Roberto Duran calls today's fighters mediocre at best!

absolutely...

 

Cant argue with the Hands of stone but I wonder how he thinks bout Pacquiao

 

That is what Duran fans do. They say that Duran would wipe the floor with Pacman, yet the Duran who quit they say got old in a few months or he didn't train. Then again he or his fans say he is great 3 years later when he beats Moore, yet he gets demolished by Hearns and he is old and didn't train again. Then he is great when he beats Barkley, but too old when Leonard beats him months later. On and on the excuses for Duran go. He was great when he wins and not trained when he lost, yet his losses were coincidentally to the greats. So he did not train for the great fighters? Sounds a bit odd. You would think he would not train for the worse fighters and train for the great ones like Hearns or Benitez. Seems like the skill level of those guys had something to do with Duran losing maybe. I think Duran had more power when he was smaller, yet when he got a little bigger he had to rely on skill and that skill was good, but it was not enough to deal with a Benitez,Hearns or Leonard skill level. Duran's feet were still too wide apart for a skilled boxer. His foot positioning was the same at lightweight as at welterweight and above that. His hand speed was good and he could land great combinations, but once he moved up he found great fighters with just as good or more handspeed, and he found he could not catch up to them with his plodding feet, which worked well for him at lightweight with the opposition he fought. Sure he can outbox a guy like Carlos Palomino at Welt. who was not exactly fast on his feet, but can you compare Palomino to greats like Wilfred Benitez or Tommy Hearns? No way.

 

I find it amusing that some of you aren't willing to disagree with Duran just because he is one the greatest to ever lace up the gloves.

Duran has always and will always have the machismo factor in him. He will always have that arrogance and passion in him. He even claims to be p4p THE best of all-time. It's just the way he is. But that doesn't make his statement correct.

 

But you can only ever base those matchups on their best form...For all his inconsistency Duran's best form > Pac's any day.

Duran also didnt have outbox guys who were quick of feet and hand...he could get down & dirty and just grind the fight out if he had to.

I think he is one of the best H2H fighters you will ever get based on his best wins.

 

This guy picked pac to win over oscar. he's speaks the truth and a great fighter at that!

 

:adminDuran is god

 

To be the best he will have had to beat Ray in the rematch and then beat Benitez and then Hagler and Hearns. But he lost all those fights. So we are left with a good lightweight career -dominant at that weight while not fighting many greats . Then fighting a lot of greats at a higher weight and beating only one of them. Then that one (Leonard) beats him in the rematch and third fight easily. Then he loses to the rest Hearns/Benitez/Hagler. Not best ever by anyone's standard.

 

Duran is right. Anyone who disagrees is a piece of ****.

 

:deal

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports2_dec6_2008


Duran picks Pacquiao; Hearns, Hatton, Chavez go for Oscar

By Rey Joble

BOXING legend Roberto Duran, who fought Sugar Ray Leonard in an epic trilogy, is amused of fighters who display big fighting hearts.
It’s no wonder therefore why he picked Manny Pacquiao over the favored Oscar de la Hoya in their Dream Match that blasts off Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Las Vegas, Nevada.



“I am leaning toward Pacquiao,” said the man regarded in boxing world as The Hands of Stone. “I like De la Hoya, he has been a great fighter... But he has not been very active in recent years. Pacquiao has been extremely active. It seems like he is always training and fighting.”



Like Pacquiao, who battled Mexican fighter Erik Morales in a historic trilogy, Duran had a decade-long rivalry with Leonard, who defeated the Panamanian boxer twice in their three meetings. But Leonard wasn’t able to knock down Duran even though the latter had an infamous “No mas, no mas” expression (no more in English) and quit during their second bout barely a year after the knockout artist dethroned the American champion.


But while Duran easily chose Pacquiao, several boxing legends were unanimous in picking De la Hoya.


Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Julio Ceasar Chavez, Ricky Hatton, David Diaz and boxing trainer Angelo Dundee, were all for De la Hoya, who is the heavy favorite to win over Pacquiao.



A $185 bet would only give those who will bet for De la Hoya $100 while those who will put their money on Pacquiao will win $155 for every $100 bet.



“No way Pacquiao can win... the fight could be over in four or five rounds. Oscar may carry him for a few rounds, but he is way too big and too strong for the smaller man,” said Hearns, world champion in six weight classes.
Chavez, who lost to De la Hoya more than a decade ago in a championship fight, has a simple explanation in picking the man who ended his legacy as a boxing legend.



“The chance of the 5’6” Pacquiao could win against the broad-shouldered 5’10” De la Hoya is if De la Hoya doesn’t have hands,” said Chavez.
Diaz, who was knocked out cold by Pacquiao, believes the Filipino has a fighting chance but thinks De la Hoya has the big advantage. Hatton considered the big leap from lightweight to welterweight will definitely take its toll on the pride of General Santos City.

 

Duran owns all. I thought JC Superstar was going for the Pac Monster

 

OK Mike.

 

he's part right but fighters fight who ever going to pay the most and guess what can you blame the fighters today. Boxing is all business and politics and different then what it used to be but things change. He shouldn't insult other fighters because hes the fighter that quit against Leonard for no reason !!!

 

Duran was the best lightweight champion in boxing history.