Fights where Roberto Duran showed incredible legendary HEART

Obviously! Did you not read what we said about what Hagler said?

 

Well, yes.

 

Yes.

 

Notice Hagler would cross the street if he saw Roberto after that. Anything to avoid another punishment. He never gave Duran a rematch.

 

And it is right there in the boxing mags how he was obsessing over the fight even 5 months later.

 

Good Post I think if you replace Leonard with Benitez in Montreal, Duran UD's Benitez. I'd only favour Robinson and, maybe, Hearns over Montreal Duran.

At 154, Hearns and Benitez were able to grow in to the weight and improve, they were greater at 154 than 147, especially Hearns, and especially against a smaller guy like Duran.
Duran had some great fights post welterweight, but he was never a really great fighter above 147. He was too small and his disadvantages only became more apparent against atg's like Benitez, Leonard and Hearns, the higher the Weight those fight were made at.

The thing with Duran he could have been the greatest 140 pounder in my opinion, if he were so inclined, as well as 135 and top 3 or 4 at his best at 147. If he had taken a title at 140 I would have no hesitation calling him the best of all time. I think given his performances at 135 and 147 it's almost academic that he would have won something at 140, even still he is top 3 all time to me at the very least.

 

The sound of that punch tells me it wasn't a fix. Or if it was Roberto earned every penny.

 

After Duran gave up the Lightweight Title he could have made a pit stop at '40 and put away Cervantes but that isn't where the $ was at. Leonard was the Golden Goose but just the Welterweight title held so much more prestige than Jr Titles. I agree Cervantes would have been a good win but Roberto was at that stage where he wanted to be paid like the best fighter in the world, which we can all agree he was. Not to mention moving up to 47 and shutting out Palomino was in a true boxing sense perhaps even more impressive.

 

Just think how fearsome Tony Ayala was tho. Duran saw him approaching in the street one night (not that long prior to signing the Moore fight) and ran away from him.

 

To be fair, Cuevas was just about done as a top flight guy after the Hearns fight; he was coming off a layoff of over a year and a loss to Stafford when he met Duran. Not saying Pipino ever beats Duran, but taking a flush hook or two from the Mexican would have meant a little more when he was at his best.

 

Barkley fight is the first answer for me.

 

O bviously someone has partaken of a Lou Duva bull**** sandwich. Just like his PIPINO lie.

 

Whether one believes the story or not Ayala chasing Duran down the street actually originated from Ayala - Duva had nothing to do with it.

 

Saw some interesting quotes while perusing.

Bert Sugar - "It was great to watch Benitez fight. He could duck so much that all you would get was an ear. I remember sitting at ringside of that fight at Vegas and i was heard audibly and it was quoted in the papers by the Brits. I gave Duran the fifth round and he asked me why and i said i have to give him something.

Jose Torres thought that Benitez had not even had to extend himself to win, and saw "qualities Wilfred displayed in this match that only a conscious quest for perfection could produce......His control was absolute".

High praise.

 

And a lie like everything else the ****** said. It goes along w Emmanuel Stewart calling down to Tonys dad in early 82 saying neither fighter should mention the other in interviews.
Duva himself said in 82 he and rapo were in NY city one night and they saw Duran and friend coming down the sidewalk. They called to him and Duran came over and got right up on Tony and when Duva said they would fight one day, Duran said with malevolent intent and inflection, "Yes. We will!".
Duran would have killed Ayala. Maldonado had him out w/ 1 punch. Duran would tear that fatass up to the body and KO him in 4 rds at the most. Ayala will barely hit Roberto and when he does his body punches will do no damage and he be backed up, then run over. I wouldn't be surprised if rapo comes out in the first trying to press the fight and gets decked and stopped right then. Ayala was not a second coming of Duran & the Duran would prove this in a brutal fashion.