Who had the better chin, Leonard or Duran?

Camacho put Leonard out. Did he ever hurt Duran?

 

The math is slightly more complicated than that

 

Let’s look at it another way. Duran moved up more divisions than Ray. Leonard actually never fought past 168 he only pretended to with the LaLonde charade. Duran went up to 68 himself and started his career below Lightweight.

So there’s that.

How bout when they fought each other? Leonard was a natural Welterweight in his prime and he couldn’t beat Duran without getting on his bike and playing very safe. It was smart but also telling. Duran hurt Leonard severely in Montreal almost a KD. In round 2. And rocked him 3 or 4 times over the course of 15 rounds.

Unless you wanna sell No Mas as something other than what it was the next time Ray wobbles or staggers Duran will be the 1st time in 3 fights.

Sorry fellas RL was a great fighter but this isn’t close. When his reflexes dulled a bit he couldn’t keep his ass off the floor. It’s just not intellectually honest to pretend otherwise.

 

7
Agree 100%

 

I think that you can make this argument even with the shot from Hearns. It was just a perfect punch against an ATG right hand hidden by an ATG jab. It had perfect leverage and with the height disparity and speed on it, I'd argue is one of the greatest punches thrown in the history of sport. That it clean-clocked Duran is no discredit to his chin to me. I certainly wouldn't argue against Fullmer having a great beard despite the Robbie KO.

At WW, Leonard arguably has a level chin with a WW Duran, p4p, as you have suggested, Duran and Leonard aren't close.

 

How the &%$@ would one even begin to prove this question one way or the other? It's not a linear mathematical equation the way some seem to want to make it.

 

I suppose you could list the biggest punchers they faced and then count how many times they were caught clean with a big punch that they didn't roll with. From there, you would have to try to extrapolate on a p4p basis what the results mean and infer from there their individual ability to stand up to clean punches that they didn't have the ability to brace for and lessen the impact.

Or you simply go with your gut feeling and use whichever fights suit your opinion.

I would fall on the Duran side here given his starting weight and the amount of fights that he had, plus his performance against Barkley well past his prime.

 

- Not that it directly supports the case for Duran's chin but, its helped make my mind up.

Duran.

 

Yeah, despite my earlier answer, you do have a point. I still think the punches Duran took from Barkley, to the body and head, are just out of this world, but Leonard got up from Hearns's punches which Roberto didn't. Both were great at not getting hit clean, so there's not a lot to go on.