Is it Possible we Overrate Duran?

You cannot "overrate" a fighter of the quality of Duran. Like Ali, Louis, Sanchez, Leonard, Hagler he was a unique all time talent. All time talents in boxing would stand out in any era.

 

This.

 

Nice try but not logically comparable

Duran: 29 years old. At or close to prime: Quits against Leonard.
Leonard: 41 yr old shell who had not fought in six years since being exposed as shot by Terry Norris. Knocked out by Camacho.

 

Normally I would come down hard on any fighter who quits but in the case of Duran the rest of his career makes up for this one misgiving.

 

I don't care if he was 61. He signed the contract, took the money, and thought he could win.

FACT.

He got splattered by a guy who started out more than 30lbs lighter than the title they fought for.

For the record Duran fought Camacho when he was 45, and 50, and still lasted the distance both times.

I love it when fanboys make excuses, for their idols.:yep

 

Really?

How about when he quit against Pat Lawlor claiming a shoulder injury?

Klitchko gets enough stick for quitting against Byrd. We know that he had surgery on his shoulder, did Duran?

Leonard fanboys beating their drums are of no consequence, but if a fighter quits, he quits, it shouldn't matter how old a fighter is, who the other guy is, or what was at stake.

 

Foxy logic at its best :nut

 

That's right weirdo. Putting fools who think a 50 year old Duran was a more worthy opponent than a 41 year old Leonard in their place.:roll::roll:

 

Normally Foxy is wrong ... but this time he is right

 

I don't think there's any issue with him rated inside the top 10. He had a very lengthy, dominant run at lw where he's arguably one of the tops that division has ever seen (along with Benny and gans.)

Had he retired in the late 70's, he'd still be looked at as a high ranking ATG, maybe somewhere in the top 35 or so. It's what he did during the 80's that cemented his ATG ranking for me. He has one of the biggest victories of last century over a prime Leonard, gave the marvelous one all he could handle, and was able to beat two guys in Moore and Barkley that no one gave him a chance against pre-fight.

Manos dared to be great and imo deserves his ranking. I personally have him 7th all time (a few spots ahead of SRL.)

 

I watched Durans bout with Lawler live and he did not quit. He was hit on the elbow and it effected the nerve in his arm so he could not hold his glove up. The ref and/or Doctor said to Duran "if you can't raise your glove the bouts over". No sign that he quit that bout. I just watched the bout again and you can hear that conversation at fights end.

 

I'm actually pleasantly surprised the man doesn't have brain damage given his style and the quality of opposition.

 

No, at least, I couldn't. I saw him for to long too many times. He gets shortchanged because people are blinded by rep as a killer and his bad night in Louisiana. He was artist!

 

Delete.

 

That is your interpretation and you are more than entitled to it.

I see it differently. He gets hit on the shoulder, not the elbow. He is taking a steady beating, and is unable to land his own shots cleanly. He went into the fight carrying the injury, and after finding out he was getting nowhere looked for a way out IMO.

That for me,is the bad side of Duran, the one who only turns up for the money, out of condition, possibly carrying an injury, or whatever other reasons, it makes no difference. The bottom line is that version is thoroughly disinterested in anything but the payday.

That said he is still my favourite fighter by a long way. The well trained and highly focused Duran was a sight to behold.