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

Those guys were also naturally bigger. They had height and range as well as speed. The one thing Duran lost as he moved up past `47 was his speed. Mayweather and Pernell are both Duran`s height or shorter. Those guys wouldnt have the same advantages that a Ray Leonard had.

Hearns was a freak of Nature at 6-2 so that scenario cant be duplicated.

Whitaker was getting dropped at `47 by lesser fighters even before he went off the edge with the drugs. Mayweather is a fine fighter but he has never even faced anyone close to Duran`s level let alone beat them.

 

no.

Those guys proved they were better Jr Middleweights than Duran. Thats it. Not many fighters are as good in their 4th division North as they are in their prime weight class.

The fact that Duran was still able to compete at all that far up is a tribute to his boxing skills and his ring saavy. The man deserve credit for taking on all those great fighters. The guy fought everybody.

Anything Roberto Duran did after beating Ray Leonard in Montreal was icing on the cake to a Hall of Fame career.

 

I think part of the problem is that Duran's most famous fights came when he was well post his best. Leonard, Benitez, et al were simply bigger as ETM has stressed. They were all a few inches taller and naturally heavier. Might as well criticize Whitaker for doing poorly against punchers when he lost to the golden boy and Trinidad.

And what were Buchanan and DeJesus chopped salami?

 

They were both top notch boxers. They just got mauled.

 

Good point.

Its like Kareem Abdul Jabbar in basketball. When he was at his peak the NBA wasnt as popular. When it boomed in the 80s Kareem was still outstanding but he could be outrebounded by a Moses Malone or an Akeem Olajawon. He was an oldman still playing at a high level but he wasnt the same Jabbar that dominated everyone in the 1970s.

Sadly the lasting image many fans will have is the older version struggling with younger quicker players. The same thing applies to Duran.

 

thing is Duran never knocked out a great fighter. elite. Ray he beat and I know people will get on my case about that like they have for 4 years now, but Ray fought Duran's fight. The style of Pernell and Mayweather would beat Duran. That is my opinion. So that is all it is an opinion. Duran did not do well when a top fighter used speed and counterpunched him and didn't fight him at his range and style where he could counter them or use his tricks. When Duran had his way and range no one could beat him. That is true.

 

Hell Julian Jackson never knocked out an elite opponent. Neither did Roy Jones Jr. There are other ways to win. And don't do the ray fought Duran fight. He lost same as Duran did in the rematch. No excuses.

 

Virgil HIll was a little past his prime when Jones beat him, but he was an elite fighter. Underrated there. 25 or so title defenses. Not easy to do. Julian? He only fought one elite McCallum. Duran fought Hearns,Benitez,Hagler,Leonard. Cuevas was borderline elite but he was washed up when Duran fought him and 3 years from championship form.

 

Hill is more accomplished than Buchanan but the Scot has the better resume. If hill counts then so does Ken.

 

Duran fought at 154 as early as 1978. Before Hearns, or Leonard or Benitez fought at 154. Duran was champion when he fought Hearns, beating Moore exactly a year before. I think he fought Moore on June 16, 1983 and he fought Hearns June 15, 1984. I see your point but Duran fought well at 154 and ok at 160.. Both Benitez and Duran did not fight really well at 160, but at 154 Benitez fought great and Duran fought very good. The problem with Duran was not how he fought at 154, it is that he fought two greats at 154 and lost easily both times. It happens. Benitez and Hearns were the cream of the crop in those years he fought them. No shame in that except for the excuses for Duran. He gets credit for beating Moore and Barkley, yet excuses when he loses to ATGs Hearns and Benitez and Ray in fight 2.
Should he have not fought at 154 to avoid Hearns and Benitez? I don't know. Maybe he just should not have fought Hearns and Benitez if he didn't want to lose, but I think fighting the best and losing is better than Mayweather who wins but handpicks fighters when he can beat them.
Let's put it this way. Had Duran never fought Benitez of Hearns, Duran fans now would say had he fought them he would have mauled Benitez and stopped him late and somehow beaten Hearns and exposed Tommy's chin. But since the fights happened that cannot be said.

 

Buchanan was good and a top fighter, but he did not have the resume or title defenses or longevity of a Virgil Hill. It was hard for me to say Virgil was elite, but when you said RJJ did not knock out an elite, I think Virgil does qualify comparing him to most of the top guys Roy fought. Roy fought McCallum,Hill,Toney and Hopkins as his best opponents. Not at bad list. If someone were to be critical the only prime one out of all of them he fought was Toney. I never bought Toney's weight excuse either. I think Jones beat him fair and square and was just too fast.

 

Thats is probably true. I just dont think he wanted to sweat down that far anymore. As your body gets older its harder to shed that weight. Duran was extreme in the ring and extreme out of the ring. He liked to have fun eat and party. That was a weakness in the boxing game if you take it too far.

 

I dont know that Duran would knock out a Mayweather or a Whitaker. Pea was never really stopped during he significant part of his career and neither has Floyd.

I think Duran would have a great chance to beat either one of these guys though. He probably would be a slight favorite if these mythical matchups took place with each guy in top form.

They both would be good fights though.