He was a surgeon in there. I think #2 is a bit high though because his level of comp was pretty weak. Had he faced Chavez at Lightweight the fight would have been more meaningful. I think Duran wins a decision but if he is off a little it would tip over to SweetPea. It's close enough. Side note....Pernell Whitaker was one of the few Champions who actually paid attention to his trainer between rounds. I mean it looked like he was interested. Or maybe he was trying not to look at Lou.
I tell ya watching this garbage on showtime garcia/porter snorefest i just left to go to sleep in the 8th td. And next weeks ppv is $100. its time to count myself out. I dream of KOs in big matchups and the last 10 yrs it never happens.i think boxing is at its lowest point ever talent and watchabilitywise. Time to say. Good night!
At least you have stuck with it this long .. I gave up 10 years ago, couldn't tell you the champs in all the divisions today , not even close and really don't care .. kinda sucks
I felt sorry for the commenters trying to make those heavyweights interesting. Their trying to make a living in boxing.
I hear ya Morlocks...loud and clear. I'm totally apathetic to today's boxing scene. I think back to the 70's and to a lesser extent the 80's, when I would rush home by 4:30 on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and station myself on the sofa across from the Magnavox and anxiously tune in Wide World of Sports/CBS Sports Spectacular and endure the figure skating, the lumberjack competitions, the downhill, lesbian midget 30 meter slaloms, and whatever else they would open the show with...and then hear Humble Howie or Tim Ryan/Gil Clancy call one of those priceless fights with the greats of the 70's....and today, I couldn't give a rat's ass who fights....don't know who they are...don't wanna know. It's kinda sad, y'know? Well, really, it would be sad of I gave a damn.
@The Morlocks By the way,...I know how the slicksters, the boxers and movers gave Duran trouble in the post 1980 phase of his career...and I know that Sweet Pea Whitaker was a whiz band defensive genius, but we're talking about the 70's here now....and Dooran the lightweight.....and I'll say what I've always said about a Duran-Whitaker 15 rounder at lightweight in the 70's.....and that's that Duran would have hunted The Pea down relentlessly, remorselessly, and would have cut him down...something like a cross between what he did to DeJesus, Lampkin, or what he did to poor Leoncio Ortiz....remember that fight? Remember how Duran was light perpetual motion...how relentless and how he finally caught, executed, dispatched poor Ortiz? That's what he would have done to Whitaker. No matter how great Whitaker was, Duran was a Dempsey-ish, whirlwind of a killer at 135.
Hes my # 2 head to head . and if someone picked him to beat Duran ,they wont get too much of an argument from me.
Me too brother. Luckily I still do w/ my boxing collection. Those were great times indeed! Absolutely fantastic post. Completely captures what lightweight Duran was. Ortiz pounded on the ropes for 15 and KOd by a beautiful running uppercut. Lampkin who gave Duran trouble woke up in a hospital. DeJesus in 2 fights shaking his head in wonder at DURANS RELENTLESS SAVAGERY after being knocked out. Great posts friend. After last nights snoozefest today I will watch Duran vs. Suzuki great action fight and then Antuofermo-Hagler 1 which I find very interesting.
I just have always loved the sport. But just like football in college and especially NFL, the violence in the game is gone. They all are worried about getting hit and dont GO FOR IT. Their stamina in a short 12 rdr is embarressing and they act and ringdress like fools. That's why I bought all the career sets; my own. Private valhalla of boxing greatness.
Great posts by you and Morlocks... When the criticism starts coming in on Duran at 154 and up, that tells you how DOMINATE he was at LW, where he did the majority of his work. It's just that simple for me … The terror pressure of Duran is too much for even the great D Pea .. Duran stops him in the 13th - 15th for me
Whitaker wasn’t only a defensive wizard. He could flat out a fight. He had a mean streak. He wasn’t afraid to get dirty either.
His inside fighting is underrated. Stronger than he looks and puts together really nice combos. However, he couldn’t fight Duran solely on the inside and survive - Duran on the inside was just too strong, quick and heavy handed to try to match and better him there. If Pete fights this fight, he’d be lucky for a referee not to stop the fight late as although, strong and with a good chin, the impression of a Duran pouring it on versus a more drained Pete who could be dropped due to the habitual crossing of feet, an overcatious ref could very well end the bout. In this scenario it’s round 14 or 15. Pete’s best chance is using his movement and keeping busy with his jab, turning, shifting and upsetting Roberto’s rhythm and timing. I favour Duran but acknowledge that Pete was great and I think he has more than enough guts, nous and skill to see the final bell.
He cracked DLH ribs .. I think I had him winning that fight or thinking the cards were WAY to wide .. I watched it live on TV in Mexico in a bit of sketchy place and rooting for Pea .. probably wasn't smart but I survived