Pernell was my favorite fighter from the 90's. People that pressure Whitaker usually play right into his hands. I think that Duran is strong enough to make an exception. I pick Duran by decisions, and it is because of knock downs. People were capable of dropping Whitaker at times, and I think Duran may have been able to do it once or twice. Whitaker may win more rounds, but I think Duran would drop him and still be able to win on the cards. I will assume that the fight is 15 rounds, and under the 10 pt. must system. If he dropped Whitaker 2 times, in seperate rounds, and barring any point deductions for fouls; Duran could win 6 out of 15 rounds and still win the fight. That is if you don't score even rounds, score rounds with knock downs 10-8, and rounds without knock downs 10-9. I would probably go with one knock down, and winning 7 of 15 rounds. I don't think that you would see Whitaker really rattled by the knock downs, they would look like the several other times he has been down. I think Whitaker outpoints Duran at Welterweight.
Pretty hard to predict that fight. At lightweight, Duran was a monster. Power, speed, combination, chin, stamina, balance... he had everything at the highest level. Whitaker too was amazing at 135. Speed, combination, chin, stamina, slickness... had he been more powerful he would have been the greatest fighter ever. Whitaker wouldn't go for Duran, only one was able to do it and that was Heanrs at 154. He would apply the same strategy he used against Chavez at welterweight, outclass the opponent using footwork and jab. Problem is Duran was a better pressure fighter and much more dangerous at closing the distance. Whitaker could use his unbelievable reflexe to avoid most of Duran punches but he would get hit by some sooner or later. I would say later, cause Duran was more effective at the second part of the fight. Whitaker SD Duran. At lightweight.
I think Whitaker is quite a live underdog. After the Hearns match Emmanuel Steward said more than anything else it was Hearn's hand speed that bothered Roberto. Whitaker has this in spades but lacks Hearns big artillery. He's much better defensively tho and has excellent durability. Duran would be a 7-5 fave IMO, but Whitaker will make it interesting for sure.
No disrespect, but do you really see Duran stopping Whitaker inside the distance. That was proven to be a tall ask for most fighters (even greats like Duran was)
Whitaker recently said himself on ESPN just a couple of weeks ago that if he could choose a weight division to fight Duran it would be welterweight. That would be his best chance of beating Duran, at 147lbs. He said Duran was an animal at lightweight who sent chills down his spine. He also said he wouldn't rule himself out at lightweight, but welterweight he would have a better chance. I totally disagree with Whitaker. He was much faster at lightweight, and his reflexes were much sharper. He became more flat-footed as a welterweight. Even though he boxed and moved effectively against Chavez at welterweight, he was not quite the mover he was two divisions below. I'm pretty certain Duran would have a much better chance of hitting Whitaker more often at welterweight. He'd be able to get inside, and fight the kind of fight he wanted. Duran was relentless against Palamino and Leonard. Whitaker would cause Duran problems, but he'd take some heavy blows at some point. I feel Whitaker beats Duran at lightweight, but gets beaten at welterweight.
I see what you are saying Robbi, but I disagree. Since Whitaker is one of my favorites, I use to watch a lot on him. His trainer for much of his career, Georgie Benton, is responsable for the change that caused him to look more flatfooted. Whitaker became a living illustration of how Benton thought a fighter should perform. Using angles, and moving in a circle, but always within striking distance. Working off a jab, and effectively working the body. He also believed in using "dead weight" punches on your opponents arms when you are given nothing else. He said fighters should "work smart, not hard." They shouln't run around without reason, wasting energy for no reason. They shouldn't throw punches with nothing on them, just for the sake of doing so. They should waste as little energy as possible.
Duran shuts down any and all of Whitakers show at 135. If a ref like Johnny LoBianco is working the fight and actually lets the fighters fight Duran might stop him. At Lightweight Duran was the Greatest IMO. But heavier I pick Pea based on the loss to Benitez
No, actually I've followed Pernell's career since the 84 Olympics( I helped 139 J.Page get ready for same games) What I mean by the reference to "his show" was his boxing attribbutes. Other then Pep there has been nobody like him. Certian refs might allow Duran to mug him as they have allowed him to rough up others. If that were to happen I think Duran could stop him.
I do. I say a prime Alexis Arguello would have outboxed Duran and knocked him out in the late rounds, much like he did with Ray Mancini. Interesting. I was thinking just the opposite. I say Sweet Pea would have danced circles around Duran, but Duran as the more popular big-name fighter would have earned the decision. Do you mean Jose Luis Ramirez? Yeah he benefitted from a few terrible decisions, as did Julio Cesar Chavez. Check out the fight Ramirez - Manuel (Manny) Fernandez (Hernandez?). An out of shape Ramirez was completely outworked and outboxed by a no-name fighter, yet was gifted with a lopsided unanimous decision,