You really just know absolutely nothing about Duran's competition at lightweight do you? If anything Roberto fought more backfoot fighters and movers then stylists that GreatA is getting us to think about..He was in actual fact quite proven against these types of fighters and a lot of people pick blokes like Armstrong and Williams over him because Roberto didnt fight enough high level bull strong infighters at the weight for them to be sure he could handle them. But I guess some facts can be left out if it suits you, cant they MAG.
There were several opponents in Duran's reign at 135 that came to survive and spent the entire night running around the ring, and, whilst he naturally didn't look great against them (nobody does), he got the job done and even found the stoppage on occasion. It also didn't seem to be taking a mental toll on him and he didn't get frustrated as he did vs. Leonard. He beat Viruet twice, and the fights with Bizarro, Fernandez and Zeferino Gonzalez are also illustrative.
I don't see Duran really struggling with movers at all, no more than most boxers do. The problems he had with Leonard were because he faced an opponent who could not only move but was younger, bigger, arguably as strong, atleast strong enough to handle Duran in the clinches the second time which Leonard said was very important, punched hard which made Duran hesitant and was extremely fast and skilled. 5'7 tall, 67" reach Duran is not going to outbox Leonard from a distance, he had to make a brawl out of it which he was able to do in the first fight. Boxers like Marcel, Buchanan, DeJesus, Viruet, Fernandez were all taken out by Duran. He proved in the higher weights that he could outfight just about anybody too, by taking on the likes of Barkley, Moore, Palomino, Cuevas. I see this translating into success at 135, it's not like he learned how to fight at 29. He always knew how to fight.
Yep, Durans fighting ability always seemed a very natural process. Like, Napoles looked a destroyer in the footage we have of him at Lightweight; but no doubt he still knew how to box as we saw him do at Welter.
beating Barkley was no big deal. Kalambay, Nunn,Benn and others beat Barkley easily at the same time. Duran was given the easiest guy to beat with the best style for him. That was not a great accomplishment. Some guys on here act like Barkley was Hagler or Hearns. Barkley beat Hearns but he was not Hearns. Hagler and Hearns beat Duran everytime. Duran was overrated at middleweight and at lightweight also. A great fighter, but still overrated. How many greats did he really beat ? One? And that fighter outboxed him and made him quit.
most fighters are not much different in 2 different fights. unless it is a big fight compared to a tuneup. Hearns vs. Leonard in the rematch was better than the Hearns who fought Kinchen, but that is what I mean about big fights. Barkley was not great, he was made for Duran. That same Duran would have lost easily to Kalambay and Nunn and looked terrible. But he would have had to follow those guys to beat them. Benn would have been a better style for Duran, but Benn was quick also. He might just stop Duran with quick punches. Barkley was the best style for Duran. Most other guys would have beaten Duran. Olajide's style would have outboxed Duran and won most of the rounds.
Who else did Duran make fight his fight who was great except Ray? And then Ray made him quit in the rematch. Leonard,Benitez,Hearns,Hagler all beat Duran. He does not have many wins against greats. Really only one. For a guy seen as so dominant and great his wins against greats should be more.
What's the main difference between kalambay, nunn, benn and Duran at that time MAG. Sad thing is, the first thign to spring to your mind will probably be that they are all underrated compared to him, or something like that.