Two factors come into play in this fight: Duran's skill-set, and Mayweather's toughness. Duran's skill-set ensures that he'll be able to cut off the distance, and make PBF miss with more of his counters than he would like. PBF's toughness ensures that he'll be trying to figure out ways to win the entire fight...It just won't happen. Duran by UD.
I don't think Mayweather could be busy enough to outpoint Duran, and he sure as hell isn't stopping him. PBF's been fortunate in several of his last fights that his opponents were past their prime weight. Not that it would've made any difference in the eventual outcome, but it certainly would've made the Hatton, DLH, and Judah fights more difficult. PBF is like a James Toney in that he can perform at pretty much the same level as he moves up through weight classes - most guys, especially physical ones like Hatton, can't.
As much as I love saying it Pretty Boy is better than Leonard. His only problem is fradgile hands....and that agains the Well at Welter Duran was not quite Hands of Stone either. Castillio? 1 was the fight where Pretty Boy bounced off the ropes like a super ball on coke for six rounds. Against Duran he'd had to do that for 15 rounds. I don't think he could...but I think he could pull out a decision, if he didn't get hit in the balls.
Close fight but Mayweather is technically superior, he would counter Duran flush on the button often with very flush shots who would be the agressor. Duran would throw more but miss more than he ever has and not land on the button as often as Mayweather. Duran forces the fight but isn't as big/strong as the weight draining Castillo/Hatton/Delahoya size wise. Duran would land more than anyone else against Mayweather but would still miss and get countered too much. Power and strength wise it is a close call, Mayweather is underrated in these aspects. The better faster boxer with superior defense wins this 1 but it would be a close 1.
Duran would make him miss with ease. Mayweather has really bad hands as well.If he hurts his hands and can't punch with authority against Duran he's going to get slaughtered. Thtat would very much be a factor as he will have to punch far more than ever before to outscore Duran.
Were assuming prime versions, Mayweather didnt have hand problems against allot of guys - Hatton/Gatti/Judah/Ndou etc Duran would punch less than usual against Mayweather because Mayweather would punnish Durans mistakes (and Duran could make a fair few in his 135lb days - which weight is this at?) Actually I'd love to watch this fight, 2 of the greatest ever around this weight, and both would have to be at their pinnacle. I probably come across as not giving Duran enough credit, partly because I dont see most giving Floyd enough credit.
I'd pick Duran, but it would be a competitive fight. Duran's constant pressure would be the key and I don't think Mayweather could deal with what would basically be trench warfare. I think by the mid- late rounds Mayweather starts slowing down from the constant body attack and he gets the KO a couple of rounds later.
Mayweather does best against guys who throw single punches and have poor defence. The difference between Duran and everyone else that Mayweather has fought is that, in addition to being an offensive phenom, he has a great defence.
I think Duran edges it real tough fight tho dont know why people are saying Duran crushes him no chance of that happening imo
it depends on if floyd ran like he did with oscar. if he runs he gets an easy decision if he tries to actualy fight like he did with hatton then he would get dropped by 7, but floyd would probably start running when he felt durans power just like when he felt oscars
Many of the posts on this thread leave me wondering if the guys who wrote them ever saw Duran at 135. He would handle PBF without to much trouble. Duran is aguably the greatest lightweight of all time, but PBF is not the best ever at any weight. The higher the weight they fight at, the worse it gets for Floyd.
Mayweather looks spectacular at every weight IMO, I believe he is arguably the greatest (skillwise) fighter of all time, I know its a big call but I stand by it. He doesn't really have a weakness. Many people say his weakness is pressure and point to the first Castillo fight but fail to realise it is very probable he was injured, and in the rematch he showed who the better fighter was. Hatton, Chavez, De La Hoya all tried pressuring him and he outclassed each of them. Granted Duran is a whole different ball game and I would probably side with him beating Mayweather, but he does not win 'by decapitation.' or dominating him. IMO Duran has been built up into an unbeatable myth with a few people. He wasn't unbeatable, his loss to DeJesus (whom Mayweather is better than) and his struggles at lightweight with Viruet and Lampkin affirm this. At higher weights losses against Benitez and Leonard also give credence to the theory that Duran was troubled by slick boxers. And who is slicker than Mayweather?
Im not trying to be argumentative here, but there really is no comparison h2h between Oscar and Duran (we do this one quite a lot here!!), if this fight is at 135, PBF has no chance of getting an EASY decision, no matter what his gameplan imo