Roberto Duran v. PBF at welterweight

The Hatton that fought Mayweather isnt stronger than the Duran that fought Leonard. I don't think the De La Hoya that fought Mayweather is much quicker than the Duran that fought Leonard either.

 

When has a near-prime Duran ever consistently eaten clean shots?

 

Duran's ring intelligence surpasses Hatton's. By quite some margin. Duran had a brilliant defense, inside and outside. He slipped and countered Leonard very well at long range in Montreal. While Duran attacked his opponents he was thinking defense at the same time. Hatton walks onto power punches and doesn't anticipate whats coming his way. Duran was stronger than Hatton at welterweight. His showings at the weight proved it.

Duran certainly has the tools to give Mayweather something to think about while he's closing then distance. He has superior head movement over Hatton, and he also possesses better long range punches. Duran wasn't noted for having an excellenet jab, but it was a useful weapon.

 

Your right on somethings and wrong on others imo

Durans ring intelligence/skills surpass Hattons? -ofcourse BUT HAS MAYWEATHER GOT AN ANSWER FOR IT?

Durans strength surpasses Hattons? - No Chance. Hatton is an incredibly strong fighter if nothing else, Duran doesn't pack nearly as much muscle and strength as Hatton. Hatton was stronger than Collazo and Mayweather at 147, not to mention the famed strength of Tyszu. Duran was also fighting smaller welterweights who did not have a day to add 10-15lbs of solid mass back onto their frames. Hatton weighs 155-160 on fight night, Collazo 160 and Tyszu 150-155

Duran had an excellent defense inside and out? YES, thats the most underrated aspect of Duran and why he'd push Mayweather close. HOWEVER Mayweather's speed, shot picking, timing and longer reach will mean he gets off flush shots on Duran throughout the contest

He slipped and countered Leonard at range? Yes BUT Leonard fought a fight instead of boxing clever. Mayweather would not get pulled into a brawl in monteal against Duran and would keep the fight on his terms

 

Duran is DEFINITELY stronger than Hatton at 147. In close, Mayweather seemed bigger, more muscular, and stronger. Hatton wasn't able to push him back and muscle him in close.

 

Hatton and his team have said that he's not a natural 147 fighter, and struggles with them physically. He found Collazo to be stronger. And thats not coming from just me, but from Hatton himself who happened to be in there with Collazo.

PowerPuncher said Hatton's stronger than Collazo. Nonsense.

 

Not a very smart awnser. I said he slipped and countered Leonard at long range. Even though Leonard fought flat-footed, Duran did chop him down to get inside. These were moments when the fight was at long range and things were neat and tidy between both fighters, and not the brawling and mauling you mentioned above. Mayweather doesn't move constantly at 147lbs like he did against Corrales at 130lbs. And be rest assured, he'd give Duran the same type of opportunities that Leonard presented in Montreal.

Just watch the second round. Duran and Leonard are circling in the centre of the ring trading jabs at distance. You'll see Duran slipping Leonard's jab, pulling back from the waist, then coming back immediatley with an overhand right, followed by a left uppercut/hook which drives Leonard back against the ropes.

Duran picked his moments when to strike.

 

When has Floyd? Duran took clean shots in most of his Lightweight fights from harder hitters than Floyd like Dejesus, and Palomino/Cuevas at 147. Duran had great defense and ability to slip punches, which is something that seperates him from other great fighters of similar styles. Also, Floyd will not be facing someone he can outsmart or outpoint on the inside. Not only is Duran just as smart and skilled as Floyd inside, he's also more versatile, ferocious, and powerful. Floyd would not be landing clean shots consistently as you say, anymore than he would be landed on, difference being volume and punching power.

 

Correct. Duran aint straight up and down like Chavez. More of an elusive target. As you know.

You were wrong on one part. Duran never took anything flush from Cuevas that's worth talking about. He dominated the fight, and went in for the kill during the 4th, and his defense was bombproof. I can't mind Duran taking anything of note from Cuevas.

 

Meh, I used it more for effect than anything. He has obviously not seen the fight anyways. Duran taking multiple flush punches can be seen in his fights with Dejesus at LW though, as I said, I just threw the others in there to go along with the threadtitle, being as this matchup is being considered at WW, rather than LW. Still, Dejesus was a harder banger than Floyd ever was.

 

Yes Hatton is stronger than Collazo, watch him wrestling Collazo back to the ropes. When did Collazo ever push Hatton back? Collazo battered Hatton in the last round but that has nothing to do with strength.

 

Mayweather has a superior defense to Leonard and certainly would not present the same targets Leonard presented. Leonard-Duran was not a Gatti-Ward brawl but Leonard got drawn into Duran's fight, Mayweather always fought his own fight

Mayweather would slip and parry the majority of Durans work, Duran would miss more than any fight hes been in. Mayweather doesn't need to continually move to slip/parry and counter Durans best work. Duran would have his successes but Mayweather would have more successes and it would show on the scorecards

 

Hmm? How does this retort apply to me? I just about agree with everything you said and my question to PowerPuncher who claims Duran would be eating clean shots.

 

Duran, close UD.

 

Because Mayweather is such a great counter puncher, shot picker, with great speed, timing, footwork and shot selection

Dejesus & Leonard landed very cleanly on Duran, Mayweather would too but not be hit as much. Would Mayweather miss more than usual, probably, but Duran would miss even more