were's de la hoya, mayweather and trinidad I fancy de la hoya to beat duran at welter duran to beat tito duran to beat PBF i agree with nearly all your predictions I know that DLH and pbf didn't have a really long reign as welterweight champ but neither did ray leonard, thomas hearns or wilfred benitez
Its obvious im a Duran fan, but i tell you now without bias, there is no chance of DLH beating Duran at 147, ive done this one before, but at this time all im saying is NO CHANCE.
Duran over Leonard settled ? Based on what ? Leonard by decision. Hearns by KO ... Benetiez by decision .. Robinson by decision .. Burley not enough film for me to make a call but from all I read quite possible he beats Duran Don't count Napoles out , he was exceptional. I say he beats Duran at 147.
leonard and co were better than most welterweights in history but it still does not mean that the recent greats should not be mentioned. pbf, tito and oscar were all exceptional at this weight
You can't say Duran beat Leonard peak to peak and completely disregard what happened only 5 months later. Duran won a close decision. Leonard made Duran quit. That's almost unprecedented in the sport. It's 1 to 1 peak to peak with Leonard holding the more resounding result. Result: Leonard by decision. I think the "Montreal" Duran would've given Tommy Hearns a great fight. He was easy for Tommy 4 years later up another weight. I'll take Tommy, but think it could've been a great fight. I don't think Duran could beat Robinson at this weight. Griffith and Napoles would be pick'em fights vs Duran. I'd give the edge to Armstrong.
The only legacy type edge that you can give Duran over Leonard in their series is that Duran beat Leonard at LEONARD'S best weight imo, that's all that i can really say i honestly can give to Duran, the other stuff doesnt hold water, what happened in the bouts regardless of tactics, preparation, whatever, happened.
Agreed. I don't buy the Duran was not properly trained for the second fight argument. That's his problem. Consistency. It's all part of the equation. I also don't buy the Leonard fought Duran's fight in Montreal argument. Leonard thought he could beat Duran that way. He gave him a great fight. I think the Montreal fight is one of the all-time great fights. Duran was just a little better that night. Leonard adjusted his gameplan for the second fight.
Guys , does anyone go on facts ? Leonjard always had the skills to outbox Duran. No knock on Duran who I love but it's a fact. In the first fight the far more experienced Duran got into Leonard's head and Ray fought a dumb fight. He went toe to toe with Duran, in Duran's prime and fought him tooth and nail. It was a courageous but dumb move. Ray learned his lesson and easily outboxed Duran in the rematch. Ray had the size, speed and skills to beat Duran at welter. When Ray fought his fight he was the better welter. Duran did not make Ray fight Duran's fight the first time , Ray did.
She's an age old ESB debate this one - but i agree with you. I too am of the inkling Leonard chose the path of the fight more than Duran imposed it.
No need to be of the "inkling" any longer. It's correct. Leonard said during the build-up to the fight that he would beat Duran at his own game. He was so annoyed at Duran's insults and trash talking that he said "I better give this guy a beating". No debate needed.
Did he choose to get badly staggered early on?.That had a big part in Duran gaining the initiative. There was no reason to think he should have needed to move a lot to win.he was the bigger man and a potential great in his own right. It says more about Duran that Leonard may have needed to get on his bike to win despite being the bigger man. Something that doesn't get noted much about that first fight is that Duran won largely because he had better fundamentals and skills...not because some brutish slugging aggressor was welcomed in with open arms by the cultured boxer.That's too simplistic an analysis. Ray may have fought "his fight" but he wasn't voluntarily choosing to get punched in the face. btw i would take the Leonard from the second fightor the Hearns bout to win a 9-6'ish decision against the best Welter Duran.
Well but then Duran got he wanted if he imposed it inside the ring or before doesn´t matter. He made Leonard wanting to beat him at Duran´s game.
Perfect points mantequilla. Why dance against a 135 er when you are younger,faster,stronger and have more power? I think that second round bomb showed leonard duran had the power and ferocity to run him out of the ring so leonard had to respond with something to get durans respect. I bet roberto thought all his christmases had come at once when he realised he could hurt ray with a single shot. I think thats the most ray has ever been hurt incuding the hearns rematch and mr lalonde. Why do people think ray fought the wrong fight when it took him several rounds by his own admission to recover after the second? Did hearns do the right thing in going toe to with hagler to gain marvins respect? Hindsight is a great thing. However,whether ray could have beat roberto in a rematch prime for prime by boxing is a little indeterminate as roberto messed up by being indisciplined,not rays fault and the win is his.... I also feel hearns v duran at 147 would have been great,nothing like the 154 match,if roberto can slip the hearns jab he wins,if not hearns wins...Great match up prime for prime,and the hardest welter for duran to beat due to size,speed,power and style....
Why dance against a 135 pounder ? Because he proved Duran could beat him a phone booth fighting Duran's fight. In addition, we know Duran was no ordinary 135 pounder but an all time great. Yes Duran rocked Leonard in the second round. Again, we are talking about Duran still in his prime. However, to Leonard's credit he quickly regrouped and was never seriously hurt like that again in 39 rounds with Duran. Sorry about rehashing an old debate. This one is old on every board I've tested out ....