Who is greater P4P Joe Louis or Roberto Duran?

Duran, by some distance. Arguably the most dominant lightweight of all time, beat a man who just might be the best welterweight of all time, went 15 with a man who might be the best middleweight of all time, and notched a number of other impressive wins against big, tough contenders.

 

Louis has the better consistancy and longevity. Even when he has a loss or close controversial fight he comes back and avenges it emphatically

I think there's an argument Duran's technical skill and fluid motion is more advanced. He beat a fighter P4P better than anyone Louis beat in Leonard, but unlike Louis, lost the rematch, twice.

The other strike against Duran is he has great wins but he lost to the best men he faced. Although the argument is they are bigger. But Louis fought countless bigger men.

I will note Duran's trainer, Ray Arcel, thought very little of Duran after his quit job. Did Duran also lack heart against other fights that weren't going his way like against Benitez and Laing? Why couldn't such a great intelligent fighter make adjustments or come from behind like Chavez Sr? Louis had fights that weren't going his way but he always persevered and sometimes came from behind to win despite being at the risk of losing.

So I prefer Duran's style but Louis was greater P4P when you look at all of their characteristics and achievements.

 

He was really angry with him, but i think claiming he thought very little of him is miles off the mark.

Here's what Arcel said post Davey Moore -

"Ah, he was an artist," his former trainer, 83-year-old Ray Arcel, had said after the fight. "That performance could be compared to that of any great fighter who ever lived. It was masterful."

 

I have a tangential question that I @everybody on. How do you compare just Schmeling to De Jesus and the versions they faced? I mean, what was their quality at the time and place they were fought for their respective champs here? I'm not sure what I think.

 

A model of consistency vs a guy that was up and down later and mixed some ordinary losses with a some great wins. What do you prefer?

 

Louis was a model champion, finest boxer there ever was at HW, only one I’d pick to be able to be successful at or below 135lbs none of the other HW’s boxed like he did, thats why he defined a decade - nobody seriously came close in pure overall skill, actually Louis and Duran at the same size would be a good fight, can’t say that of any other HW… I rate Duran higher, I tend to favour weight hoppers.

 

Can't decide at the moment, but gun to my head i'd say Manos de Piedra.

Today 45 years ago, he defeated Sugar Ray Leonard in The Brawl in Montreal, may God grant both of these men more years of health.

 

I went with Duran but honestly I don’t mean that in a way to suggest that he is any GREATER thank Joe Louis .

 

“Thank Joe Louis” as in “Thank Christ” because I can get behind that.

 

Yeah; the "No mas fight" debacle really messed up Duran's legacy.

On the other side; Louis went Oreo for a good part of his career and ducked black contenders.

So maybe Duran's and Louis' flaws cancel each other.

 

Legacy wise, Louis did much more and was very dominant with his oppositions.

But everytime Duran sparked,the whole arena gets filled with radiation,so p4p wise I'll give it to Duran,but h2h in their own weight division Louis has a stronger case as #1.

 

Duran is my #7 all time p4p fighter and Louis my #9. I voted Duran, but there's nothing in it and I have no problem with those voting for Louis.

Louis doesn't have a win to rival Duran's over SRL and Duran has the higher quality p4p win resume, whereas Louis was more consistent, dominant and further removed from the (comparatively weaker) field.

It's a case of what you like, really.