no one Duran fought at lightweight compared to Pernell. and when he fought the elite level of Pernell later he lost to all those guys.
And Pernell fought no one at lightweight in the same league as Duran... And Duran beat a prime Leonard just as Duran was saying good bye to his own prime, after having RULED the division for 7 years. Don't paint Duran in a corner. He is not analogous to other fighters, a fact that comes with being one of the very greatest fighters of all time, a cut in quality that Whitaker, great as he was, does not make.
Ray was not prime. he fought Duran's fight. You think Pernell would do that? You really do? Or would he do what Ray did in the second fight and slip the punches and land his own? Duran is not the greatest of all time. He lacks the wins over other greats. Duran is the biggest excusemaker in the history of boxing.
Ray didn't fight Roberto's fight. Ray fought the only fight Roberto allowed him to fight. Big difference. Ray got a hagged-out, under-trained, over-partied Duran the second time around. Still, I think that version of Duran beats Whitaker at welter. But no way in hell that Duran loses at lightweight. You seem to be another who thinks that Duran arrived on the in 1979. Perhaps I should be the first to inform you that he dabbled in boxing a bit before that date. As far as beating greats, Duran's win over Leonard far bests anything Whitaker was able to accomplish in a single fight.
If that were the case either Duran fought a Ray who was not the great he fought in the next two fights, or he could not make him fight that fight the other two fights.. Ray got the excuse making Duran the second time. The fact is Ray was the variable. Look at the first fight and second fight side by side and see how Ray is moving. No, but at lightweight Duran did not fight the elites guys he fought later. I don't see Duran beating Ray as that great, because Ray to me was 2 title fights into his career. He was not the great fighter he was who fought Hearns in 1981.
He has a very good chance by decision, but he cannot make any mistakes. If he gets sucked into a brawl, he will be in big trouble. He also cannot be seen as constantly running away, or they might give the decision to Duran. He needs hit and run: move in, slip and slide, counter, and quickly back off before Duran can get the better of him. “No one Duran fought at lightweight compared to Pernell Whitaker” How about DeJesus? He trained with Benitez, so he was not unfamiliar with evasive tactics.
Pressure,pressure,pressure, if Ramirez can keep a fight close, and win one (though in truth he lost both) and Chavez made it interesting (though both were past prime at welter) both were pressure fighters, neither had the skill or power of prime Duran at lightweight . I see Whitaker fighting a defensive fight, once he realize Duran isn't easy to hit, and Duran's counters hurt him early. Though Duran wouldn't be able to trap Whitaker or stop him, he would keep him defensive minded, and win a close dec. After the fight Duran calls Whitaker a coward every way possible lol.
good point about DeJesus, and I think he was trained by Benitez father Gregorio Benitez, but I could be wrong, but I am not sure that is the same as being Benitez. And Benitez outboxed Duran easily in 1982, not long after Ray beat Duran in Nov. 80. Pernell was not a guy who was suckered into brawls much. Leonard had more of that ego which helped him in excitement and hurt him at times.
Pea may have been a guy who fared well in the 15 round era. However the 13-15th rounds are an unknown, meaning some guys (Pedroza comes to mind) rose to greatness there, while others just didn’t have that extra 9 minutes in them. I think 12 might give Pea a better chance. I still like Duran narrowly but this would be close.
