Hopkins or Duran, who was "pound for pound" better defensively?

There are not a lot of boxers in history that could have slipped the combinations that Ray Leonard threw the way Duran did. I'll have to go with him.

 

Don't get me wrong Hopkins is great defensive, but that's when solely based on defense.

Theh way Duran could defend himself when thinking sheerly about offense and getting inside to attack was incredible.

 

The fact that Hopkins was mostly more defensive-minded doesn't mean he was better defensively. Duran combined offense and defense in his attacks in a way few others have done.

 

Few is an exaggeration imo, he was that unique, (of course i'm a fan)

 

Pea i mean like an understatement

 

huh?

 

I've just been watching a lot of footage, and guys like Napoles, John Conteh, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Orlando Canizalez and others have been impressing the hell out of me.

 

oops was watching JMM-Pac so thats probably why

 

Hopkins got hit less, and was overall better defended during most of his matches. But take note that Hopkins usually found the safest spot to stand in the ring -- he did this brilliantly, away from wherever the danger may lie with his particular opponent for the day -- while Duran did the exact opposite. He was invariably in the line of fire, sometimes darting in and out, but definitely spent a significant portion of each fight in harms way.

Because of that, and because of how instrumental it was for Durans phenomenal success at higher weights, I pick Duran.

Funny thing to note that Duran is actually a fan of Hopkins. When asked who he thought was good very recently, he answered old man river.

 

Yeah great stuff, you like Conteh then Pea? Mantequilla have you high on him right now? What a legend

 

Thanks. Had it since May 2007.

 

Yeah, I've liked Conteh for a while, and more and more footage of him has been surfacing for all to see on Youtube. That site is really stacked with great footage these days.