Prime vs Prime : Roberto Duran vs Manny Pacquiao

Assuming this is around 140.

Duran is able to box his way inside, where he outworks Manny for a good portion of the fight. Pac's foot and hand speed allow him to have his moments offensively and defensively, but his lunging offense will be too open and timed for Duran, who will follow up on counters and accuracy in offensive exchanges with pressure and bodywork, throwing hooks and uppers on the inside. Under this context, Pac will fold and be rendered ineffective.

Pacquiao's best bet is to turn into a voluminous counter-puncher, but even then, Duran's skillset is so diverse that it's hard imagining him not being able to time, outthrow, outland, and elude Pacquiao. I think if it were a 15 rounder, Pacquiao might get stopped on cuts or on his feet after being broken down, but would likely lose a decision in a competitive and fun fight.

 

See Duran/DeJesus II/III for mode of slaughter..135

See Duran/Palomino & Duran/Leonard 1 for mode of slaughter...147

Duran/Pacquiao at 140, pick from above for personel choice:smoke

 

Duran by decision or late round tko. He'd be a bit too crafty for pac-man, especially with his uncanny ability to stand right in front of his opponent and make him miss and then counter. This was an area in which he was underated and would frustrate the hell out of pacquio.

Pacquio , as awesome a fighter that he has been, doesn't possess the same vesatility that "stone hands" did, defensively or otherwise. His speed, power and workrate (along with determination) are the main factors that caused him to dominate.

Duran didn't have to depend on those factors alone. While many saw him as being simply a vicious animal he was actually an intelligent boxer/puncher who could switch his style in mid-stream.

This is what seperate him from pacquio, and it would prove to be pacquios undoing.

 

i think this as much as any other option

 

Problem with this comparison is that Pacman has beaten several greats and Duran only beat one by decision, and then lost easily to that same guy. Pacman wins a decision against Duran. He has proven more by his wins. Duran fought great, but didn't beat them. Although to be honest, Pacman might not do well against Hagler,Hearns,Benitez and Leonard either. But Pacman's speed would be a big problem for Duran.

 

well i think you pointed out two important things:

1)pacman might not do well against similar opponent as duran, who fought (but lost to) better opposition

2)speed may be a problem. and it likely would be but styles, not resumes, make fights and while speed would be a problem, so would duran's elusiveness, counters and smart aggression.

 

As i've said before, Pacquiao loses all hypotheticals to greats, but beaten all greats he fought in real life. Duran wins all hypotheticals from LW to MW againt greats, but lost to all greats he fought in real life.

As for this particular matchup, Duran is too much of a physical force to overcome anyway. I can only see Pacquaio getting backed up and beaten down. Stylistically, i just cannot see how Pacquiao could approach him aggressively, he's not versatile enough. He is definatley getting backed up.

And as shown in Morales I, his strengths are not on the backfoot. Educated pressure had him doing nothing but covering up and moving backwards in a straight line, at times.

Bad style matchup for Pacquiao. I like his chances with Whitaker much more.

 

Duran, dat right hand counter and infighting edge

 

I give the edge to Duran, because I believe they both peaked physically at 135-140 range( Duran and Pacquiao, respectively) and Pacquaio has really come into his own as a technician in the last 3-4 fights of his. I don't think Diaz or Hatton Pac quite has the skills to stay ahead of Roberto at that juncture or weight.

At 135 or 140, Duran by clear decision, Morales-Pacquiao 1 style, but probably a bit wider.

At 147, damn what a fight. The Pacquiao of Cotto or Clottey against the Duran of Leonard 1? Barn burner. War. Edge to Duran for sheer badassery, he'd stand up to Pacquaio's firepower better than vice versa.

Any other Duran after Leonard 1 against any Pacquaio after Cotto, Pacquiao beats by decision on speed, workrate, and his own improving skills. Duran had some great performances left in his, but he was never really the same amazing, super skilled badass after Leonard I and II were past. His stuff just started trickling out of him, returning sporadically and in differing amounts for great performances against Hagler and Barkley and staying largely absent otherwise.

Edit: How could I forgot Moore for a great after Leonard performance? Moore too. Though I still think modern Pac beats that version of Roberto.

 

Duran by clear decision or late TKO, pacquiao leaves too many gaps in his defense to have a chance vs a prime Duran.

 

Interestingly enough I fell lightweight is were pac would have been at his best and could have had a short tyson like rein knocking out diaz, diaz, casamayor, campbell and marquez. But to be fair he was that good he could compete in the tougher ww division.

I can't see anything other than duran wearing pac down over the distance. In a twelve rounder it would be close. Over 15 I think duran stops him.

 

Good post.

 

Duran's skill on the inside is the big deciding factor in this one - it is one of Duran's biggest strengths and one of Pacquiao's biggest flaws. I think Pacquiao stays the distance but I think Duran just has the intelligence to dictate the action and turn it into his sort of fight.

Would be fun to watch though.