Fight of the Week #6: Roberto Duran v. Iran Barkley

I'm confident that Duran won. The difference (as ever) in a fight like this was probably the knockdown. Had Barkley stayed on his feet and had I given the 5th as you did to Barkley it would have been a draw on my card. But even before the knockdown I felt Duran was edging it. I think Barkley got a bit sloppy as the fight went on and the more accurate punching was coming from Duran.

But great fight whatever the outcome and remarkable performances from both fighters.

 

Damn straight.

 

I thought Duran won the fight by 1 point or 2. Barkley lost the fight in the championship rounds.

 

Very interesting. On the three card submitted so far (thanks @Pat M @Jel @PhillyPhan69), we only have a unanimous consensus on a handful of rounds:

Duran: 1, 10, 11
Barkley: 2, 8

I'm hoping to score the fight tonight or tomorrow.

 

Round 7 both me and @PhillyPhan69 scored even. I was conflicted on that round but if I rescored it one way I'd probably score it to Barkley. That would make it 115-114 Duran on my scorecard, which doesn't change the result and I felt Duran won it but does reflect that it was a very close fight that could have gone either way.

 

I had it 115-113 Duran,, I thought the card that had Barkley winning 116 -112 was as ridiculous as the one that had Duran up 118-112

 

The wider the scorecard in a close fight like this, the more ridiculous it tends to look. I was a bit surprised looking back that the closest card was 116-113.

 

TBF some rounds were so close that I could see either card as a possibility.

 

I was a bit conflicted here and there in this one - LOL!

1 - Duran Big right hand at the end sealed it.
2 - Barkley Great body work.
3 - Barkley Very close.
4 - Barkley Close again.
5 - Barkley Good output.
6 - Even.
7 - Duran I thought he edged it with accuracy.
8 - Barkley Solid round.
9 - Duran Coming on.
10 - Duran
11 - Duran 10-8
12 - Duran

So i think that's about 115-113 Duran. I had Barkley up by 3 halfway and thought it might be his fight but Duran came on. It's a damn close fight. Duran 6-5-1.

 

Same overall tally that I had although we scored a few rounds differently.

I'd like to descend into cliché here and declare that boxing was the real winner in this fight.

 

I do find it funny that when critiquing fighters people will rip a fighter for a loss etc. and use that to justify why they are not good.

But a fight like this actually elevated both guys in my mind. I thought more highly of both of them after this. I agree boxing fans won by both of thier performances.

 

Do you have a link on their schlong measurements or is this just hyperbole ;-)

 

Absolutely agree. People still try to do down Duran's win over Leonard in Montreal - that's insane. Both fighters fought their hearts out in that one and gave performances that proved their own greatness more than people had previously realised.

That's when you know you've seen a great fight. You think 'I thought they were good, I just didn't know they were that good!' That's how I felt after watching Duran v Leonard for the first time and it's how I felt after watching this one again.

 

It’s funny and I don’t really know how to qualify it....but Barkley’s standing in my mind was elevated even in a losing performance. I thought of him as a crude slugger going into this but left impressed not only by his power but his skill level grew in my mind as well

 

Exactly - my image of Barkley was a guy who was getting the **** kicked out of him by Tommy Hearns before he winged a right hand on Hearns's chin. The other image I have us of him getting battered at close quarters by James Toney.

But in the Duran fight he showed good all-round skills and used the jab as well as the power he had. Definitely made me appreciate him more.