:twisted: Duran would win. Come on. Not that it wouldn't be a great fight because it really would be. It'd be like last night's fight, except by the tenth round Pacquiao would be catching all the **** instead of throwing it.
I would love to find out about Pac's heart now we know all about his punch resistance, and this is the fight to put him to the test. I've got a feeling that Pacquiao is drawing strength from his great work and might make the final bell. Also. I see an even fight early doors until Duran's bodywork starts to take a toll.
IMO, Pacquaio is quicker with his hands than Duran around 135-147. But Duran would be too much for him. Anyone who thinks Duran blows Pacquaio easily is sadly mistaken.
I'm glad there's some level headed responses thus far. Pacquiao h2h can handle himself. Duran for me, great fight, but what Manassa said about how things might be in the tenth round certainly warrants consideration.
I love both of them, I think Manny might even score an early knockdown, but agree with others that Duran would wear him down and may even get a late TKO
Manny is good but lets not get caried away here, pacman is no roberto duran, did you see duran asking for catchweights against the bigger leanard, hearns, moore or barkley? duran would of beat manny everything manny does duran has a answer for! manny is great but he is not in the same league as robinson, duran, langford, greb, walker, armstrong or barbados joe walcot all the above went up and beat bigger great fighters and all would of not asked for catch weights! which for me lets manny down and why i question his cotto win
Duran should win, in the end simply because he's the bigger man here, but it wouldn't be easy. Although Pacquiao always showed a very strong chin, i wasn't sure how it would hold up at > 135lbs. But he proved to be every bit as punch resistant there. Cotto did catch him flush with a few hooks when Manny was throwing a punch himself: those are the ones that knock you down, but it didn't even make him wobble. By the way, how many southpaws has Duran fought?
Duran is defensivly too good for Pac. He wouldn't be so stationary and hittable like Cotto, Diaz, Hatton, DLH. And he would hit back more viciously than Pac has ever experienced. It would be a competative fight early on but the longer the fight goes, the more Duran takes over. I can even see a late stoppage.
Duran would win while Manny is excellent Roberto's overall skill set is too much for Pacman to handle I'd favour Duran via late stoppage in a great fight. Even Roach said Duran would win if these two met in their prime, although the question was asked if they fought at 135 but I don't see it changing the result.
I do follow them, I'm just nowhere near as enthusiastic about them as the fighters of yesteryear. And who needs to wonder why? Music between rounds, advertisements on shorts, twelve rounds... ... Yeah I saw the fight down the pub. Everyone was buzzing.
Did anyone see how Manny got rendered static for moments after a few Cotto body shots? Well, draw your own conclusions...
Duran would have beat everyone on Pacquiao's resume, whereas Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Iran Barkley, and Thomas Hearns all knock Pacquiao out...and early. Is it at all relevant? Not at all, but I just wanted to stress that Duran fought much greater opposition than Pacquiao did, even though he has a great record himself. Cotto is billed as a great body puncher, but Duran was a more consistent operator and if Pacquiao laid on the ropes against Duran like he did last night, Duran will be throwing hard. Cotto was doing well up until he got hurt by the left, if Duran can take a flush left hook from Iran Barkley (which he did), he'll be able to eat Pacquiao's shots too. It's competitive early, but Duran isn't moving from Pacquiao's punches, whereas the body word and hard right hands of Duran will slowly take their toll. Late stoppage, or Pacquiao see's the final bell..battered and bruised.
