Jake LaMotta vs. Roberto Duran

LaMotta is a bit too big and strong for Duran's much superior skill IMO. I see Jake via decision in hard fought matches everytime.

 

I think Duran would be biting off more than he could chew. Duran would lose to LaMotta for the same reason I believe he would lose to Ayala.....Duran is a blown up lightweight here. His opponent is bigger, stronger and hits harder. I don't see him being able to keep pace or withstand an enraged Jake's pressure and power for too long. LaMotta by mid to late rounds KO/TKO.

 

Lamotta wasnt such a big puncher and his pressure fighting style plays into the hands of Duran who would outbox slip and counter. Lamottas size and strength makes it close like the Barkley fight. I think Duran could win a UD here because his skill is from another level.

 

Don't discount LaMotta's size, aggression and output wearing Duran down. Even the best version of Duran vs Hagler got quite tired in places and Hagler didn't pressure him much. LaMotta would give absolutely no respite.

LaMotta is a very underrated middleweight.

 

LaMotta DID NOT hit harder than Duran. Maybe you meant to say that Ayala hit harder, and maybe he did, but not Jake. He was stronger by far than Duran and took punishment better, but that's it.

 

Ayala was comparatively a puppy.

Duran would have toyed with the inexperienced little sociopath and then gave him a beating at the doctoral level.

LaMotta was a different story. JT makes the cogent point that he was physically very strong and would apply relentless pressure over 15. Power Puncher makes a good point that Duran did well with come-forward agressive guys because their strength became their weakness. Barkley was bigger and stronger than LaMotta and it didn't matter enough against a 37 year old Duran. Hagler outboxed him but he brought unique complexity that LaMotta wouldn't. I also don't beleive that LaMotta had the kind of leaden presence that rock-hard Hagler had in there. However, LaMotta's skill is still underrated. He knew many tricks -perhaps enough to at least rival Duran himself.

Tough call.

 

Jake was the bully and could not be bullied, his natural weight was bigger, Duran was the best @ 135 and even though he gave Hagler a tough go, I think Lamotta had a tough style and strong....Jake UD but close

 

Jake Lamotta did not have a larger frame than Hagler and I tend to doubt that he was stronger than Hagler -not even his famous chin was stronger than Hagler's for my money. In terms of physical presence, Barkley was far larger than LaMotta although perhaps Jake was stronger inside. I just don't see 5'8 Jake wearing Duran down if Iran, with all that long armed pressure and heavier punching could not. Duran managed to get about 4 or 5 "second winds" in that bout. He did tire against Hagler though in the last 2 rounds -and against Simms for that matter.

However, I'd lean ever so slightly in favor or Duran. Duran was very strong too, let's not forget that. Lamotta would not just "boss him around" because Duran would not have to contend with the heavy punching that Hagler and Iran bombed him with -or a long reach.

Duran may give up the strength factor -but how often did he not sacrifice this after 1978?? Duran adapted his game to his age and bigger, younger men. Against Lamotta Duran would be faster, hit at least as hard, had a comparable chin, and better skills. Add to that the point that his skills had evolved by the time he was facing JMWs into a set designed to deal with younger, aggressive, stronger guys.

I see Duran fighting Jake similarly to the way he fought Hagler -only Jake would fight Duran like Hagler was expected to. Duran may not have beaten Hagler even at his best MW condition, but Hagler was an elite of the division. He had too much, whereas Jake doesn't bring quite enough.

Again --superior physical strength and pressure against an inspired MW Duran is not enough. Duran proved that again and again.

 

I respect your opinion!

 

Duran would spend most of the time lying on the ropes getting outworked.

 

I wouldn't forget that 16 pound weight advantage in there for LaMotta.

 

Duran got clearly, if not completely, outboxed by Hagler. I think that in and of itself is a worry for Duran, because his key advantage in his fight with Lamotta is supposed to be his skill.

If he is getting clearly outboxed by Hagler, I don't see exactly what chance he'd have of keeping Lamotta off him, and since I don't think he can, I don't see what type of chance he'd have outduking Lamotta in the trenches.

I can't really see the relevance of the Barkley fight here. Barkley was a good puncher, but totally lacking in infighting nous. If you want to draw the implication from the Barkley fight that Duran can take any punch Lamotta has to give him, that's fine. But this fight isn't going to be decided by who can knock who out. It will be decided by who will impose himself on the other, and I see Lamotta doing that more often than not thoughout a fight.