To begin with, I wouldn't classify either of these two as lightweights - Arguello was best as a Super Featherweight and Duran had most of his high-profile fights at Junior Welterweight and beyond. That having been said, Duran was only stopped once, legitimately, in his prime, by Tommy Hearns, who was much larger than Arguello at any time in his career. I don't see Arguello outpointing Duran, who was an inexorable force and brutal puncher, and I don't see Arguello stopping him, as Duran had a famed chin of iron of epic proportions. I see Duran hammering the slender body of Arguello into submission before putting him away in the 12th through 15th rounds with bludgeoning hooks and uppercuts. The fights with Davey Moore or Iran Barkley are classic examples of how Duran would conquer Arguello.
Tricks. Duran is definitely a lightweight & did he ever fight at light-welter? I agree that Arguello is more of a super feather though. IMO Duran is the greatest lightweight of all time. I see this being quite brutal but think that Duran would get the decision.
How can you not consider Duran a lightweight? He is considered the greatest lightweight ever by many, myself NOT being one of them. Anyways, Duran would have knocked Arguello unconcious, let's be realistic.
Arguello is great, but I don't see that he could withstand the swarming onslaught of Duran. The guy is too slick and would take away his best weapons from the outside, and move the fight up close where Arguello is uncomfortable for a wide decision or late stoppage Pryor-style. All these Duran vs. X threads keep popping up, and Duran gets favoured heavily over X every time. It should be noted that that isn't an insult to X - X is generally a genuine ATG. Duran at 135 was just that good.
The answer to the question lies in answering yet another question. Did Ray Mancinni do anything, anything at all, better than a peak 135 pound Duran?
I'd favour Whitaker over him, but I don't think anyone's "boxing circles" around a prime Duran. Let's not get carried away.
I didn't say I didn't consider him a Lightweight, just that I wouldn't "classify" him as one. He only fought about a dozen fights at Lightweight where both competitors were actually between 130 and 135, and really the only "name" opponents he fought during that time were Ken Buchanan, Ray Lampkin and Esteban De Jesus. When I think of Duran, I think of him really establishing himself as an all-time-great above 135. Not to say that his resume at 130-135 isn't good, he was undefeated, obviously, but I remember him most for his fights above that weight limit.
