This thread is a bit of an epiphany for me. Eight people who apparently visit, read, and post on Classic ESB think the Ring Magazine Fighter of the 1970's is not elite. Somewhere Garfield and Bienstock are having a beer shaking their heads.
He was no Tyson Fury, let's not mince words. Just not the same level of slicky slippy skillfulledness and a relatively shite beard. Even if he did get his wanger out mid-sparring and threaten to slap Pipino Cuevas with it.
I'm a little surprised you think so, Duran had a lightweights frame and is largely considered one of the three greatest all time in that division which carried over well to welterweight. Its amazing he was competitive at junior middle and middleweight and Wilfredo at his best was no slouch.
This was necessary? An all time top three at lightweight was far past his zenith with putty pounds as a middleweight.
While Ray Arcel had always said Benny was the top lightweight of all time he changed that to Duran while Roberto was still in that division. After no mas I would guess he may have changed this sentiment.
I'm sure, the 8 posters who don't believe Duran was elite are just trolling (for whatever reason). There will always be clowns like that!
For Ray it would have been unconscionable for a fighter of Duran's stature to have quit like that as it was part of the whole picture of what the fighter was, not just the boxing skill.
