Which of these fighters has the best chance of beating Duran at 147?

Marlon Starliing has the best chance. Vernon Forest has some of the tools to bother Duran but he was scared of Ricardo Mayorga so I dont think he could hold up against Duran.

 

Mayorga was a monster at 147 when he fought Forrest .. he was very strong and a murderous puncher who peaked in their first fight .. he was a much bigger and explosive puncher than Duran at 147 .. Duran had his biggest problems against tall, fast fighters who could box and punch ... if the question is who gives Duran the toughest match up it is Forrest although I favor Duran ..

 

I would say Forrest or Taylor

 

he was an awkward unskilled labourer with a solid dig.No way a harder hitter than Duran even at 147 and by no means a "monster".

"very strong"...the guy could barely manhandle Spinks or even Forrest in the rematch when Vernon fought as if he was in there with Liston.

Forrest would eventually get brutally crushed by Cuevas, far less Duran imo.Not his style of opponent to excel against at all.Far too wound up.

 

First of all your simply flat out wrong about the power comparison at welter weight ... perhaps you can start by telling who Duran ever knocked out at welterweight that was not shot ? He could not drop Leonard, ever. He could not touch Benetiz, a blown up welter. He could not seriously hurt Palomino ... what's your best pick, a shot Cuevas ? Add your ridiculous claim regarding Spinks who won by out boxing him and it shows you bark loud but do not know the content of the conversation ...

 

Hearns couldn't drop Leonard either. So what?

Duran would knock Forrest out in the middle rounds.

Of those listed, I'd say Starling as a good defensive fighter has the most in his arsenal to trouble Duran. Breland would be a good front runner but would eventually be chopped down too.

Duran vs Margarito would be a fun fight, even though Margarito was about as limited as you could possibly get, his come forward style and apparent desire to be hit as much as possible would make for an eventful night.

Margarito vs Hearns would be epic, probably reminiscent of Mayorga vs Tito, with a few free shots being handed out in the early rounds

 

Mayorga is a terrible matchup for Duran. Although one guy who fights a little crazy like Mayorga is Roldan,whom Duran could not beat too easily. That would bean a great fight Roldan vs. Duran. I pick Duran because he usually did not lose to the brawler types.

 

He didn't land much flush on Benitez as you know fine well.

And he did buzz and gain Palomino's respect, Hurt and certainly gained Leonard's respect.If you want to bring up stuff above Welter he was able to hurt Moore and Barkley(even rocking him a few times early) .

It's not necessarily about who you knock out, especially when you are fighting the kind of fighters he did, it was pretty obvious to me he still was vicious with his shots and carried very good heavy handed power.

Saw plenty of Mayorga and didn't see any fights to convince me he had anything better, certainly not when you bring in overall delivery into it.He just clubbed away at most of the journeymen he beat and eventually stopped them, Duran still stopped fighters of that level more impressively.The Forrest stoppage isn't enough for me especially in the way Vernon meekly folded, yet took the same shots second time around.imo it was largely a mentality thing with Forrest that cost him those fights, not Mayorga being a monster.

And yeah spinks beat him by outboxing him but Mayorga got in close against Spinks; repeatedly tried to rough him up and landed more than enough to show off this supposed monstrous power and strength.Indeed he was effective enough that the fight was reasonably controversial at the time, especially on here.

A guy with the punch and strength you seem to think he had should have obliterated Spinks(who was hardly ever super durable) having the success he had with him, but between his fights prior to Forrest, the Vernon rematch and the Spinks bout itself was clear Mayorga was a few notches from that level.Then he landed a decent amount of punches on a rusty coming out of retirement Tito and couldn't budge him.You think Duran wouldn't have pummeled and starched most of these guys just becayse he didn't with Carlos and Ray...use some common sense man.

 

If it's Montreal Duran, none of them.