Every champion takes a soft touch fight here and there. I can't believe we are at a point where Duran AS A LIGHTWEIGHT is being questioned. Beyond belief. Watch the man fight and name a single fighter today with that level of skill. He was unbeatable at that weight at his best. A nightmare of an opponent. Could punch all night, very fast with one punch KO power in both fists AND killer instinct like few ever in boxing history.
Don't forget the WBA & WBC hated each other back in the 70's....that was another reason many obvious "unification" fights didn't take place.
Thompson was pretty good yeah. Clinton gave a nice list. Dig deeper and Duran's opponents overall are quite a good lot. The reason you can find a lot of filler is because Duran was old school at the time in that he fought so damn often. This helped him greatly imo. 6 fights in 1972, the year he won the title. 8 fights in 1973. 8 fights in 1974. 7 fights in 1975. 4 fights in 1976. 4 fights in 1977 and then the De Jesus match and he was done at 135. 37 fights 6 years. There's gotta be plenty of filler in that. He sandwiched a variety of also rans among the best the division had to offer.
how?? I really don't see how.. His lightweight competition was mediocre, and he beat Leonard, but that does not mean he is GOAT unless you rate Ray there... And Ray beat him easily two times after. And when he beat Ray, Ray was not the great fighter and experienced guy he was when Duran beat him and Ray fought his fight. Then Duran managed to lose to every great he fought Hearns, Benitez, Hagler . I don't see how he can be GOAT. From what????? I mean really. from what? Beating Ray and then losing to Ray two times easily?
it was rather mediocre if you look at those guys not being ATG. Buchanan and Dejesus are the better ones there, and they are not ATG. Chavez had a much better 130 and 135 resume than Duran.
Mediocre????? It's a who's who of the best lightweights of his time. Why do you think Duran is rated as top two ATG in that weight division???? Dejesus, Buchanan, Thompson, Viruet, Lampkin. The skills and natural abilities of Duran were a thing of beauty. He was a very quick, very crafty, very well conditioned and very deadly lightweight.
You cant always go by records especially in a guy like Durans case. If Duran wasnt particularly motivated his performance showed he was just there to get paid. I based what I said on his all around level of skill which was second to none. The first Leonard fight your referring too is a con job concocted by Dundee. He had every physical advantage over Duran and thought he could take him any way he wanted and couldnt. As far as the 2nd fight come on man we all know he went into camp weighing over 185 and spent the entire camp losing weight instead of training for a fight. Just look at the physical difference in Durans appearance in both fights. Look how differently both fights started from Durans end. Lets look at how a motivated Duran looked like. DeJesus 3 Leonard 1 Palomino ect everything about him when hes motivated and in shape is as close as fistic perfection as a person can get. Thats what I based my comment on.
that was an excuse. He lost to great fighters and he was not motivated, but he was motivated when he fought Moore and Barkley, but not with Hearns or Benitez or Leonard. That is ridiculous and makes no logical sense. He lost to better fighters and he wanted an excuse. Had he beaten Benitez or Hearns it would have helped his legacy so much. Ray was always great than Duran. and beating Hagler,Hearns and Benitez show how much more versatile he was than Duran.
no. Ray fought Duran's fight and beat him 2 times easily.. And was on the verge of knocing him out. Ray would beat Duran 10 times out of 10 after that first fight.
at their best is when Duran says they were at their best? Ray made Duran quit. Ray fought Duran's fight on the inside for 15 rounds.
too bad since his lightweight resume was mediocre.. andhe fought another 20 years. I don't think he was on the downswing, I think he just fought better guys. he foughtat 154 as early and 1978, before Hearns or Ray ever fought there. You aware of this?
