Duran vs Whitaker

Two of my favourite fighters ever, and two of the real history's elite ability-wise. Ultimately, I'd back Duran to take a close but clear decision after an epic fight. The only lightweight that could beat the best lightweight Duran would have to be someone with the artillery to keep Duran off him, and for all of Whitaker's ****ing magical skillset, that is not him. Although I think Pea is a stupendously talented infighter, I suspect Duran's greater strength, power, aggression, better bodypunching and more dynamic style would dictate the fight, and lead to him punching out more rounds, not dissimilar from what he did to SRL in their 1st fight. Duran has the speed, footwork and set-up to keep taking this fight to the ropes, and I don't think there has been a fighter born who could beat Hands of Stone with his back on the ropes. A prime 147lbs Sugar Ray Leonard failed, so I don't see a 135lbs Pernell Whitaker managing it. I'd go with a 8-4 in a 12 round or 10-5 in a 15-round type decision. I do think it would be a seriously fascinating fight though, these two guys really were as good as it has ever got in boxing.

 

Oh I love watching your head explode. Yes, SRL would be a stalker/puncher against an opponent who couldn't hurt him, but he was a boxer first and foremost against dangerous opponents, and that's the mode he was in against Hearns until, to his surprise, Hearns started winning the boxing match. Only THEN did he start taking it to Tommy to try to knock him out.

Had he not been trying to prove something against Duran, who was DEFINITELY a fully fledged welterweight AND moved up to jr middleweight only two fights and barely one year later, AND went on to fight as high as light heavyweight, he would have clowned Duran as badly in the first fight as he did in their next two. Just totally, comprehensively and completely outclassed him. Benitez schooled Duran. It was no fluke. He could do it everyday.

So we can just stop with the 'Duran was a smaller guy' argument, because it's complete bull****. Duran was weighing in 150+ when he was 27 yrs old.

 

A couple of examples of a tactical change do not define a fighters style.

Ray's style from as early of his amatuer days was one of a boxer-puncher who used efficient and understated footwork, who generally was not afraid to mix it up close and be aggressive...Not a defensive minded cutey.

Leonard wasn't trying to "box" Hearns early, he just straight up struggled with his range and style...He moved a lot but thats not boxing when you aint throwing much, thats running.
You sort of just proved everyone else right by saying Leonard starting having success when he took the fight to Tommy...more his natural kind of fight.

He was also weighing at 135 around that time, nice to see you overlook that.

When both were 18...Duran was a featherweight, Leonard was a welter.

When both were 25...Duran had never fought over 140, not even in his non-title bouts he hardly trained for..Leonard was winning titles at 154.

There really should be no debate as to who the bigger man was.

 

If I were forced to bet on this fight, I'd only bet on the over. I don't think this fight ends inside the distance 99/100 times. That said, I wouldn't even pick a favorite for who wins the decision. Both at their best, you pick 'em. It would be a total showcase of all-around boxing skill. Duran has underrated defense, Whitaker has underrated offense. Both incredibly well-rounded fighters.

 

The closest similarity between Pea and SRL is that they are both black. Their styles weren't similar at all.

 

Whitaker would beat Duran.

 

Pea. When Duran does close him down , which he could, Pea was pretty damned good at standing toe to toe and making them miss. Pea by a wide UD in what is a very close fight I think Pea just does that little bit more in each round.

 

Dooran UD

 

Agree, I've always thought of Leonard as guy with great offense than defense, of coarse he had a defense, but his bread and butter was letting his hands go in combination. No way could Leonard be described as a defensive cutey imo.

Whitaker and Mayweather are defensive fighters, Infact Roy Jones to me was a more of a defensive fighter than Leonard.

 

I totally agree.

 

Its weird though, I've spoken to people before who have had this perception of Roy of NOT being a defensive fighter, just because he knocked a lot of people out in the early part of his career.

Roy, even when he was knocking people out, was still trying to set traps to counter with big shots, if he wasn't doing that he would get closer to them, try to draw leads he could counter, but he was never a guy to get on the front foot and be the guy getting off first and being aggressive, infact he was quite tedious to watch at times imo, as he refused to lead to the opponent and would not do something until he'd established that they were the ones going to lead.

 

I think that Whitaker's elusiveness added to some combinations here and there would win him the decision. Duran could KO him anytime, but Whitaker is much much superior to Duran over the shoulders and that would be the most important factor.

 

Combinations "Here & There" ar'nt going too do pea much good when he's got a maniac glued to his chest raining violence onto him from all angles for every second of every round:yep

 

You mean like Chavez, or Azumah Nelson?

Duran has shown a flaw in being able to cut the ring down against Laing, Benitez, Leonard, and even Batten reset him a little bit.

Chavez was extremely good at cutting the ring down, it was one of his biggest assets, that people like Camacho could not run away from him without taking a merciless beating, yet Chavez couldn't get near Whitaker.

 

Whitaker out boxes Duran.