Least Competitive Matches That Went To The Cards

Vitali vs Briggs

 

Pac v Rios

 

Duran - Palomino

 

For scoring Pacquiao/Algieri has to be one of the most widest scorecards in history.

3 judges had it 120-102, 119-103 x2.

 

Chavez / Cabrera

 

Carlos won a couple rounds, one for sure, and suffered a flash knockdown.

There have been numerous 10-round fights with multiple knockdowns that would have wider margins.

To me, the least competitive distance fight has to have the loser going the distance and multiple two- or three-point rounds (thus likely a lot of knockdowns).

(Well, I guess technical decisions due to fight being stopped on a cut caused by an accidental butt go to the cards, so maybe it doesn’t have to be a distance fight.)

 

Ali - Evangelista
Ali - Bugner II
Park Chan Hee - Alberto Morales

 

Holmes-Shavers I
Leonard-Duran III

 

I don't think he won a single one tbh

 

It was a magnificent performance by Duran, but I gave Palomino the seventh as did all three judges. I also gave him the third, narrowly.

Watch those rounds again and tell me, even if you think Roberto edged it, that this is 1/5th of the most one-sided fight that went the distance in all of boxing history — that there’s not a single fight where someone was more dominated than Duran beat Palomino from first bell to last.

Praise Duran’s performance to the skies and you’re right, but there’s just no way this compares to something like even Holmes-Cobb in one-sidedness. Palomino didn’t get beat pillar to post without ever having any success any way you cut it.

Anyway, here’s my account from the What Fights Did You Watch/Score Today thread:

Roberto Duran vs. Carlos Palomino, scheduled for 10 rounds, welterweights, at Madison Square Garden in NYC on June 22, 1979.

Duran, 145 1/2, is 67-1 and 28 years old, a 7-5 favorite. He’s moved up from lightweight, saying he can no longer make 135, and beaten the likes of Monroe Brooks and Jimmy Heair in what were technically welterweight fights but not fought a true welterweight of note like Palomino.

Carlos, 144 3/4, is 5 months removed from losing his WBC welterweight crown to Wilfred Benitez in his eighth defense and carries a 27-2-3 record at age 29.

Of note:

* HBO televises this and the main event heavyweight title fight between Larry Holmes and Mike Weaver, which the networks passed on (their loss) due to Weaver’s so-so record (little did anyone know he’d be a staple in the division for years to come and a future titlist himself). For most, Duran-Palomino was the more intriguing match as Roberto was untested at 147.

* Palomino made $250K and Duran took a pay cut (originally supposed to make the same as Carlos) to $100K with Don King losing money on the promotion as HBO paid a paltry fee of $150K for the card.

* The Garden draw a crowd of 14,136 and a gate of $770K or so.

* The WBC sanctioned this bout (I have no idea what that means … maybe it was an eliminator?) so it was scored on the 10-point must system rather than the round system commonly used in New York at the time. Don Dunphy at one point says Carlos is the No. 1 contender but doesn’t specify if that’s WBC, WBA or both.

My scoring:

1 — Duran 10-9: Roberto is quicker and more explosive, Carlos is stronger. He bulls Duran to the ropes but can’t get much done.

2 — Duran 10-9: His back to the ropes for a good bit of the round, Duran chews Carlos up on the inside as he puts on an infighting clinic.

3 — Palomino 10-9: Carlos lands some good counter left hooks and a solid right late as he starts to time Duran. Roberto manages a few bursts but not enough.

4 — Duran 10-9 (c): Carlos gets his jab n track and does some good work inside but Roberto lands the bigger, cleaner punches coming in.

5 — Duran 10-9: Vintage Roberto as he feints Carlos out of position and then unloads savage flurries. Carlos has a bit of a rally late in the round.

6 — Duran 10-8: He drops Palomino with a 1-2 early in the round and really works him over. Carlos is cut on or behind the right ear and around the right eye. Palomino recovers late and gets off a good combo before the bell.

7 — Palomino 10-9: The last stand by the former champ, who fires back with fury. Nice combos and body work.

8 — Duran 10-9: Just a gorgeous beating by Roberto who lands a huge right late that buckles Palomino.

9 — Duran 10-9: He lands three or four clean, flush right hands but Carlos does some good work in spurts. He’s just overwhelmed, however.

10 — Even 10-10: It’s easy to think Duran is getting the better of it as his punches are more showy, but they go toe to toe the whole 3 minutes and Carlos never stops working. He does enough grinding in close to keep this one even in my eyes.

My card: Duran 98-92. AP saw it the same. Official scoring was 99-90 x 3.

I hadn’t watched this one in years. It’s every bit the masterclass I remembered. This is classic Duran — his speed is the key factor along with his feints … he basically ties Carlos in knots with his feints then throws what he wants. And it’s clear that Palomino is a very good, capable guy who would clearly be on par with probably any other contender (except maybe Leonard and possibly a rising Hearns at this point) but Roberto is just a level above.

If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor. This is the best welterweight Duran with the exception of Montreal, and he’s not far off that form.

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