Very difficult fight to call. On the face of things, Leonard looks a little to straight-backed to beat Roberto and you imagine Duran would find it to easy to close and do his best work or land his best shots on the outside, but Leonard was so quick and looks to have been an expert counter-puncher, one who through very very hard very very compact punches, few half measures. Nothing at all wrong with Duran's defence, as we know, but the only way to be careful against Leonard is to be careful about when you strike. I wonder if this might not take the edge of Duran's style, or force him into an over-commitment to attack? Inside Duran "works" better, but he needs to find a solution to Leonard's uppercut. I also am guessing that Benny was just as good at sensing when there was room to shift the attack, or making that happen. Leonard did seem to like to control the distance, and that would be his weakness here I think, Leonard was fleet footed, but worked in smaller moves than a Sugar Ray, and as has been said, was pretty straight-backed, he isn't "shifty" in terms of his mobility, more reactive. I don't know to what degree this would be cancelled out by Leonard's counter-punching abilities...i have a hunch the fight would be decided right there. Gun to my head? Duran. Tough enough to make the **** end of the stick work for him, he out-monsters Leonard down the stretch.
Boy is his a tough one. My first instinct is to pick Duran but it could certainly go either way. Buchanan resembled Leonard stylewise and gave Duran a good fight but he's still no Leonard. I don't know if Benny ever fought anyone that was similar to Duran. It seemed that most of the fighters that fought in Leonards time fough with that straight up slightly lean back style that was prevelant at that time. Maybe it's just a case of which style is better. Could Duran slip and shift his way inside enough to do damage? Or could Leonard avoid Duran with good footwork and textbook boxing? Or perhaps this fight hinges on the intangibles. This is a tough one. I can't wait to read some posts from more experienced aficionados because I'm undecided.
duran is my number 1 lightweight and as i'm not a benny leonard or any old timer fan then its a no-brainer. duran
This is as even a match as one can get. Duran is arguably the best LW of all-time but Benny Leonard could do it all as well. This one would be too damn good to end in a KO. I'll say Duran by a few points...but not put money on it.
Benny Leonard would control the distance and control the fight. If they both do what they do best. It is going to be Roberto Duran coming forward and Leonard being the boxer. You can talk about all of Duran's skills, but Leonard can answer them.
He went back and fourth with the 2 depending on the time and place. I have one magazine around the 1st Leonard fight where hes interviewed and he thinks long and hard and picks Duran. Duran beats Benny Leonard
Arcel only trained the welterweight version of Leonard ,who was a mere facsimile of the fighter he had been at lightweight.
Actually Arcell was with Duran through most of his LW career. It was Freddie Brown who did the majority or the work. Arcel came aboard about 3 weeks out similar to what Dundee did with Leonard.
Eras aside (a usual caveat with me ) Don Dumphy mentioned, at some point, the inordinate amount of 'no-decisions' in Benny's career. That being said, IMO at LW, Roberto piles on the pressure in route to a UD or late stoppage, with Leonard being in the fight throughout.
Yes. When you see Duran's subtle infighting finesse and his use of angles your seeing Freddie Brown. One of the greatest teachers the game has ever seen. Maybe the best.