If Barkley beat Duran, how does it effect his legacy?

Even though it was one of his best performances, I don’t think he’d have been given much credit for it by fans or pundits.
The story would’ve been all about how Duran was way past his best and hadn’t been impressive at the weight in years….Barkley should’ve got him out earlier and made tough work of it…Duran would’ve won a 15 rounder…Duran would’ve beaten him if he’d been the 1983 version time-traveling to 1989 etc.
I say that because i see it all the time in responses to wins over ATGs who are past their primes, and sometimes when they’re still good (“had an off night” etc).

 

Furthermore, I still hear people (not necessarily on here) trying to explain away his wins over Hearns. They’d definitely do it with Duran too.

 

Well hd have two wins over the famous four, which isn't a bad achievement. But as the lads above pointed out, most would say, well Duran was old and finished. They said that about Hearns after his loss to the Blade.. He wasn't quite finished tho.

 

I know this may upset Roberto Duran's fans and I am likely in the minority but I am in agreement with Al Bernstein that Iran Barkley was deserving of winning that bout, it was however very close and I can see why it was scored for Duran but don't forget Barkley has never really been considered a favourite. He won the New York Golden Gloves as a amateur if I recall correctly? The fifth king documentary is worth a watch if you like Iran Barkely. He was homeless for a period and attempted a comeback to try and recoup some of his financial losses.

 

I agree. I remember watching live, and even the announcers had him (Duran) down. When Roberto scored a knockdown, I think it was Gil Clancy who said that might be a three point round! Which was ludicrous. But he wanted Roberto to win so badly. We all did. But I thought it was close and Barkley won, too. Had he done so, the truth is he probably wouldn't have gotten much credit. I don't know if a win would've impacted Barkley's legacy. But he would've kept his title for a while longer.

 

I think that win would have given him a little more notoriety, but with limitations. Duran was already seen as being past his prime and had he lost to Barkley, that notion would have been amplified.

 

Barkley was ahead on points on my card after 8 rounds, but Duran finished strong in the last 4 rounds. And with the knockdown in the 11th round i think it was enough to seal the deal for Duran.

For me personally i don't see how anyone could have Barkley winning this fight, Duran won the last 4 rounds clear as day. So you would have to have Barkley 7-1 after 8 rounds. And there's no way Barkley deserved that type of lead.

At worst i could see 6-2 for Barkley if your being very generous, but still Duran won last 4 rounds and had 2 point round so he'd still pull it out 114-113.

Here was my write up on the fight.


1 Duran
2 Barkley
3 Duran
4 Duran
5 Barkley
6 Barkley
7 Barkley
8 Barkley
9 Duran
10 Duran
11 Duran 10-8 knockdown
12 Duran

115-112 Duran

What's overlooked about this fight is that this was arguably one of Iran Barkley's best performances, he actually showed underrated skills in this fight. But Duran was just too clever and crafty for Barkley, it don't seem possible that Duran could come on late in this fight. With the amount of body punishment he took from Barkley but somehow he did.

Quite a few of the early rounds were close, Barkley would outwork Duran in alot of the early rounds with some nice body punching, jabbing, and occasional left hooks. But you have to watch closely Duran was actually rolling with alot of Barkley's punches. And when Duran would counter punch with the right hand, it was landing flush right on the button and it would often wobble Barkley anytime he landed it. That's why i gave Duran a few of the close early rounds, despite Barkley having a higher workrate.

And it's evident after the fight that Duran is virtually unmarked, where as Barkley is bruised and swollen which further proves my point, about Duran's defence and more effective punches.

Despite me saying that Barkley still did have a lead early on, i had him 5-3 up after 8 rounds it possibly could of been 6-2, but the last 4 rounds unlike some of the early rounds were simple to score. As Barkley started to wear down and Duran got stronger and stronger, and in the end Duran pulled it out clearly with the knockdown, to win a competitive but clear win on my card.

Overall a great fight i'm sure you don't need me to tell you that, there was some fantastic inside fighting aswell as fine skills on display. But Duran clearly won by landing the more effective punches, and having the much better defence.

 

Not much. It'd be treated a bit like Robbie Sims win over Duran, a victory over a once-great, faded fighter.

 

I had Barks ahead around that point too. Duran come from behind strongly to take it out.

 

Really good example! Simms doesn’t get much credit for that, and that was 3 years before the Barkley fight.

 

He has two wins (including a brutal ko) over an ATG and isn't even in the HOF. I don't think a win over Duran would change that. It would be written off that Duran should've never been at that weight (which is true, he shouldn't).

Barkley would've had to beat him, Nunn, Kalambay, Toney, Benn to have a bit of a change. For some reason, the HOF continually overlooks him.