ATG LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNIE FINAL: ROBERTO THE ANIMAL DURAN Vs PERNELL SWEAT PEA WHITAKER

I always thought Whitaker had the goods to take Duran. Technically perfect fundamentals wrapped in a confusing, frustrating style, lightning quick hands and feet, willingness to walk through fire and an iron chin to back it up. Duran didnt have a problem with fast runners, he had problems with unorthdox fast runners and at 135 Whitaker can play that game better than anyone. If Edwin Viruet could make Duran struggle for 6-8 rounds Whitaker can make him struggle for the full 15.

 

Whitaker is great, Duran is greater and more proven. Duran on points.

 

I don't think there's any legs athletic enough to stay away from a prime Duran for 15 rounds.

He cuts the ring off too ferociously and is too accurate with his punches.

If Whitaker tries trading on the inside he's going to be in for a long night. If he tries to run he might be able to trick enough judges to give him a W.

Either way my money is on Duran points win.

 

Duran competitive UD.

 

Whitaker is my favorite fighter but he used to have lapses of inactivity and Duran was relentless during the whole 15 rounds, Whitaker was also a really good in fighter because he was short but Duran might be a better inside fighter with really good defense. The fight at long reach also suits Duran because he was taller, with a great jab. I think Whitaker makes Duran miss but losses a competitive UD.

 

A very close fight but one I've always thought likely to be swayed by Duran's feinting ability, greater power and ungodly ability to roll underneath punches on the way in at an almost unmanageable height. Pea had the latter ability himself for more evasive ends and wasn't your typical defensive genius due to his own prodigious offensive output and excellent inside ability. I tend to think though that when you have two highly skilled physical freaks of nature with iron chins, the more aggressive and especially harder hitting one is a bit likelier to throw the lighter hitting and more defensive one out of his established pattern when all other things are equal there or thereabouts and there isn't a gap in skill or expansiveness of ability. Pea being a patient and calculated slow burning retreat type is likely to mean more potential exchanges for the above to happen rather than him running and minimizing Duran's chances to mix up leading and countering to force exchanges etc. I think Pea is far from outmatched up close but still likely to play second fiddle slightly there and have to work hard to hold his own rather than control things there, especially with Duran's ability to lock fighters down from an unhittable position while still working away at them.

I could be wrong though. Great fight.

 

I remember back in the day how every single Duran thread would be derailed by MAG, who was a decent poster unless it came to Duran.

No idea what he got permabanned for but I'm so glad he isn't ruining this final.

 

Fifteen rounds for Sweetpea to not only make Duran miss but make him pay.

Fifteen rounds for Sweetpea to avoid Duran's marauding but deceptive attacks.

Fifteen rounds for Duran to find his range, get inside Whitaker's jab and work him over.

I'd rather be Duran in this fight than Whitaker. I'll take Duran by clear decision.

 

I like Duran here. Though he wasn't Whitaker fast, Duran was very quick at lightweight. Plus Duran's aggression, power, wrestling/ physicality would eventually take effect over the 15rd limit
Don't get me wrong, Sweet Pea was no push over in close, also he was a heck of a body puncher ( A strength alot of fans miss)
But overall " Manos de Peidra" was stronger at lightweight and punched a heck of a lot harder than Whitaker.
I see Whitaker frustrating Duran early. Probably the 1st 5-7 rds could possibly go to him. A 12 rd fight Whitaker probably would hold on to win. But a 15rd fight? The wear and tear of Duran's holding and hitting, viscous body punching, his wrestling Whitaker into corners or on the ropes would eventually take it's toll. Duran would wear Whitaker down , cruise on to a unanimous dec by sweeping the last 5-6 rds. Or if any fighter in history could actually stop Whitaker , it's Duran. Possibly a late stoppage between 13-15 rds.

 

Sweet Pea was never in any trouble at 135. Azumah Nelson was the only sort of close fight he had there and it wasn't all that close in truth.
I think he wins this mostly on account of his superior jab and circling counterclockwise behind it, add to that his much underrated output at 135 and I see him winning a UD. Whittaker made world class fighters look very very ordinary and while I don't see him doing that to Duran for 45 minutes, I think he does enough for the W.

 

I assumed the consensus would be that Duran wins here, but I don’t agree, although Duran really could do everything, Whitaker isn’t going to fight Duran’s fight and I see Whitaker out boxing and frustrating him in a closely contested fight.

I think it’s a little bit unfair on Whitaker that it’s a 15 rounder as well and that’s the only apprehension I have in my pick. If it were a 12 rounder I’d take a 8-4 7-5 decision for Whitaker.

I also wouldn’t begrudge anyone that takes Duran. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here

 

This is as close as a pickem fight can get for me. Two of my top 3 fighters of all time. I actually think Pea would do a better job of imposing his style than Duran, and would frustrate Duran with his jab. Duran can jab, and was very good from the outside, but I've seen some say he beats Pea at range, and I don't see it. If Duran tries to outbox Pea, Whitaker's dominate jab would see him win, even over 15. Pea feasted on aggressive stalker types, so Duran would need to mix up his inside and outside game to not let Pea get comfortable. Over 12, I take Pea, over 15, it becomes a pickem fight, and maybe Duran

 

Tha MVP's