Duran vs. De La Hoya at lightweight

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by jabber74, Aug 20, 2019.


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  1. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    I know a lot of people will take this as sacrilege but... At lightweight, does anyone honestly think 5'5" deJesus would stand a chance against Oscar? Much less turn it into a three fight series (Duran knocked on his behind twice and losing one of them). Oscar would overpower a smaller guy like Esteban pretty quickly IMO. So... this makes me wonder how Duran would do against a bigger guy like Oscar who hits a lot harder and faster then deJesus....

    Don't get me wrong, loved watching Duran growing up, but as time moves on, I start to look upon things differently... your thoughts?
     
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  2. Xplosive

    Xplosive Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yeah, you belong on the general forum. Go away.
     
    Xplosive, Aug 20, 2019
    Xplosive, Aug 20, 2019
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  3. zadfrak

    zadfrak Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The guy to question at LW is the other guy---not Duran. Try putting Oscar under the microscope.
     
    zadfrak, Aug 20, 2019
    zadfrak, Aug 20, 2019
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  4. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Duran would hurt De La Hoya. He was a stiff boxer, and very tight at 135.

    Also don't know why you mention the height. It's weight class not height class, and De Jesus was a different class of fighter at 135. If Duran wasn't there, LW would be split between him and Buchanan.
     
    roughdiamond, Aug 20, 2019
    roughdiamond, Aug 20, 2019
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  5. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    Height matters when the tall guy knows how to use it. Ray Robinson and Carlos Monzon were tall compared to most of their peers in their divisions, and it made them even more effective. Many fighters that were shorter did not know how to get inside and got torn up on the outside. Not all of course, but it mattered....
     
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  6. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    If you don't have anything positive to add, why bother even leaving a comment? I see plenty of completely ridiculous opinions on here, I move along rather than be rude. God bless you brother....
     
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  7. Smokin Bert

    Smokin Bert Boxing Addict Full Member

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    First of all, De La Hoya would likely have never been able to make Lightweight in the days of same day weigh ins. De La Hoya manipulated the weight better than almost anybody to pick up those first two belts. But, if he was able to legitimately make 135, he would lose a lopsided decision or later stoppage to Duran at that weight.
     
    Smokin Bert, Aug 20, 2019
    Smokin Bert, Aug 20, 2019
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  8. 88Chris05

    88Chris05 Active Member Full Member

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    If I can go all cliché for a second here - styles make fights. De Jesus struggled to solve tall guys who kept him on the outside and who he really had to reach to get to. Compare how brilliant and smooth he looks jabbing his way in and countering in close against Ishimatsu, for instance, with how crude and hopeless he looked leaping in against Cervantes and Mamby, albeit they were at 140. He'd have trouble getting to Oscar without eating some serious leather and I agree he'd likely find De la Hoya a tougher matchup styles wise than he did Duran (or at least the Duran he fought in '72 and '74 - he barely touched Duran in their last fight).

    Doesn't automatically mean that Oscar therefore has the wood on Duran, though. Oscar was quick and could punch at 135, but he fought straight-up, didn't move his head, didn't use his jab enough and never fought anyone who was adept at navigating a jab and getting in close like Duran. On the other hand, Duran was brilliant at taking apart and outslicking upright boxers (even if they had more of a fencing, classical style than Oscar) such as Buchanan, Palomino and Barkley, making light of physical disadvantages in the latter two cases.

    Just two different classes of fighter. De la Hoya wouldn't be disgraced but for the life of me I can't see him beating Duran at 135.
     
    88Chris05, Aug 20, 2019
    88Chris05, Aug 20, 2019
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  9. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    Good point, fair enough. Weigh-ins should be the same day as the fight. It always seemed to me that Oscar was always much stronger and appeared a lot bigger than all his opponents. At least at Jr. lightweight and lightweight. He didn't appear to have that size/strength advantage at welter, fighters like Quartey were able to match his power and could stand up to him. I also never stated that I thought Oscar would beat Duran at lightweight, but the matchup got me thinking....
     
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  10. Smokin Bert

    Smokin Bert Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Oscar was a very good fighter. He is no picnic for anybody 147 of under. But, in this case he is fighting one of the few men who is clearly better than he is.
     
    Smokin Bert, Aug 20, 2019
    Smokin Bert, Aug 20, 2019
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  11. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    Good points, you understood my points whether you agreed with them or not. Some people might also say Oscar beat a lot of "over the hill" guys from the beginning which is true. It's also true John John Molina used a brawling dirty style and had some success, (and Molina was no Duran). Oscar did not look great in that fight and some even thought he lost that fight, (to be fair also, Molina had a lot more fights than Oscar at that stage too). On the other hand, some would say Duran couldn't solved the height issue against Tommy Hearns and we know what happened there. So many variables. Fantasy matchups are not easy... we'll never truly know for sure....
     
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  12. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    General keeps leaving their gate open.
     
    red cobra, Aug 20, 2019
    red cobra, Aug 20, 2019
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  13. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    But your assumption is Deloyhoa would defeat Dejesus and that's wrong in itself.... And on a same day weigh in at 135 lbs Dejesus would give Deloyhoa hell. Duran would be ALL wrong for Oscar. Just a different caliber fighter.
     
    Flash24, Aug 20, 2019
    Flash24, Aug 20, 2019
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  14. jabber74

    jabber74 Active Member Full Member

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    You are assuming. Never said he would beat Duran. Simply comparing styles and it's pure fantasy as it obviously will never happen. I don't agree that "Esteban would give De La Hoya hell", but that's your opinion.... Styles makes fights. It's too easy to say "Duran would brutalize him and knock him out easily". That's what most would say because after all, Duran is "Hands Of Stone", the king of machismo, and Oscar is the pretty boy... however I have seen Duran humbled as well. Lots of people hated Leonard for the same image and you barely will read a good word about him either..... but he made the "Manos De Piedra" quit!
    Having said all that, frankly, I was never a fan of Oscar, I'm simply looking at this all from a style standpoint and the possibilities....
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
    jabber74, Aug 20, 2019
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  15. emallini

    emallini Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    Duran by close decision in a great fight
     
    emallini, Aug 20, 2019
    emallini, Aug 20, 2019
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