Who do you think has better defense? IMO these 2 were the most skilled pressure fighters in terms of defense and counter punching ability.
Duran. He had more dimensions whereas Braxton had great head movement Duran had mastered every aspect of the defensive game and combined it seamlessly with his offense. Not to cut Braxton short and I dont mean to imply all he had was head movement I'm just saying he wasnt a true master of the craft like Duran. He was damn good though especially considering how late he started boxing.
I agree 100% with what you wrote. With that said, the clip of Qawi standing in front of Leon Spinks smiling and slipping all of his punches is a reminder of how truly special Qawi was.
Wierd I don’t really think of Qawi as a pressure fighter, although he could slip into and out of that mode. I certainly don’t see him as a pressure fighter in the mold of Duran. I think his size makes people want to put him in this group. I do think his defense sometimes goes under the radar. I do think he was a great counter puncher with a great counter jab especially when we factor in size and reach. Before his fight with Spinks Braxton said of his style: “I am a counter puncher who makes people pay for thier mistakes”. Rock Newman: “people have the wrong impression of Braxton's style. 'Somehere along the line, some people have gotten the misconception that he's a brawler. He's a boxer.”
One wonders what a terror Duran could have been if he'd jumped up weight classes with the methods Pacquiao used.
Roberto Duran was class. Qawi was good for a bigger guy but not “good” when you take a wider gaze or on the same level as Roberto. But I’m just a guy watching I’m probably wrong.
