Roberto Duran vs Ismael Laguna, 135 lbs, Prime For Prime.

I have often thought this could have happened at a time in the early 70s when boths primes crossed for a brief time. I say Duran hands down, but really can't say how. Duran knocked out many of the best lightweights in the world, but Laguna doesn't really have a history of getting knocked out, right?

 

Laguna was never stopped IIRC but mostly came up short against the best he fought — Buchanan, Ortiz, etc.

He goes the distance with Duran, too, I think, and keeps it relatively competitive but not really close. Duran is a bridge too far for him.

 

I don't see him hurting Duran either, but I do think Laguna would make Duran miss a lot more than he's used to.

 

I would go with Duran by decision with both in their primes. However, there was a reported sparring session that I read about years ago of interest. Laguna, of course was near the end of his career with Duran, the young upstart, towards the beginning of his. It was reported that the young Duran took certain liberties with the veteran, trying to rough him up. But then Laguna switched to a higher gear to deal with the roughhouse tactics. The session was terminated when Duran came out of an exchange with a cut eye. The old guy still had a few moves in him.

 

I doubt it would have really happened, unless Duran needed it for the title. Laguna was a Boxing hero to Duran, as Duran repeatedly mentions in his autobiography. In fact, Buchanan's win over Laguna is one thing that spurred Duran to train so hard for that fight. With a young Duran, you can even see him copy his moves.

The sparring session was very interesting, as scar said, and Duran also mentions that in his bio.

 

Rough, what was Duran's take on the session? The piece I read on it was supposed to be from someone present in the gym when it took place. I'd be curious to hear Duran's version.

 

Been ages since I read it, but it's basically Duran saying he was an aggressive upstart and he had great respect for Laguna, who showed him what's what.

I recommend it. It's called 'I am Duran'.

 

Oh ya, I forgot Laguna was from Panama, maybe that's why they never fought.

 

darn! you stumped me

 

Duran by close decision, his respect for his hero possibly preventing him from being stopped.

 

Well, Duran didn't really kayo Marcel, Richard, although it was stopped. But the stoppage was very weird. Marcel wasn't hurt at all or in any kind of trouble. The ref just stopped it and raised Duran's hand iirc. Duran was winning the fight, though.