The '79-'80 version of the welterweight Duran against one of the greats. One of the hardest fights to pick a winner, in my view...How would this fight play out? This would be a fantastic fight... 15 rounds at the Orange Bowl in Miami,Fl.
50/50, and I'll keep it at that. Though if I actually think if I had to favor anyone, it would be Gavilan.
I honestly think that this would be my favorite 'dream fight' of all time. Both have stylistic offensive and defensive tendencies to push and to counter each like no other opponent ever would. The exchanges that would take place in this fight would be incredible. Facing a motivated Duran at this time frame was like facing a raging torrent, his sheer will was almost palpable and the ferocity that he fought with the intention to destroy the opponent in front of him, was just amazing...Duran may have been just barely past his best physically, but in regards to his experience in the ring, and the physical speed he still retained from lightweight in this brief period, he may have been the most complete fighter he had ever been at this stage(?) Looking at Gavilan's fights, you can just see the joy he has for fighting, the flashiness and speed of his combinations, and his willingness to meet anyone he ever faced, head to head and toe to toe....with an indomitable will to push and sustain a torrid pace of fighting...There is a credo among Cuban boxers to never give up in a fight. This is one of the hardest fights to breakdown (IMO) and then try to pick a winner. Gavilan is adept at fighting at any range; inside, midrange, and on the outside...There appears to be nowhere in the ring where he is not comfortable and where he does not excel. The Kid can be pinpoint accurate on the perimeter, using a very fast left jab to score and find distance for his hooks. On the inside he is accurate as well, Gavilan is amazing with his ability to split his opponent's gloved guard with tight uppercuts from either the left or right side when in clinches...This skill is going to keep Duran from dictating on the inside...Gavilan appears to be the faster fighter with both his hands and footwork, however Duran is quick enough to offset any speed advantage Gavilan may enjoy...and one more thing (IMO) I don't think Duran will have to look for Gavilan, the Kid might come looking for him at times. Roberto Duran, although coming up from lightweight may still have a slight strength edge, and pack more power in his punches, and he is the better body puncher. A key point to make is Duran may hold the edge in defensive head movement, and rolling with punches...but Gavilan isn't too far behind... Scenarios? If Gavilan makes the mistake of attempting to time Duran with lead left hooks, as he often did against other opponents, Duran will shift to his left with hard left and then right hooks to the body. But one of the traits of Gavilan, is the ability to counter Duran, even on the inside, with his accuracy and the sheer volume punches he would throw....I believe Gavilan owns the advantage at a distance with his speed and combinations, when he does attack Duran (and he attacked everyone), Keep in mind that Roberto is very accurate with right hands against aggressive opponents...BUT Gavilan just may have the best (or one of the best) chin in welterweight history...I don't think he gives any pause to the Kid...If Gavilan kept attacking Robinson, he'll keep pressing Duran if he wants to. Therein lays the story of the fight (IMO), both fighters do everything well, Duran will score the harder blows in the exchanges with better overall defense,while Gavilan will be throwing more punches, and will sustain the action harder...Damn tough fight to pick. Gavilan by SD. Who do you like? C'mon people! Sweet Pea always steps up to the plate. Anybody else? How about Gavilan against Burley? Another very difficult fight to predict (I keep flip flopping)....Walker? I think Gavilan would be able to begin and end exchanges with Walker at welterweight beating him to the punch in most instances to a decision win.
Wish more people would attempt to answer your questions mate, for they are good ones indeed. I'm tempted to go Gavilan here. I think he is stronger than Leonard and has a better inside game as well, which will counteract two key strengths of Duran's which he used to get the better of Leonard in Montreal - his strength and inside fighting ability. I can't see Gavilan being bullied on the ropes like Leonard was. It will be close all the way, but I see Gavilan pulling it out by a couple of rounds. Having said this, I DO have Gavilan-Williams in the back of my mind, and had I seen their first fight for myself, I may think differently....
Great post, just great. You have more or less broke everything down, not much more to say! I believe Gavilan to be one of the best combination puncheres in the division's history. And he could do everything, but i do class him as an attacking fighter, he would box, but as you say, you could see how much he luvd the fight, he enjoyed showing off them combos, and with 1 of the very finest chins p4p ever, he didny mind being on the offensive. For him, i believe a good offense was a great defense. Duran, imo, had (at his peak) what i consider as close to a perfect fighting style as has ever been. Im not saying that he was the perfect fighter to employ such tactics, but sinply the style he used was close to that, and he was one of history's very highest tier caliber of pugilist. His style, walking forward, standing upright, slipping punches, and making it look easy. He and his opponent could both throw a complete combo on the inside, all of his punches would land, and his opponent's would miss, and these were the type of hard punches that would finish the fight, amazing. The fight- there's no chance of a stoppage in favour of Duran, and not the other way either imo. Gavilan won't have that type of power here. Gavilan really can do it all, and on the inside, where i see a lot of this fight being, this is so hard to pick, the pace would be torrid, like most of these 2 fighter's fights, so both will be content with that. As good as Gavilan was with the combos, we will see some defensive mastery from a motivated Roberto here, though nowhere near enough to make the fight easy to judge. Gavilan will win rounds by showing some of the best flashy combos ever seen, he will surprise Duran on the inside with his ability to outland with hooks and uppercuts, but when he steps up the pace even more, Duran will come into his own defensively, and begin to throw the punches that would tear a lesser man up. And he could land rights and hooks on Gavilan's way in. Im picking Duran, because he's my guy, but this is 50/50, and i can see Gavilan by decision! I think Gavilan could nbeat Walker on his best day, Walker will be stronger, but will be there, and Gavilan aint getting stopped with superior strength in that one. I dont think Burley couuld counter Gavilan either, but he would have a chance if he's awkward enough and heekps his jab ramrod-like mixing it to head and body. But i see Gavilan aswell there
A question about Duran. Was Duran the best "pocket" fighter of all time? It seems to me if you stood in front of Duran, he would beat you. Is there any fighter that is better than Duran at this middle distance?
Its hard to say , but i certainly consider his 'in the pocket style' to be of the most effective ever. I dont think he was beatable at his best in the pocket.
Duran was probably the best defensive fighter in close, at least as far as efficiently slipping and countering goes. Gavilan was more versatile than Duran at this weight(and at his best-vastly more experienced than Leonard). I would lean slightly twards him, but expect he would have come off worst in protracted inside exchanges.
Good post Teeto, and props to the OP for the breakdown and for the topic because it isn't easy to break this match down. My two cents: Its very difficult for me to put Gavilan into a category such as attacking fighter, counter-puncher, or boxer, mainly becuase he was adept at doing all of this. I do agree with you however that he did love at some point in every fight to slug it out a little with his opponent. I have see all of the Gavilan footage on youtube, in addition to the Buker, Turner, Bratton II, and Janiro II matches-- and it becomes harder for me to pin his style down the more I watch. He plays the preasure fighter against Buker when he suspects Buker can't handle it. He plays the boxer against Janiro picking his man off from range behind the jab until he has him ready to go. He plays the counter puncher and brawler against Turner who confronts him with a style and fortitude similar to his own. My point in this is that he was so versatile in the ring and seems to fight a style of his picking depending on what each fight dictates. Against Duran, I see him playing the boxer and engaging Duran- even brawling with him in spurts to gain his respect. Although he was a great preasure fighter when he chose, Duran was even better. So as I said he would box him, counterpunch and brawl in spurts. His tenacity and chin would become apparent to Duran and it would be a great, great match. I do believe that Gavilan would carry the day though with a close decision, for all the reasons I mentioned and through greater activity in the later rounds. God bless these two great fighters, this would have been a great one!
Thanks acb, good post by you there aswell. Gavilan certainly could do it all, a warrior in the highest sense of the word. I think the consenus here is that Gavilan would probably just about take this welter bout, in one of those bouts were you just cant believe what you have witnessed afterwards!!
I like Gavilan in this one, but I wouldn`t wager on it though. I can`t add much to this debate that hasn`t already been mentioned, save for one thing that I feel has been overlooked in this matchup, and that would be the psychological tactics that Duran would have likely employed leading up to the fight. Roberto was no dummy and he would know that his best chance at victory would be to have Gavilan stand and trade with him, and this is why I believe he would have insulted him and questioned his manhood to such an extent going into the bout that Gavilan would have been out for blood come fight time. This is mere speculation of course, but I do believe it is a very plausible scenario and in such a fight I would favour Duran because as Mantequilla stated I do not see Gavilan getting the better of protracted inside exchanges and coming out on top. But if Gavilan stays focused and doesn`t get suckered into brawling with Duran for prolonged periods and elects to play the matador to Roberto`s bull and flurrys with combinations and bolos in the last 30 seconds of each round as he often did, I see him winning a close but clear decision much the same way he did over Basilio in their fight. Speaking of Basilio, the thought of a matchup between him and Duran just popped into my head, and that would have been a heck of a fight too!
Great pairing! I think you have answered your own questions as well if not better than anyone else will . For the record I would go with Gavilan ,to take a split dec ,but no money would be leaving my pocket on this one.
