The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

I am waiting for Betty to do one on Ricky Hatton...:nut

 

I've got Hagler as no.1 middleweight chaps :good

 

Me too, he takes Monzon to a UD over 15, it's a tactical affair upto the 10th until Hagler steps on the pedal into the Championship Rounds...:deal

 

Didn't need to ask mate....it sure as hell couldn't be Sugar Ray.

 

If its a tactical affair then Hagler is in the ****.

 

I've always thought Hagler takes the early rounds, Monzon finds his rhythm and takes the middle rounds, but Hagler, ambidextrous, faster, and more versatile, finds away around that jab and pulls away late. Monzon fought more athletic types, Hagler fought some awkward beasts. It's what you like really.

Greb over Robinson as well :deal Dick Tiger to round off the top five.

 

Roberto 'Hands of Stone' Duran​

​

Name - Roberto Duran Saminiego

Born - Panama, 16-6-1951

Record Total Fights - 119
Wins - 103 (70 KO's)
Losses - 16

Roberto Duran was born 16-6-1951 in Panama, he was part of a huge family which was run with in iron fist by his mother, while his drunk of a father was never around. There was never much money in the Duran house so in 1968, at the age of 16 Roberto became a professional boxer.

After 4 years as a professional and defeating the likes of future champions Ernesto Marcel and Kobayashi he got his first title fight against 1981's RING magazine's fighter of the year, Ken Buchanan. Ken the reigning WBA lightweight champion met Roberto for there championship fight in Madison Square Garden, New York which will be just one of a number of controversial fights featuring Duran. Roberto came out guns blazing and had Ken touch down within 15 seconds of the first round, Ken survived but things never really got any better for him through out the bout. He had never met anyone so intent on doing him damage, so aggresive so evil. Then it happened the controversy, at the end of the 13th round Roberto had Ken cowering against the ropes, the bell rings but Duran is swinging to try and get Ken out of there, maybe he didnt hear the bell maybe he did but he does throw a wild hook aafter the bell which Ken claims landed illegally low. Buchanan never recovers and the fight is awarded to Duran due to the dominating performance he showed through out.

Duran was known as a fighter who liked the rock and roll lifestyle, between fights he ballooned in weight spending his money on woman and alchohol and occasionally overlooked 'Lesser' opponants and didn't put the effort in, in the gym. This caught up with him when in a none title fight he lost a decision to Esteban de Jesus. He later avenged this defeat twice once with and 11th round KO and a second time to win the WBC lightweight championship, unifiying the lightweight division. I personally believe Duran is the greatest lightweight to ever lace em up.

Duran decided to vacate his lightweight crown and move up to bigger and better challenges up at welterweight, were no other than Sugar Ray Leonard was learning his trade. After a few victories the fight everyone wanted to see came about, Duran V Leonard, after an awesome build up which Duran used to scare the much younger and inexperienced Leonard. The Brawl in Montreal finally happened on June 20th 1980, Duran sucked Leonard right into his type of fight, an aggresive inside brawl where Leonard did not belong. The slick gold medallist would be better suited to an outside fight pawing with the jab, the occasional in and out combo, never giving Duran the chance to plant his feet. All credit to Leonard he survived the 15 rounds but a unanimous decision was given against him and Duran became WBC Welterweight champion.

In November of the same year a rematch was organised, many claim Leonard timed his rematch proposal perfectly, waiting until Duran was overweight living the lavish lifestyle making it hard for Duran to make the weight. Duran in killing himself to make weight would come into the bout weakened and give Leonard an easier night. What happened in the ring that night goes down in boxing history, Leonard sticking to the outside clowned the aggresive Duran, mocking and show voting Duran was growing ever more increasingly mad. The it happened in the 8th round Duran turned his back on Leonard in submission, many ringside spectators and media claim Duran muttered the words 'No Mas' meaning No More. This is later denied by Duran claiming he said 'I dont want to fight this clown', alos he said stomach cramps played a massive part in his decision to quit. Regardless of what he said he disgraced himself and in turn Don King refused to promote Duran any further, thinking the people of South America would never support a quitter.

Duran took some time out from boxing and in 1982 came the return of 'hands of stone', this time his career would see him embark on a junior middleweight journey. Unsuccessful at first he lost his first championship fight against a tough Wilifred Benitez to a unanimous decision. There was no shame in losing that fight but in his next outing against Kirkland Laing many expected Roberto to walk through him and have no problems defeating the Londoner, this wasn't to be the case Laing won a split and Roberto appeared to be reaching crossroads in his career. After a couple more nobody wins in steps Bob Arum, who guided him to a second shot at the Jnr. middleweight crown this time against WBA champ Davey Moore. Moore would prove no match to the now hungry again Duran. After Moore touched down in the 7th the ref called a halt to proceedings in the 8th, Moore had been savagley beaten. The biggest surprise of the night was the reception that Duran received from fans, he was cheered as a God and after the fight he was held aloft whilst avid fans sang happy birthday (this being Roberto's 32nd Birthday)

Duran would now go on to face th Marvelous on Marvin Hagler. Hagler was destroying all opposition, no title match had gone the distance and not many fancied Duran to win. This being his second opponant of the now famous fantastic four Roberto fought a couragious, brave, gutsy fight but it was Hagler who got the nod on points. Duran was the first fighter to take Hagler that far in a championship bout.

Up next the third member of the fantastic four, Thomas 'The Hitman' Hearns. This for the WBC strap and what happened next no one could predict. The Hitman destroyed Duran in 2 rounds, at one point lifting him of his feet. Duran had a fantastic chin but when Hearns had him trapped against the ropes he dropped Duran like a giant oak. To watch even now it seems impossible what Hearns did to Duran, Thomas was now the Jr. Middleweight man.

Duran fought for the WBC middleweight crown in 1989 a fight that once won would see him have his chance to avenge the 'NO MAS' loss to Sugar Ray Leonard. Iran Barkley was the man who stood in the way and despite Duran having Barkley down at one poin, it was a fiercly contested fight right to the final bell, but the then 37 year old Duran got the nod.

Next up Sugar Ray Leonard , the rubber match, a chance to bury the memories of 'no mas'. Unfortunately Duran came up short and it was Leonard who got the nod. Many at this time felt Duran had seen his best days and was now on the slippery slope known as decline.

Although he had further fights I feel we have covered the legend that is Roberto Duran. The only fighter to have fought in 5 differant decades. The greatest lightweight of all time, sometimes controversial, always entertaining. Myth says he knocked out a horse, Myth might just be right. If you have the chance then I advise you read his biography 'Hands of Stone' also wathc the DVD ' The fabolous four'. This fighter ducked nobody, covered many weight classes and always gave his all.

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I was gonna post a Bob Foster one but the missus reckons I've been on too long already

 

Sugar Ray is his 'best' win but his most impressive performance (for me) around his 'prime' years was Palomino, a dangerous operator that Durab made defence/offenceless

Outside of that, Barkley :yep

Duran is the greatest out of the Fab 4 and a lock for the top ten fighters of all time for sure.

 

Not many appreciate him as much as they should. Deffo the best of the fabolous 4.

 

Name: Gerald McClellan
Alias: The G-Man
Born: 1967-10-23
Nationality: US American
Hometown: Freeport, Illinois, USA
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6′ 0″ / 183cm
Reach: 77″ / 196cm

Gerald McClellan (born October 23, 1967 in Freeport, Illinois) is a former boxer from the United States of America, who was world middleweight champion. McClellan's record as a professional boxer was 31 wins and 3 losses with 29 wins by knockout. He has been rated as #27 on Ring Magazine's list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Boxing Carrer
McClellan became a professional boxer in 1988. Trained by hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward, he captured the WBO world middleweight championship knocking out John Mugabi in one round in 1991, and the WBC's version by knocking out Julian Jackson in five rounds in 1993. He defended the WBC title three times.

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Bout with Benn
After his middleweight reign, McClellan went up in weight to challenge world Super-Middleweight champion Nigel Benn in London on February 25, 1995. The fight, which is the subject of the forthcoming documentary film directed by Bobby Razak called "Fallen Soldier," [2]was watched by an estimated 17 million people on television and 10,300 paying spectators.[3]
McClellan dropped Benn, who went out of the ring in round one. They continued battling, but the fight had a devastating ending. McClellan, after dropping Benn again in round eight, slumped to one knee in round ten. He took the mandatory eight count, resumed boxing, but soon dropped to his knee for a second time. He was counted out. He returned to his corner but appeared to be unable to stand and lost consciousness. McClellan briefly regained consciousness in the ambulance and ripped off his oxygen mask.
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Aftermath
McClellan had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He spent eleven days in a coma and after which, he was found to have suffered extensive brain damage. He lost his eyesight, the ability to walk unassisted and became 80 percent deaf. Sports Illustrated ran an article about the fight and its outcome one week after the fight. McClellan's family flew to be by his side, and later he was flown back to his home country. He has recently recovered some ability to walk, being helped by a cane, but he has not recovered his eyesight. In addition to being blind and almost deaf, his short-term memory was also profoundly affected. His three sisters, particularly Lisa McClellan, are responsible for his care. He has been the honoree at numerous banquets and award ceremonies, and fellow boxing world champion Roy Jones Jr., often pointed as a possible rival during the 1990s (indeed, McClellan actually beat Jones as an amateur), set up a foundation to help McClellan. Nigel Benn himself has also helped to raise funds for McClellan's treatment, and the two men would meet again for the first time since their bout at a fundraiser held in London on February 24th, 2007. Several items were auctioned off at the event and a total of $175,000 was raised

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Agreed :good

For me, Duran is in the top 5 In the ATG list behind Robinson, Greb, Armstrong and Ali. Fabulous boxer, wonderfully skilled defensively (when he wanted to use it) and a punch that could KO the best of em. Personally, he is my favourite of all time.

 

Most boxing fans have him number 1 out of the Fab 4. I guess I lot of people just remember him as the small, older guy who lost all but one of the Fab 4 H2Hs?

 

He did a similar number on Cuevas. Cuevas was on the wrong side of the hill at that point but it was still a good win.