If Duran Had Won The Last Couple Of Round Against Hagler..

Oh man the Duran adulation would be unbearable and I'm one of his fans.

He did great just hanging in there with Hagler I'd say.

 

Duran told Gil Clancy he just got tired those last couple of rounds. He had a much better chance if it'd been a 12 round fight

 

Always considered that fight a draw as Duran a natural lightweight was fighting at middleweight, 25 lbs above his best weight. He really confused Hagler a lot, had he been a natural middleweight he would've messed Hagler up bad. The dancing and near running Hagler did in the 11th round was ridiculous. This was a big win for Duran regardless of the official decision, the only guy who went 15 with Hagler as champ. It's also the fight where Leonard started thinking he might be able to beat Hagler as Duran exposed some holes, though Leonard still waited til '87 and then it was a 12 rounder.

 

Some thought Duran did outpoint him.

 

Your dad certainly believed so. I remember him posting about it a few times.

 

Would have made Duran an undisputed lightweight, lineal welterweight and undisputed middleweight champion. And maybe all-time P4P no. 1?

And Hagler would have been on the cusp of a top 10 middleweight spot if his reign (and career) ended there but it would be no means unanimous and much debated about how great he was. Not the top 5 lock he is now, that's for sure.

 

I used to watch the fight with him and Duran does appear busier and more accurate w counter punches in more rds. Hagler does nothing the 1st 2 rds of the fight. He took 11 off or 9. Whichever. Lost 12&13 big . That is 5 rght there. And I think also he lost at least 3 others. Duran counterpunches him to death. Watch after the Leonard fight in one of Marvs interviews and he is incredulous that Leonard won and says Duran hit him more and with more rght hands. I am a Hagler fan by the way. Unlike my father.

 

And remember that this was absolute prime Hagler, the monster from Sibbo and Scypion, not the slow, one punch at a time washed up slugger from the Leonard fight. Duran was FEARLESS.

 

It was a completely unexpectedly good performance by Duran (even factoring in the previous win over Moore). I personally had Hagler winning but there's no doubt Duran caused him all sorts of problems.

 

Then Duran would have won my card. I had Hagler up by 1 point. I always thought Hagler was not too effective in this fight, he just outhustle Duran down the stretch tp escape wth a close win

 

If Duran had pulled it off, we would be debating him being the #1 P4P fighter of all time, along with SRR.

 

I have that debate anyway. Duran was 25 lbs his best weight against Hagler, and did come back in 89 to win a piece of the MW title against an even bigger fighter in Iran Barkley. SRR for all his gifts, only challenged for the LHW title once and didn't make it, not even going the full distance.