The general consensus is that Duran was plain better than Chavez and would win at lightweight. The question is: Any chance of Duran taking it a step further and stopping Chavez?
Yes there's a good chance, Chavez always comes forward and walking to Roberto Duran at 135 pounds is a recipe for disaster. Duran and Chavez will get into a vicious exchange early and Duran will slip Chavez's punches and counter brutally . I could see the ref stopping this one with Chavez on the ropes around the 8th round if not sooner, this fight will be a macho struggle with Roberto taking it
I can't see Duran stopping him. The guy had a concrete jaw and took some of Rosario's best blows while barely showing it. His best i faced comments on Rosario's blows say it all. Chavez isn't some face first brawler, he's so much more than that. This fight would be brilliant. I'd take Duran by competitive but clear decision. Chavez would be the toughest lightweight Duran faced.
Have to agree. Durán is better at just about everything, but people get insanely carried away with him. Chávez will certainly lose but he will give a decent account of himself. He is indeed better than anyone Durán rubbed shoulders with at 135.
As Kramer would have said, “That’s kooky talk.” Chávez is not only too tough for that outcome, but too skilled as well.
Sure. I can see him busting Julio up for the ref to wave it off. The other factor would be Duran's body work and body punishment. I'm not convinced Chavez handles a sustained body attack. I think he takes shots to the whiskers much better than to the body. Just not too many out there that could deliver 10 or more rounds of getting countered by Chavez > going to the body. Duran certainly could.
Chavez can be cut,his fight vs Frankie Randall shows he can bleed from technicians. It'll be tough task for Duràn to stop him,but if he can counter Chavez over and over into a brawling masterclass, Chavez will eventually be busted,but he's still standing.
Possibly a last third tko/retirement in a fifteen rounder - I wouldn't bet on it in a twelve rounder. Both these guys had that vast macho egotism driving them that can lead to frustration and losing the plot when no longer feeling at their best, as we saw with no mas and Chavez's whipped behaviour against Randall and later losses. Chavez was a pretty complete fighter himself, but just not in Duran's class athletically and in terms of most important basic attributes...the speed, reflexes, power, innate sense of distance and space. He's rocking up with a style that was largely built around imposing himself on the other fighter with aggression, exchanges and pressure, while being inferior in all of those key areas. I'm not entirely sure that if the chance of winning on the card is gone, he hasn't been able to hurt Duran and he's soaking up punishment circa 11-14, that Chavez won't look for the out on his stool. I wouldn't say that scenario is unthinkable to me regarding Duran either. I just don't think Julio is the fighter get him into a place where it's likely.
I concede that it happened when Chavez had begun to slide, but I've never forgotten how easily Oscar De La Hoya busted his face and stopped him in just four stanzas. If they're fighting in their primes at 135, give me Duran in nine.
Chavez was seven years removed from beating Rosario. He was old. He'd had 90 odd fights. When did he cut in his actual prime? It's a bit of a stretch for me. He wouldn't be the first guy to get more prone to cuts after so many fights and quality opponents.
This would be a battle for the ages. I can't see any stoppage,though,but Duran would take a clear,albeit competitive decsion. Fight of the Hypothetical Year.
Nothing is impossible, but it is highly unlikely. It's a fascinating bout, though. Chavez's come-forward style is not without sophistication, which makes the question of what Duran's strategic response would be quite the intrigue here. (I can't imagine Duran taking a position of intent to blast Chavez out of there). This is a tactical fight from start to finish, in my opinion; not a primitive brawl. The distance would be traveled.
Go with consensus. It's possible in the sense that it's Duran, and no-one is invulnerable. Duran stopping Chavez isn't the most likely outcome though.
Agree 100% with this analysis. In a lot of ways I think this would be similar to the SRL-Wilfred Benitez 1979 bout. It would be a fascinating technical fight! However, unlike the SRL-Benitez bout there would be no last round stoppage-it would go to the cards.
