Better fighter: Roberto Duran (135) or Wilfredo Gomez (122)

On the outside looking in going to war would seem fine and even beneficial prior to the actual fight. Sanchez was considered a light puncher at that time. The book was that a war would favor Gomez.

Here is a quote from the actual time not too long before the Gomez fight was made -

"Salvador throws a right hand like your kid sister throws a baseball. and that's the big knock against Sanchez - lack of punching power. If forced to go punch for punch with a guy who can bang, Sanchez will come off second best."

We know now that it wasn't the best strategy but it wasn't known beforehand. The Gomez fight changed the way we looked at Sanchez in some key area's and really enhanced his standing even tho he was already thought of very highly.

 

That is a very good point, and basically confirms that Gomez, and the rest of the world, underestimated Sanchez going in.

If only Gomez knew that Sanchez could be a dangerous puncher, then maybe he fights him the way he did Zarate.

 

Absolutely.

 

Gomez by a hair.

 

Duran at 135 is prob a top 5 fighter ever.

 

I think had Sanchez not daddy dicked him 126 he would have been one of the best at 126 too. He just couldn't come back from that ****ing beating. Sanchez beat him really bad. I mean it was prob one of the biggest beat downs ever. Gomez was grotesque after the bout. He was def big enough for 126.

 

Overall, obviously Duran.

Specifically at lightweight, I'll say that one could make more solid arguments for other lightweights to beat Duran than one could make for other 122 lb'ers to beat Gomez.

So in this case, Gomez. Less beatable.

 

Fair post. I will say that Gomez hung in there and was throwing some bombs even after the KD. The Sanchez chin made his attempts to rally a bit anticlimactic in the overall flow of the bout. Against someone less great he probably would have got well back into the bout. I could be wrong.

 

That is mainly because 122 is a nothing division in comparison to 135 with modern day recognition only starting in the mid 70's. Lightweight was one of the original divisions. Put guys like Gomez and Pryor into the original divisions and things change quite a bit.

Even so there's not a lightweight in history i would favor to beat Duran.

 

I agree. 122 not as deep, so that has to be considered, but I stand by my assertion that it would be easier to make a case for some other great at lightweight to beat Duran than anyone at 122 to beat Gomez.

And I doubt I would favor anyone over Duran at 135 either. I could make an argument for, as an example, Whitaker to beat him though.

 

Duran wasn’t vulnerable at 135 OR 147. Sure, he was dropped by De Jesus.

Gomez was dropped by T-Rex arms Yum in one of his best performances.

So it’s Duran all the way.

 

Featherweight was 122 for a while, so I rank Gomez amongst Attell and Kilbane rather than Driscoll and Pep. It works, trust me!

 

This content is protected

 

Duran

 

This content is protected

This content is protected