"Duran-Moore" 1983 / Duran's true power there?

Duran had way too much experience for Moore at this stage of his career. He was in over his head even though he was the belt holder. I wasn't surprised that Duran won that fight. As for Duran's power, I don't think it left him as he jumped weight classes but he was hitting bigger men so that same power didn't have the same effect as it did on men 25-30 lbs lighter. But combine the power he did have with his experince and caginess and you still had a very dangerous fighter. It might take him a little longer to ko a bigger man but Duran could get it done. The Moore fight makes me think of the Patterson Johannsen fight when Ingo ko'd Floyd. The first knockdown was a beauty but the subsequent knockdowns didn't appear to be as spectacular. It was as if Floyd, though clearly out on his feet was able to take the punches better than that first sneak right that dropped him. Why? I don't know. Maybe his body was more relaxed being made "drunk" from that first punch so the following punches didn't have the same effect. Either way the end result was the same for both Patterson and Moore....and that's all that matters.

 

Bill, you're kidding us, right. While I loved durans destruction of Moore, look at moores record at that point. He should have been in robertos dressing rm shining his shoes. He was in no way at that level to think he could beat Duran. He was a very good fighter, but that was much too soon, guess they figured, hey! Robertos old, fighting over his weight, we'll go in, kick his ass, no way shadock, no how!

 

This was a great win for Duran. Showed that he was still great at boxing like his fans say. This fight proves that Duran at 154 was just as good as he was at 135, and that Hearns and Benitez outclassed a still great champion. Moore was a solid champ. Proves how good Hearns and Benitez were!!!

 

I think the win over Moore proves how great Duran was, but the losses to Hearns and Benitez show that he had trouble with really great fighters at that top level. But his win over Moore did add to the legacy of Roberto and legitimized Wilfred Benitez and Thomas Hearns more at that weight. No many guys outclassed a legend like that.

 

There's a chance nobody in history would beat Duran at 135. Just in his own era Hearns, Benitez and SRL all would have got over him at 154. Without even thinking you would also have to give SRR, McCallum and numerous others a fine chance too.

There's no way on earth Duran was as good there as he was at 135. I get your general jist - the guy was still a superb fighter at the weight.

 

Hearns did it , Benitez did on paper and I'll have 2 watch it 2 decide if he did , but suppose that he did , Leonard admitted 2 rematching Duran when he did because he knew Duran would b 2 out of shape . @ 154 Duran wouldn't have had 2 lose as much weight as he had 2 in order 2 make 147 4 d rematch , and in their 1st fight Leonard didn't beat him , Duran also deserved a lot more credit than Leonard 4 his performance vs Hagler and yes , Camacho (*2 in Duran's case) and Duran beat Barkley whom Leonard avoided , and i read Duran was even competitive in d rematch so I disagree about Leonard beating Duran @ 154 even if on paper it looks like he could , but Leonard is simply much more unproven than many know , he proved himself vs his "B level" opponents , but not much so against his "elite" opponents .

 

This.

Duran could hurt you with that righthand all the way through middleweight. Moore showed incredible courage and will to stay on his feet against Duran. He got Hagler`s respect with some of those counter righthands and had his eye banged up.

He was no Julian Jackson at `54 but As already noted he hurt and dropped Iran Barkley several times in their fight and had Robbie Sims wobbling a few times in their fight.

Duran had some problems as he moved up in weight but punching power was never one of them. He was short for those bigger divisions. He had questionable conditioning at times and never cut down the ring the way he did at the lighter weights but he could still Crack.

 

When people say Duran struggled with movers they mean above lightweight. Durans mobility suffered more than his power.

 

With Duran there is a little bit of a different issue here. When he lost to movers and fast guys above lightweight they were great fighters Hearns,Leonard,Benitez. Those guys are a quality he did not fight at lightweight. So we really don't know how he would have done with guys like Mayweather or Pernell, which are the level of Hearns,Leonard,Benitez. But Duran did not fight that level at 135. No matter what.