I understand your point...Duran was up and coming..he beat Buchanan..he did the right thing by moving on....enough said
I notice a lot of people base their opinions of Duran on his dominance of the lightweight division. There is no doubt that it was at this weight that he was at his best, but at the end of the day, he cleared out that division, and ultimately moved up in weight. For a moment let's now switch our attention to a modern day great - Floyd Mayweather. Started of at super featherweight, and moved right up to being the dominant force right up to welterweight. Let's go back to Duran. He started as a featherweight, and went on to dominate the lightweights like no one has ever been able to do either before, or since then. He jumps to welterweight, light middleweight and even middleweight. At those weights, he fought fought opposition who are remembered as some of the greatest this sport has ever seen. You only have to look at how hard he pushed Hagler, this guy started as a featherweight and he pushed possibly the greatest ever middleweight to his absolute limit. A little while later, he destroys Iran Barkley. Lets flip back to Mayweather for a minute. He is, unquestionably the best p4p fighter of his generation, but lets just put things into perspective here for a minute. Let's find a modern day fighter of similair stature, and ability as Marvin Hagler, the only one that comes close is Bernard Hopkins. How do you the Floyd would fair with B-hop? Or even Hagler for that matter? Every one harps on about how great Duran was at lightweight, and i'll even say myself that the lightweight version of Roberto Duran was the best, pure boxer in history, in my own opinion of course. And as great as he was at lightweight, to solely judge him on what he done at lightweight is selling the great man a long, long way short. What this guy went on to achieve in his career is simply unthinkable for any of today's fighters.
As you mention, it was the both parts of his career that make him so great. Winning the Lightwt title at 22 and cleaning out the division and reigning for six years. That alone would have been worth a serious mention. But then, to move up when he was close to 30, and beat one of the greatest WWs ever (second greatest alltime, IMO) and then on up to Jnr Middlewt and beat the undefeated Davey Moore (ruined him a la Calzaghe Lacy) and then give One of the greatest ever middleweights all he could handle. Not done yet, he went on to beat Iran Barkley and hold a title in a fourth weight class, spanning 135 - 160. These two great careers rolled into one, the quality of the resume and the length of his career, coupled with his style of carrying the fight to his opponent and his great head-movement defence, rank him in my top 10.
WiddowMaker How did Leonard not fight his fight? Leonard was bigger, younger, stronger, faster than Duran? He wanted to brawl and he had the right too. He lost.
I can't speak for anyone else,but of this I am certain.From 135-147 at any of those 3 weights,he would have absolutely demolished both Hatton and Pacquiao quite possibly on the same night.He is the best fighter and lightweight that I've ever seen.Power,quickness,handspeed,boxing ability,iron jaw,high boxing IQ,even a master at fighting dirty.Simply the best.Nobody did it better.
The funny part is that he actually debuted at BANTAMWEIGHT,but quickly grew out of that,as well as featherweight.Absolutely incredible.
I think Duran was the best lightweight of all time. If he had trained hard his entire career he would have been ever greater.
Farmboxer I agree. No ducking anyone at pretty much any weight around him. Pure warrior who wasn't scared of anyone
Good stuff guys. I really didn't know much about Duran but know a bit more after reading this thread.