Canelo Alverez vs Roberto Duran @154

Trout beat Cotto fairly easily. That's something. I actually think Tate was better than Barkley. Had Duran fought Tate, his name would be mentioned a lot more on this board as a very good fighter. He slides through the cracks around here like many because Duran fought Barkley and Moore instead.

 

I think Duran's infighting skills particularly his defense and countering skills are getting short changed in this debate. I also think that the Barkley who fought Duran was probably the best version of Barkley there was. Both Gil Clancy and Bertstein were marvelling at this work rate and the use of the jab. Having wached that fight several times l certainly wouldn't call him a plodder in that particular night. Also going the distance with Hagler should count for something. Bottom line is that if we're talking about the best 154 versions of each l don't really see how Duran looses.

 

Would be much closer than the Mayweather fight indicates.

Alvarez as a counter puncher with bad feet but excellent upper body movement excells against come forward fighters.
On the other hand, Duran tended to shine against fighters who would stand right in front of him. But Alvarez has better upper body movement/defence than guys like Cuevas and Barkley.

Duran was also physically a shell of his former self at 154 notably his feet.
But Roberto doesn't need his feet against Saul.

Saul does lack that game changing power but his body punching is great.

In the end I think it's coming down to Alvarez' pathetic stamina.

Would be a great display of in fighting.
If Duran is coming in good shape, I think his superior stamina will be decisive.
Saul simply takes too much time off between throwing punches.

But he can't come in like he did against Laing.

 

I'd put my money on Canelo. I think he's a very good fighter as long as he isn't in there with movers. Duran above WW is a bit hard to pin down. Looked awful at times and good at other times.

Barkley was a fantastic win in light of Duran's age and size, and would be a good win even if he was a natural MW in his prime. But Barkley, even in that fight, was a level of two behind Canelo in terms of technique, I'd say. And it was a fight that could have gone either way, where Roberto actually outlasted and outfought Iran rather than outboxed him (Barkley was way ahead until he started to wane in the last 4 rds). I personally think Canelo would do better in a similar type of fight.

Think it would be great fight no matter the result, though.