Duran as a Middleweight

When talking a top 25 tho you would slide him in Rich? He's absolutely not top 10 and below and for sure your fighters mentioned are above him possibly excepting Basilio depending on leanings. The likes of Hearns, Griffith, Napoles and others too.

The OP mentions a top 25 for middle so we have that as a bit of a guide. He'd most definitely be a shoe in for top 50 would you think? Top 25 he might push as well.

I don't count Ceuvas as that was comfortably over Welter. He's also got a sneaky little win over Monroe Brooks there, then a current 140 pound contender and maybe fringe at 147.

But those two wins over SRL and Palomino would go a long long way toward sneaking into the 25.

 

The Cuevas fight was at junior middle.

 

Duran was 8-1 at welterweight between 1978 and 1980 and obviously beat only-recently- deposed former champ Palomino and previously undefeated champ Leonard. Chavez was 3-0 at lightweight between 1987 and 1988 and beat WBA titlist Edwin Rosario and WBC titlist Jose Luis Ramirez. If you rate JCC so high at lightweight, I can't see why Duran wouldn't feature at welterweight too.

 

There are many well known middleweights Duran would beat, I think he'd kill Rocky Graziano and Vito Antefermo would be bleeding to death by round 8. Duran and Zale would be a scrap . LaMotta would be a real barn burner, he doesn't have the power to hurt Duran and at 5'8 doesn't have a great size advantage so Roberto will be nailing him with counter rights all night. I can't see Duran beating the cream of the crop middleweights though fighters like Hagler, Monzon, Greb, Robinson and some others.

 

too slow on his feet but might make top 25 of the 80s middleweights

 

Good point JCCs best was really at 140 but still 9 fights at welterweight as good as he was I cant rate him an all time 147-154-160

 

Man normally I am on top of boxing I am all over the place on this...I mentioned Cuevas was he was a former 147 champ so we could add him and Wilfredo Benitez into his welterweight credentials.

 

Yeah maybe like I said he may have been able to beat the hell out most of the ATG welters and possible 154-660-s he proved he could but does that make him worthy as the ATG's who specialized at those weights and had longevity" top 50 definitely he is certainly worthy of ATG status.

LOL I forgot how much of a hornets nest classic could be

 

I remember when I heard Duran was fighting Cuevas and of course even though it was a low, low-key ‘superfight’ (or at least a heck of an intriguing matchup) there was no TV available (at least where I lived, maybe on the Left Coast) and there was no internet.

I think I got the result at the library from the New York Times or maybe in USA Today … scouring to find scraps of info. The ‘good ol’ days,’ haha.

 

Yeah I remember seeing that fight and Duran-Hearns on NBC Sportsworld? the good old days is right these fights were not even advertised as superfights they were just another weekend fight...if anything I was afraid to not tune in and sit through the commercials to find out who was fighting or you would miss some of the best matchups in the game

 

If it wasn't for magazines, like Ring, KO and World Boxing I wouldn't have had any info on who's fighting, when and who won. That part of being a boxing fan has sure improved.

 

Lower than Canelo.

 

I'm not trying to make for a hornets nest just nutting out the finer details with you. There's a lot of miscommunication in here per thread meanings and interpretations which is why i expanded on the details with you. As a middle i wouldn't have him top 50 or probably even 100 if i thought about it but those two wins at welter with the first SRL fight being one of the great wins would have him slipping into my 25 at 147 i reckon if i made one. Deffo top 50 but yes no-where near top 10 as you say.

 

I get it I appreciate the catch....I have taken quite a break from classic and still look at threads from time to time....this forum teaches history and accuracy in debates and I appreciate it

 

Welcome back Rich!!!!