And really I don't think he would either, at least not on that particular night. Basing that on the problems Lamotta gave Robinson each time they fought . Each fight was a struggle for Robinson . Lamotta wasn't as hard of a puncher Duran was at welter, and wasn't as quick or defensively sound.... And they both fought in a rough physical aggressive style. And yes I see Duran defeating Gavilan convincingly by unanimous dec.
A hard fought split decision in either's favour. No one's a clear winner here. I think Gavalin nicks it. In a decision some would call a robbery
This is really false Fight 1 - Robinson wins comfortably, nearly all the rounds Fight 2 - Robinson decides to slug it out and loses Fight 3 - Robinson again very convincing Fight 4 - Fairly comfortable for Robinson Fight 5 - The toughest one of them all, and IMO even that is exaggerated. Robinson built an early lead then decided to coast the last rounds. Fight 6 - The massacre. SRR in my opinion has very little trouble with Duran and that's not to say Duran won't have his moments but Robinson will always be a step ahead - those weight advantages that La Motta had meant something. Gavilan also is just too strong and active for Duran.
I've thought a lot about Duran vs Robinson at 147, I've no doubt Duran would get to Ray at some point. Duran would give him fits with what you accurately described as quickness and defense and Duran was much slicker than LaMotta. Leonard couldn't get Duran off him, I'm wondering if Robinson could hurt him and get him off. Robinson is without question the favorite and he should be but it's not crazy that Roberto could sneak a split decision . Then lose the rematch,lol!
'79-'80 Duran would have given Gavilan all he could handle. I do agree that a three fight series would favour Gavilan. But in a one off, I'd pick Duran.
Agreed, Ray Robinson was without a doubt the greatest Welter that ever existed and the greatest boxer , but to write that he couldn't have a "off" night while his opponent is having the best night of their career and that opponent is also one of the best fighters in history , borders on mythologizing Robinson, as some of the posters on this site do. And he really doesn't need that because his career speaks for itself.
Duran would beat Gavilan by decision. He would certainly give Robinson a rough night but Ray had so many tools. He may be able to switch up mid fight. Sugar Ray had more power than Ray Leonard by a good margin.
This is what's been recorded of their first 5 fights except the 2nd fight - Ray boxes to a wide early lead then coasts. Each of their fight except the 2nd one reads like that basically. But more and more we hear how he struggled against Jake (who is a great fighter and no embarrassment to struggle against tbh). If we aggregate the rounds scored for each of them in their 6 fights, it wouldn't be as close as perceived.
To be fair we have to look at the weight disparity among other things within the SRR - LaMotta series. Their first three fights were fought within a 5 month time period 3 1/2 - 4 years before Robinson even won the Welterweight title. SRR was a small Welterweight at the time fighting a full fledged Middleweight. Both were on an upward spiral and Robinson was still a kid really. Their 4th and 5th were two years later in a 7 month stretch with Robinson now filled out at welter but still a year off the 147 title. Their 6th bout came after Robinson had permanently left welterweight 6 months prior. He came in at 155 1/2. Across their 6 bouts LaMotta outweighed Robinson by a total of 67 1/2 pounds. This averages out to an 11 pound disadvantage per bout. This is an absurd amount of weight to give away against a guy that was becoming and became an ATG Middleweight. Imagine Duran fighting SRL 6 times as a lightweight vs Leonard's welterweight. Or even a lesser skilled but tough atg welterweight. It's an enormous amount to give away. When their weights were actually within 5 pounds of each other Ray beat him handily tho one might argue LaMotta was on the down. For me the LaMotta bouts are actually an enormous plus for SRR, not a slight kink or detriment. It is incredible that he did as well as he did against Jake given all the intangibles. I have no doubt that the St. Valentines Day Robinson beats any version of Jake. Duran tho more skilled would not have anything like the advantages LaMotta did. It's an enormous amount of weight to give away against a top shelf opponent. Robinson's power at 147 was not much behind Hearns and certainly well above Leonard's. He also belted the body far better than Leonard and could go to war far more effectively.
Duran was better. The quick Gavilan gives him some problems but hes too aggressive to best Robertos sublime quick countering. The boxing Gavilan has no chance either, really. Duran by competitive but clear decision.
LaMotta dropped Robinson in the 2nd and 3rd fights. Jake mantains that the 3rd one he should have gotten. That is the only one he disputed. They were all good fights thats why they had 6 fights. Duran is so much quicker and harder to hit cleanly than LaMotta. Jake did have a weight edge and knew how to use it. Duran brought alot of skill and knowledge as well. I would pick Robinson but Duran isn't an easy nite for anyone at his best.
On point JT as usual. But the gist of my opinion is Robinson vs Lamotta wasn't a cake walk for Robinson , because if they were, their wouldn't have been 6 fights. Duran is far more skilled than Lamotta and if he was on and Robinson off Duran could easily win that fight . He could win the battle, but not the war if they fought more than one fight in this hypothetical scenario . R.Robinson IS the greatest boxer to lace them on in my opinion, basing that on what I've seen and read, and I can see him defeating any fighter between welter and Middle in history in a 3 fight scenario. But with that being said,some here on this site make him seem unbeatable, as if he didn't have any close fights in his prime yrs. And guess what he did. Who's to say fighters as talented as Duran, or Leonard couldn't duplicate what Servo, Bell or Gavilan did? Or perhaps done better in a one fight scenario If one look at comparable strength and weaknesses of great fighters realistically. Point being we don't need too Mythologize Robinson's greatness and snub our noses of other great fighters against him. Robinson's greatness is indisputable,and he deserves to be at the top of the ATG tree..... He doesn't need to be mythologized.
