Is Roberto Duran the greatest boxer since Sugar Ray Robinson?

Yes!

 

Yes.

Let's look at his resume:

Great Wins Wins of very high significance/outstanding performances
Ray Leonard
Iran Barkley
Ken Buchanan
Esteban De Jesus x2
Carlos Palomino

Very Good Wins Context; performance
Ernesto Marcel
Davey Moore

Good Wins
Hiroshi Kobayashi
Saoul Mamby
Pipino Cuevas
Ray Lampkin
Hector Thompson
Guts Ishimatsu (punch perfect, clinical)
Lou Bizzaro
Edwin Viruet x2
Vilomar Fernandez
Monroe Brooks

They're the guys that I'm pretty confident about their quality as well as the context of the wins. The 1st Leonard fight is one of the most impressive victories in boxing history. I've seen pretty much all of Durans filmed fights up til the rubber match with Leonard (yawn) and a couple after, which do't really interest me to be honest. There are probably a few more fighters he faced of very good quality that I just haven't delved into that match, but the list above is immense. Especially when you consider how he dealt with most of them and the diverse skillset he displayed.

Some of his losses suck (Laing for instance, not far from his best as well, Simms as well I guess, although he was capable) but look how he bounced back. Also, losses to Hearns and Benitez don't hurt him too much, nor does the first fight with De Jesus (a fighter of very high quality, twice avenged over the championship distance) and Barkley, as a last hurrah is arguably the greatest post-prime performance in history, a former Lightweight taking on a top 3, and highly dangerous Middleweight of the time. He went on a veterans tour later on in his career. Doesn't affect him either way IMO. His effort against Hagler, where he boxed Marv', does his standing a great service. He's a former Lightweight taking on arguably the greatest 160lber of all time and remaining competitive for the full duration. Insane.

After Robbo, it's either Duran or Ali. It's Duran for me, who could feasibly break into my top five at any time.

He is also the most skilled fighter I have ever seen. Defensively slick, ferocious at all ranges and angles, the greatest punch picker and even with any of the most accurate punchers of all time, a cast iron chin, massive ring I.Q, he could box as well as anyone, fight as well as anyone, and is one of the scariest, deadliest fighters the sport has ever seen.

Lightweight to Middleweight he beat some of the best fighters around. One of the greatest of all time, he makes Pacman look like Joe Calzaghe in terms of resume :deal

Literally one of the hardest blokes that has ever lived.

 

*quickly tabbing up his top 10 list*

I think after ali and charles, he is.

 

Great Thread Vano.

Not gonna add anything cos i don't know enough about Roberto. Just gonna sit back on this one and learn.

 

The greatest single victory ever IMO is 'The Rumble In The Jungle'.

 

Hagler is just outside the top 30 for me. Ali inside the top ten, Leonard between 16-20 most days.

 

Duran is the man. Arguably the most skilled fighter I've ever seen.

 

perhaps.perhaps not.but does the question belong in the british boxing forum?no,not unless there's a possibility of tony bellew being the answer!

 

Duran at #6 for me. My top 5 is pretty much locked, though the top ten are all insanely talented with immense depth to their ring records so picking one over the other is taking the **** really.

Harry Greb
Henry Armstrong
Ray Robinson
Ezzard Charles
Sam Langford
Roberto Duran
Muhammad Ali
Benny Leonard
Willie Pep
Barney Ross

Is how it stands today off the top of my head :good

 

:scaredas: You could say that.

11-20, as of today

Bob Fitzsimmons
Joe Louis
Tony Canzoneri
Archie Moore
Mickey Walker
Jimmy McLarnin
Barbados Joe Walcott
Ray Leonard
Pernell Whitaker
Joe Gans

 

no. :roll:

whitaker would have boxed his head off. :yep