I mostly knew old man Duran. Best fight I saw him in live was the Barkley fight. I've seen the fights with Leonard & Hearns but I'd love to see some of his lightweight fights. What are some suggestions? I have watched the Buchanan fight but want to see more young Duran.
Anything you can get your hands on at lightweight. Doesn't matter who. Most of it was just raw carnage anyway. Definitely the de Jesús trilogy, if you've never seen those.
Someone already mentioned the DeJesus trilogy, good fights but what makes them stand out is the difference in Duran between fight 1 and fight 3. He was getting pegged with the left hook endlessly in fight one and then by fight 3 he had become the legend we know today, a man capable of doing what he did later in his life (Leonard, MW title etc.) The Marcel fight is good also
Al, totally agree with you on the difference between Duran 1 & 3. In '72 he was a wild-child. Very raw, wide open for a counter, which Dejesus obliged in fights 1 & 2. By the 3rd fight, he settled in to a sublime skill-set with underrated defense. I believe he peaked in that fight at 135 and then he was gone - migrating north to 147.
Money. There was simply more of it at 147. He did offer Pryor $750,000 to fight him and while that was happening Pryor was changing management and therefore didn't sign the contract right away and because of this hesitation, Duran moved on. But your right, he could have had a belt at 140 and at 130. (He fought for the 135 belt against Buchanan weighing 133.) I think he could have lost 3lbs.
If you want a young Duran on the rise watch the Kobayashi fight. One of his best performances I think.
The Lou Bizzaro fight where Duran chases him around until he knocks him out is beautiful. The Buchanan fight were he beats up a great champion is spectacular. The Palomino fight was a classic domination of a good fighter and former champion. Palomino had a granite chin and a Duran combination knocked him down.