Roberto Duran vs Floyd Mayweather's opponents- does he reach 49-0?

I know Oscar-B Hop isn't a perfect comparison. I just think a clear loss can only count for so much.

Duran's win over Barkley was great. I just think Canelo will be recognized as a greater fighter than Iran and Floyd was like 36 when he beat him.

 

Fair enough, but I would categorize it as a close loss, not a clear loss. As to Canelo being greater than Barkley that wouldn't surprise me, but Barkley was a huge, huge middleweight. He had 5-6 inches in height on Duran, was younger, faster, stronger, had a huge reach advantage and had a lot of pop in his punches. He hit Duran was punches that KO'd Hearns among others and almost caused Duran to do a 360, but he wouldn't go down. Barkley did. And he was 37. What actually amazed me in that fight was the bodywork Barkley was doing. Berstein was saying that it would pay dividends in the later rounds, but it never did, and Barkley really cranked some good hooks into Duran's midsection. But if I'm 100% fair I still think Duran was lucky to get the win.

 

Fair enough. I need to check that one again.

 

:good

 

This right here.

Does anyone really know when Duran lacked focus any time before the Leonard rematch?

 

Hugest 159-lb middleweight ever?

 

Never mind the weight, look at the guy. They said even at super middle he looked huge. Just go onto youtube and see for yourself. Hell the guy went on to fight at heavyweight, let's see if any of Mayweather's opponents do that!! :good

 

Baldomir weighed around 180 between fights and Canelo weighs 175 in between his bouts. Not heavyweight but still large guys for the weights they fight at.

 

So now it is Duran's problem that it only took him 7 years to have 49 fights as opposed to Mayweather taking 18 years to cherry pick 48 opponents.

Seems about right for the nut huggers on ESB.

 

As long as Duran was in condition he could do it but always being in top form was not one of his strengths, still I don't see any of Floyd's opponents being a problem but I wouldn't think Esteban De Jesus would either, one thing for sure no way Floyd could go 49-0 against Duran's opponents

 

Which one(s) are you so sure would've beaten Mayweather?

 

For starters Leonard, Hearns, and Hagler, and I'll throw in Buchanan at 135. Oh, I forgot Palamino, Benitez, and Davey Moore.

 

Buchanan is the only one of them who was in Duran's first 49 opponents. Just occurred to me that I probably interpreted Bummy's comment too literally though.

You think you're certain that Floyd loses to Buchanan, Palomino, Benitez, and Davey Moore?

 

How the hell does Floyd beat Lou Bizarro

 

I don't see how Mayweather can be favored against Hearns, so that would be a likely loss. Floyd would be dealing with a lightning fast laser jab, knockout power from each hand, and an alarming reach disadvantage from an opponent who had underated boxing skills. Mayweather would have to become a risk taking aggressive puncher that stalks Hearns so that's pretty much out. Mayweather did stalk Moseley in their bout from the middle rounds on, but with no power to take advantage of Tommy's chin, it's a long night for Floyd.

Against Leonard, I see this as very close. Leonard's handspeed, particularly in combinations, was impressive. But can he utilize this skill set against Floyd enough to win a boxing match? I have my doubts. I think Floyd would recognize this as one of his opponent's most dangerous strengths, and would neutralize it by movement and clinching. And while Leonard has more power than Mayweather, it's not one punch knockout power, so such a stoppage is doesn't seem likely. I can't see Mayweather taking enough meaningful punishment to lose by attrition against Leonard, or any boxer for that matter except Armstrong and Duran, and perhaps an outside chance against Pryor and Chavez as well. So Leonard by attrition is unlikely as well. This leaves a decision as the most likely outcome of such a match up, and winning a decision against Mayweather is a daunting task. (Although I thought he lost a close but clear decision in Castillo 1. Perhaps he really was injured ?) I have this as too close to call.

Hagler, being a middleweight doesn't seem an apt comparison. But if they did fight, I would expect Hagler after realizing he was losing the first few rounds to impose his greater strength and power, fight most of the fight as southpaw, and win a surprisingly close decision. This would probably look a little bit like a cross between the last half of Mayweather vs Castillo 1 and the last half of Hagler vs Duran.

Benitez would have his moments, but I just see Floyd as the better boxer and have him winning by 2 or 3 rounds.

I can't see Buchanan, Moore, Palamino or De Jesus troubling Mayweather greatly.

An intriguing question is how would Mayweather do against Iran Barkley the night he lost to Duran? Barkley was huge, looking like a light heavyweight that night, and what's lost in the grandeur of Duran's win (which was a debatable loss) is that Barkley fought well. Could Floyd overcome such a massive size disdvantage? I don't know, perhaps that can be the topic of another post.