FIGHT OF THE WEEK 1- Duran vs Barkley

I'll watch this one layer tonight, if not in nothing but reverence for my old series.

If I'm remembering right, this had an honest shout as the best middleweight fight ever.

 

Duran was too intelligent for Barkley he held no bodily advantage not speed or power, brawn or enough stamina to note- He won that victory with his Ring IQ solely a master tactician and easily one of the most adaptive fighters of all time far from his home weight mixing it up with a natural LHW who would go on to win a minor title at HW. Roberto is easily one of the most accomplished LWs ever his chin cannot be denied in this one he was cartoonishly spun around with a left hook and stayed on his feet for not only the entire round but the entire fight.

This is one of the best P4P performances ever and is indeed worthy of study for any aspiring boxer- truth be told Roberto is a boxing bible and his career is a must to study every movement has scientific intent their is nothing wild about Duran and no movement is ever wasted.

 

Funny, MWs only by the scales, that night in reality was a bout between a boiled down LHW in his prime and an Old LW.

 

We scored this one in our original FOTW in 2018. Good fight, everybody had it close.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/fight-of-the-week-6-roberto-duran-v-iran-barkley.619603/

 

I cannot tell you how much Iran weighed but I think his frame suggests he was a very large man naturally- Far too large for MW.

 

I scored this not too long ago. Will look for my card. I remember thinking pretty late Duran ain't gonna take this on my card but damned if he didn't come back hard late.

 

Barkley was superb in defeat. "I did everything I was supposed to do, it was his heart, it just wouldn't go, it wouldn't go!".
Great respect between thesenl guys. Going in Iran made it personal. It wasn't personal to Duran. Barkley wanted revenge for the way Duran butchered Davey Moore. His childhood friend.
These guys didn't clinch one time I don't think. Warriors.

 

I like both of your cards @PhillyPhan69 and @JohnThomas1.

I had it 6-5-1 to Duran both times I scored it as well.

 

I think so. Certainly the best one on film. This would he my top 3 based on what I've seen:

1. Duran-Barkley
2. Toney-McCallum 1
3. Hagler-Hearns

Zale-Graziano 1 and 2 might be the two best that ever happened and they're the top 2 in my imagination at least, but if they ever turn up on film (in watchable form) then everyone will probably say they were overrated!