Fights where Roberto Duran showed incredible legendary HEART

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Unforgiven, Dec 1, 2020.

  1. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Which were some of the fights where Duran showed great heart ?
    Like where he was taking a bad painful beating and turned it around with a late rally, or was seemingly being hopelessly outboxed, way behind on points, and found a way to win ...... or was being schooled and clowned and taunted like SRL was doing, but this time he didn't quit ?
    Or battling on with injuries, busted eye and jaw, bleeding badly, etc. ?

    I know Duran was such a superb fighter he rarely met opponents who could test him like that. But in 119 professional fights there must be examples.
     
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  2. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    Felix Jose Hernandez, Iran Barkley, Tommy Hearns and DeJesus II would be my answers.
     
  3. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Hearns is a good example, yeah.
    He didn't turn it around but he went down swinging in the face of overwhelming enemy fire.
     
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  4. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    I heard he took a $30 million payoff to lose that one too. And if you think about it, it always seemed kind of suspect that a man who'd never even been hurt before went out so early...
     
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  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Showed crazy against Barkley IMO. Fighting Barkley is a pretty crazy thing for a former lightweight to do. Fighting Hagler is even more absurd.
     
  6. Arminius1

    Arminius1 Member Full Member

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    Fighting Hagler toe to toe and almost winning is a remarkable achievement. If the bout would have been 12 rounds he would be the man who had defeated the great Hagler instead of SRL.
     
  7. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    I have read he took a dive in that one too, yes.
    Seriously.
    A writer called Rocky Alkazoff who was online a lot about a decade or so ago did claim that/
     
  8. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    The Barkley fight just amazes me. I can't believe he took those punches and finished that strong.
     
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  9. UltimateDestroyer

    UltimateDestroyer Member Full Member

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    Leonard 1 was all about heart.

    Ortiz he was out boxed for much of the fight and conceivably about to lose a decision but came out and ko'd him with a brilliantly disguised uppercut.

    'He just had too much heart' Barkley.
     
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  10. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    :dunno
     
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  11. UltimateDestroyer

    UltimateDestroyer Member Full Member

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    You are crazy if you think Duran took a dive against Hearns and I love Duran. Still Duran is the greatest to me. Its always glossed over the fact that Hearns Leonard and Hagler were all quite a bit bigger and younger than Duran. Duran was a career lightweight and undefeated at the weight.
     
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  12. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    Right .. one hell of an actor. He should win all time best decapitation ...
     
  13. Matt Bargas

    Matt Bargas Member Full Member

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    His fight against Benitez was interesting. He had not yet recovered from "no mas", but he showed that he was willing to tough it out even when he was outclassed.
     
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  14. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Duran definitely did not fight Hagler toe to toe and to be frank he really should not have been leading after 12 rounds. The scoring in that fight was terrible. On top of this if the fight was 12 rounds Hagler would have fought an entirely different fight and came on earlier. He came on late in an effort to ensure he wasn't ripped off. Insightful thinking that was.
     
  15. The Morlocks

    The Morlocks Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    What do you mean outclassed? That was a close fight. Benitez never recovered from the savage beating Roberto gave him and never came close to beating a contender again.