Chavez vs. Duran

How would Duran at LW have done against an opponent who might be able to match his strength at close quarters and would bang him hard in the body? Most of Duran's opponents in and around this weight were slick boxers/runners, many of whom couldn't punch. I think there's some unanswered questions about how he'd handle a good quality pressure fighter like Chavez at this weight.

 

Chavez would have been clearly the best guy Duran had faced...but vice versa aswell.

Thompson probably tested those waters M2S...matching his strength I mean. Going up in weight and taking on the very capable Villa, who wasnt afraid to get in the trenches and go to work on the body, probably did too.

There may even be some merit in extrapolating some of the elements of his fight with Palomino at welter.

But I do think it works both ways....Chavez would have some questions asked of him aswell.

 

Duran quite comfortably. Everything Chavez does, Duran matches or does better.

 

I think hes had afew rounds with Duran

Thats my heaven too.


Right heres my take....

Duran is arguably the best H2H LW ever. He is perhaps the best fighter at combining defence within his offence. As he comes forward and attacks he is very rarely hit and very rearely misses. He has a fire in his belly that will keep propelling him forward and giving him that will to win.

Chavez is the calm ,cool, assasin like stalker, he slowly pressures his prey giving them a steady beating all the while. He is patient and will wait for his oppertunities and seize them with both hands (literally). His best work is at mid range where he is on the inside but he makes room for his body shots and gets leverage in them. He is possibly the ultimate Mexican warrior.

Duran only ever lost once at Lightweight and that was too Esteban De Jesus (who was a very capable fighter). This was a non-title bout and Duran didnt look as motivated in this fight as he had in his world title fights. Duran was hesitant to start and looked clumsy where De Jesus boxed brilliantly and captitalised on Durans poor showing handing him a near white wash aswell as a humiliating first round knockdown. Duran avenged this defeat in 2 subsequent rematchs with De Jesus.

In the second fight he was relentless and kept coming and broke De Jesus down with his relentless aggresion and non stop attack and knocked Esteban out in the 11th. But he was knocked down in the first. That rematch was perhaps Durans best performance as a lightweight.

In the third fight Duran showed his boxing skills and gave a complete performance over De Jesus and stopped him in the 12th. This was Durans most complete peformance at lightweight where he boxed and pressured and really showed he was a truly great adaptable fighter.

Apart from the De Jesus fights Duran beat the top fighters at his weight with names like Ken Buchanan who he controversially stopped after pressuring Ken, which was too much for the great Scot, for 13 rounds and was winning handily when he hit Buchanan low after the bell but was awarded the decision. He also has names like Guts Ishimatsu, Ray Lampkin, Edwin Viruet x2, Lou Bizzaro and Ernest Marcel. So Duran had mixed in great company at Lightweight.

Julio Cesar chavez won his first world title at Super featherweight but moved up to lightweight to challenge the champion Edwin Rosario. Rosario was a feared champion he was a good technical boxer with 2 handed power and although losing a SD to Hecter Camacho (many thought he had won) Camacho was never the same again. Chavez put on a clini against Rosario he took him to war and beat him in the inside with his systematic beat down with well set up body shots and hard shots to the head. He stopped Rosario in the 11th in a fight many call the 'Best One Sided Fight Ever.'

Aswell as beating Rosario, Chavez beat top names of the day like Jose Luis ramirez and Roger Mayweather. But Chavez didnt really stay at lightweight long and instead elected to go up and fight the Junior Welterweight champion Meldrick taylor.

Stylistically these fighters match up quite well and they would mesh well and make a great fight.

I can see chavez trying to press the action with Duran attacking. I feel Duran would do slightly better in the inside but surely Chavezes work will do something to Duran. I can see Chaveaz being the first to take a step back and the fight evolve into more of a chess match where again i see Duran having the edge in itas he was cleverer and had the better defence. Although Chavez was an underrated boxer.

I feel in the inside Duran can get in and land his own shots and then smother the slightly slower Chavez who likes a bit of room to work his shots. Whilst up very close i feel Duran can land afew but Chavez would struggle as he likes room and there wouldnt be any.

On the outside Duran was a more tactical thinker. He moved better and had a better jab. I would also says he was abit quicker. Although Chavez had the longer reach by 2" (68" to 66") i feel he would be out jabbed by Duran and Chavezs best bet would to be getting into a full out war. And from what we have seen of Duran could any lightweight survive in a war with Duran? Well the most equipped person is Chavez.

They both have great chins so i think a knockout is out of the question.

A great fight though.

 

A great analysis and exactly what I was gonna say ha ha .
Seriously i think it's a great matchup stylewise for both of them. Both of them at their peaks great defensive fighters in as much as that they slipped or just rolled with the big shots. Both of them great pressure fighters. This is the fight where you can see both of them doing what they do best.
Duran's my all time favourite but I watched or read about Chavez' rise as it happened. He was a fighting machine. Look at the Taylor fight albeit at light welter, All those eye catching shots Taylor threw. It was Chavez though that was dishing out the damage. the Rosario fight, a masterclass against a real big punching opponent, just walking him down like that.
I can't think of a dream fight that appeals to me more.
I'm gonna sit on the fence, I can see either of them winning. I agree with Pat, this one goes the distance. It's got to be made over 15, the true championship distance for a true Championship fight.

 

first person to say that

i couldnt really anaylise this fight too much as its such a simple fight IMO you know its gonna be good. I just filled it with info.

no way this is stopped early unless cuts etc.. this is made for 15

 

duran just that bit better

 

Chavez by late stoppage or Duran on points .... 15 ROUNDS of the best Fight that boxing never had

 

What areas was Chavez better than Duran would you say?

 

Cuttin the ring .. pressure, body punches and inside fight

duran was better in deffense, was the better technician, having the powerfull punches and being a little more intelligent fighter

and both equal in stamina, chin and heart

 

#

Duran was far more multi-dimensional when applying pressure. Much better at feinting and coming in from angles. He was also an expert at cutting down the ring as well.

 

cant deny it

Chavez and Duran are my fav fighters EVER!

 

I'd still say Duran holds the edge in most of these, if not all. Chavez applied the more practical approach to cutting off the ring, whereas Duran mostly relied on his feinting and footspeed to close the distance, which was more effective IMO.

As far as in-fighting, let's see Chavez do to Ray Leonard and Carlos Palomino what Duran did and then we'll talk. Duran was arguably the best in-fighter of all time.

 

Duran was more elasticated and free-flowing inside. Duran's in fighting against Leonard in the 3rd round was a sight to behold. I thought he fought more consistently inside with Palamino than Leonard over the course of both fights. Although when he got inside against either, he was equally as impressive.