Esteban DeJesus fast forward

The losses to Duran at 135 point to the fact that with time, Duran got more serious about his conditioning and being a professional - especially concerning a man who defeated him. That and the fact that Duran at 135 is probably the best fighter, p4p, who ever lived.

 

i agree with mosley, and i know i am in the minortity, but i feel that he gives dlh a helluva run for his money. dlh has always been suceptible to good boxers, and vita was most definitely that. his defense was good, and he had good power. the size factor could possibly come in to play in this fight, but dlh has never been a fighter to try to outmuscle his oponent. i see this fight as a toss-up 12 or 15.

 

DeJesus was a superior boxer to Mosley and would have easily been the best opponent Shane would have faced at lightweight. But I would have favoured Mosley in this matchup had they met, as one of Esteban`s biggest flaws was a lack of real physical strenght in close whereas Shane was a very strong fighter at 135.

His very good power would usually cover that up and allow him to contain most fighters, but against certain types of fighters it would be his downfall as he winds down late in tough, physical fights and Mosley is certainly capable of fighting that way and wearing him down.

He was all but spent after six rounds of fast paced trading with Duran in the rematch and was really manhandled by the physically imposing Cervantes when he moved up to 140. I think he does very well in the early to mid-rounds, maybe even dropping Mosley before being worn down and stopped late in the fight.

 

I don't think that DeJesus would have gotten by a prime Buchanan, Chavez or Whitaker.

 

Don't get me wrong here, I have great respect for DeJesus, and I don't mean to be running him down, as there were guys that he would have schooled, like Ramirez, Rosario, and of course Boom Boom Mancini, but going back to the mid 60's, he would have gotten eaten alive by the then lightweight Jose Napoles, who was, barring a freak accident, like his loss to Backus, too much for any, and I mean ANY lightweight or welterweight from the mid 60's to the time age and Stracey got to him.

 

Dejesus and Napoles were very similar in style really.Napoles was just a bit better in most respects.Bigger with a better chin.

I've always thought that the way Duran thrashed Dejesus 2 out of 3 reflected badly for any prospective napoles victory where that mythical matchup is concerned.

 

Well I wouldn't go as far & say Duran thrashed De Jesus.

 

Nor would I. Also, while Napoles was somewhat similar in style, he was bigger, stronger, a slicker boxer, and an overall better fighter. Better chin as has been mentioned as well. I'd go ahead and bet the house Cervantes wouldn't do to Napoles what he did to Dejesus either.

If Duran were to beat Napoles(which he very well could obviously) I'd take him to do so on cuts, based on the fact that I see this being a high paced matchup, and a banger on the inside.

 

As great as Duran was, that's the only way he would have beaten Napoles, on cuts. And that would have to be post '71 Napoles at that.

 

I would like to have seen Napoles and Rodolfo Gonzalez at lightweight when both were on long winning streaks.Anyone thinking Napoles would have swept all before him had he got the big fights might be very surprised.

Gonzalez was a monster with similar smooth skills and huge knockout power comparable to Zarate, Olivares... especially to the body.

Even past his prime against Carmona, Gonzalez looks as lethal as Jofre when he fought Medel.

Come to think of it, i'd have picked him over the young Duran at the time as well.

 

But Ishimatsu Suzuki cleaned his clock twice in a row.

 

Let's not get carried away here. Duran had a style to give Napoles trouble, and a lot of it. I like Napoles better, but I think, given the pace this bout would be fought at, I'd take Duran by cuts stoppage late in the bout in a great fight. If it lasts to a Decision, could go either way, but there's no doubt Napoles had no reserves about trading and turning up the pace when needed, and Duran would play that card all night. I just don't see Napoles getting the better of Duran on the inside really. He could use his jab to good effect though, especially at LW where he was supposed to have been faster, with better movement.

 

A very weight drained washed-up version.

Gonzalez was ahead both times btw.