense in the third DeJesus bout was great and at welter Leonard said he was shocked how Duran easily got underneath his punches. Reach could be a factor Duran struggled with fighters with a long reach like Alexis (Hearns Hagler) plus Argeullo could bang with his reach, it could go like the Hearns fight but no way could Alexis finish Duran in 2 rounds.
This is a fight that was talked about a lot over a number of.years .would of been awesome all that latin pride and national revelry .I think Duran would win a late stoppage in terrific fight.pity it was never made.
Alexis had trouble with swarmer's and with fighters he could not dictate the range with. Duran is just to good on defense and has perfected closing the range on taller fighters. Alexis would try to stay on the outside and box, but did not have the lateral footwork needed to keep the fight in the middle of the ring. With almost any other fighter Arguello could out general his opponent and impose his will. This could start a lot like the Buchanan fight for Duran, but Duran would get in range faster than with Ken. Duran had very fast hands, and would start to land flush. Arguello had much better power than Ken Buchanon so he could get Duran in trouble in the first 4 rounds, but by that time Duran will have his measure. Duran will batter Alexis mid rounds, and start to dominate, but Arguello would be landing some concussive blows to the body of Duran . Duran will slow down enough in the last 3 rounds ( 12-15) and Arguello would began to even the trades and fight. Duran would sense he had the fight won on points and began to box in the last 3 rounds staying away from a badly mauled but still dangerous Arguello. Arguello wont have enough to catch and capitalize on the break, and the last few rounds would be a coin toss. Duran wins a UD, and moves on, but he will always consider Arguello one of his toughest fights.
I like Duran late also. Hearns had the height of a light heavy with the reach of a heavy. Hearns also took his power all the way up to light heavy. He was a freak of nature between welter and Jr. Middle. Other than height he really insnt a great comparison to Arguello. Hearns hand speed was also better than Arguello respectively. And that would be the difference with a Duran vs Arguello fight. Arguello was about the same height as Leonard. A much easier reach for Duran to handle. Duran was a better fighter in almost every stage of the game compared to Arguello. Superior foot speed, hand speed, defensively, power at that weight a push. It all adds up to a late stoppage or unanimous dec for Duran.
Why didn't this fight ever happen was it because Duran moved up to 147, and skipped junior welterweight?
The fight was being built up during 78. Arguello had not long won the 130 pound title and Duran was on the verge of leaving 135 forever. Arguello and his camp were talking Duran and a picture emerged at some point of Duran holding his right fist up at an Arguello photo. Trouble was when Arguello popped around to around 135 to see how he carried the weight he lost to Vilomar Fernandez in an extremely uninspring effort. Tho his camp said it did not affect a Duran fight it almost definitely did, and off went Duran to 147. Most at the time believed Duran would have put himself thru the strain of making 135 one more time if Arguello had beat Fernandez which would have kept it in "Superfight" territory.
Duran had such a slippery defense. Arguello wouldn't be able to connect on those clean shots the way he did with Pryor. ETM would find Duran an elusive target. When Alexis does miss he had Duran on top of him with either hand punching. Duran also has quicker hands and faster footwork. Alexis Arguello is one of the greatest fighters of all time but this is a bad matchup for him stylistically.
True....and Arguello would pound Duran's body....and looking at some of Duran's fight films, Duran didn't like that because up to SRL, few tried to do it.