Roberto Durans Best Performance

I think Barkley was Duran's most impressive performance, and I'll tell you why. On paper Duran should have given Hearns a long and difficult night AT THE VERY LEAST. Again, on paper, Hearns should beat Barkley 10 times out 10, but he lost to him TWICE. Hearns destroyed Duran. Duran beat the man who beat Hearns twice, so it's kind of like redemption.

Boo

 

You're mal-informed my friend.

Chavez did not have two fights with DLH at 140 lbs!

Its silly to exhibit the DLH fights as proof that Chavez could'nt handle bigger fighters.
Chavez was 34 years old when he first took on DLH at 140 lbs.
Chavez at 34 years old was still a solid fighter, but he was nowhere near the the fighter he had been during his prime.
Most fighters at 34 have regressed significantly, particularly one with the mileage of Chavez.
......that was the fight that did'nt get off the ground due to Chavez' pre-existing cut flowing blood like crazy.

The rematch with DLH was fought at 147 lbs (welter) Chavez had wanted it back at 140 lbs......but DLH calls the shots, and he was going to now face a now 36 year old Chavez and at 147 lbs.
......that night a 36 year old nowhere near his prime shadow of JC Chavez gave a prime DLH a fight.
.....a much better account of himself from the fight two years earlier where he could'nt see incoming from the flow of blood to his eyes.

I look at the second DLH fight at 147 lbs where a 36 year old Chavez was able to not only get out of a prime DLH's bombs coming at him, but he was able to in instances get inside of DLH's reach and do what he does.
We're talking about a 36 year old shadow who was picking, parrying, and slipping DLH shots off at the pass.
......I see that DLH matchup and see no reason why a much younger and much better version of Chavez who fought Pernell Whitaker 5 years earlier at the age of 31 would'nt have done much better vs either DLH or Tommy Hearns.

A 36 year old shadow of Chavez was'nt blown out of the water vs a prime DLH who outweighed him by at least 15 lbs that night, I see no indication that Chavez would have got blown away by anybody at 147 lbs in a state while he was still near his prime!



......and btw, Chavez has been chopping down fighters naturally bigger than him his whole career.
In terms of height and reach, Roger Mayweather is a prime example of what Chavez could do against size, reach, and punching power!

Prime fighters that Chavez faced as an underdog that were naturally bigger than he was.....the hardest hitting lightweight ever in Edwin Rosario, and how about Meldrick Taylor at 140 lbs!

All these fighters were naturally bigger than Chavez, and I exhibit them as proof that there were absolutely skill and nuances in Chavez game to chop down the bigger fighter!

At 147 lbs, Thomas Hearns had the body of a frail skinny pole!
I could definitely see a 31 year old body punching assasin with alot of intrical nuances to his game (thats where people go wrong in assesing Chavez....they think he's a smaller version of a come foward one dimensional Pipino Cuevas. That just is'nt so) choppping down, wearing down, and stopping the 147 lbs skinny pole version of Tommy Hearns!

Chavez was'nt even a big puncher. He wore you down by accumulation.

.....the flip side to your question is when did Hearns ever meet anybody quite like Chavez at 147 lbs?....a body punching skilled infighting assasin with exellent defense to avoid getting hit by bombs?

.....late in a fight after Hearns has recieved some body punishment, I could definitely see Chavez walking right through Hearns shots and destroying him much like Hagler walked through and destroyed Hearns at 160 lbs.

.....as far as styles are concerned, Chavez was much like Hagler.....and Hagler was able to come in at Hearns, close the gap, and smother most of his punches, making Hearns punch out of his comfort zone!

 

Either Leonard I, where he totally imposed his will on a great fighter, or Dejesus III, where he totally dominated a very good one.

 

:good You nailed it, IMO.

 

I wouldnt pick 1 fight but 1 period. 74-1980. I love the Bizarro fight. I love the Brooks foght. Palomino he looks unstoppable. DeJesus 3 his greatest win. Against DeJesus 2 and against Suzuki he was a beast. Beat great boxers EASILY by dec against Buchanon( I know in 72), Mamby Viruet and Leonard. Looks like a destroyer against giant Villa who went to 15 vs Benitez. Against the two fighters in 1980 warmups to Leo he looks head and shoulders over 2 ranked fighters. My favorite will probably always be Bizarro when Duran was Duran. It helps my memory that I was there. Just love the fight.