Who Could beat The Roberto Duran of 41 Years Ago Tonight?

I don't know about beat, but I'd like to see him against Mickey Walker or Kid Gavilan!

 

Emile Griffith

 

I don't think any Welterweight would have beaten Duran on that night.

 

Honestly quite a few beat him.

 

It would take a focused and ready R.Robinson or T.Hearns (Not because Hearns was a better fighter overall, those physical advantages would still be very hard for Duran to overcome at any weight) Any of the other great welter champs gets their ass handed to them, most of them would get stopped brutally.

 

Duran had too much for Hearns at that time. Too much experiance , the intensity he had at that time in his career was something you don't see very often. I don't think Tommy Hearns was durable enough to survive that. Leonard was one of tougher Welterweights the sport has seen. He had to dig deep to survive Duran. Ray even acknowledged that Duran was the only guy to ever hurt him go the body. That doesn't bode well for The Motor City Cobra.

 

Duran would run into the same issues he had at Jr.Middle against Hearns . That's closing the distance,
and I see the same results, maybe not as sudden, but same results. Sometimes some opponents
are just made to defeat a certain fighter. Hearns ran into the same issue against Barkley. Barkley wasn't on
the same planet as far as skills and talent, Yet he defeated Hearns twice, sometimes its just how
fighters matched-up. Hearns was simply all wrong for Duran.

 

New Orleans Ray Leonard would have beaten that Duran.

 

Hearns is all wrong for Duran at 147, 154 or any weight class

 

From this planet i would say no one.

 

Ray Robinson for sure. Just on another level. I also give Carmen Basilio a good chance. Emile Griffith too.

 

Watched that fight again. Duran is maniacally controlled. Leonard fought well but Duran was on a mission. It is a bit scary how he attacks for 15 rounds even though a tough SRL threw some great combos at him. Every break Duran set himself up and attacked , Hands flying, head weaving. Simply a bully in the ring. Could Hearns have stopped that? Not at 147. Not that night. Not at his developmental age.