This content is protected What do you make of some of the stuff that Duran says here ? He talks about stuff like fighting in Panama, become the world champ against Buchanan, facing Leonard and Hagler, as well as about the latter's sudden passing, his partnership with Brown and Arcel, hypothetical match ups etc. He also says some things which might leave your average classic poster scratching their head, though. Like how Brown and Arcel didn't really teach him anything new, and that he had already learned everything important as an amateur (despite his amateur career being extremely short lived), how Arcel and Brown's era was more about strength than skill, and that Sugar Ray Robinson told Duran's eldest son (that probably didn't understand english) that Duran was a better student of the sport than him. Do you guys think he is being genuine, or he is just blowing smoke up his ass ?
I love Duran, hes my favoritte fighter and i think he has a case for being the greatest fighter of the modern/color TV/ ali and onward era. However he was never really humble was he? Still great to see him in good health mentally and physically
Decent interview, I believe the fight he is talking about where Robinson commented was the Barkley fight, I had heard before Robinson said he was amazed watching Duran beat Barkley because Barkley was so much bigger etc.
@George Crowcroft , @greynotsoold , @Tin_Ribs , @McGrain , @JohnThomas1 What say you ? Is Duran just blowing smoke up his ass, or is he being truthful in his statements ? I'm leaning to the former, since I disagree with some of the stuff that he says, but I'd like to see a few more perspectives.
He said that Brown and Arcel's era was much more about strength, and that he was more progressive than them when it comes to Boxing and that they didn't really teach him anything. I find that almost impossible to believe, both of them had worked with dozens of world class fighters for decades, who can be seen on film relying on skill and experience, and many fighters close to Duran's era praised these two as great Boxing minds. I'm having a hard time believing that a 20 year old Duran, who had a limited amateur and pro background by the time he met Brown and only knew of Boxing in Panama, had already managed to pick up all the things that Brown and Arcel did in so many years. Even Larry Holmes, who had sparred with Ali, was impressed by the things Arcel taught him. Not to mention, Duran can be visibly seen on film adding assets to his game throughout his career. The guy that assaulted Buchanan was clearly not the guy that dissected Palomino like a frog. It seems pretty clear to me that both Brown and Arcel played a key role to his development.
