Im fully aware of Duran's career and he is a great LW no doubt but you're forgetting the Black Murderer's row who never got a chance. Who are better.
I voted for Muhammad Ali. First, I think Duran's losses are way more harmful. Second, when I did my unnecessarily long top 100 at HW, Ali had beaten an astonishing number of men on that list. It's not always a fair reflection of quality (Archie Moore is a good example) but it was absolutely mad. His h2h record against other fighters in the top ten is 5-2 Absurd. For paper, there is nobody who really compares, apart from Harry Greb. Mad stuff. Meanwhile, his direct peers were Liston, Frazier and Foreman. Whatever the specifics, he looke in excess of them. It's close enough that I don't care to argue. Both made my atg p4p list and the last time I touched it up I had them I think 8 and 10. That's nothing, a hair's breadth, i got no beef with anyone calling it for Duran. But for me, yes, Ali.
My problem with Duran is everyone overhypes his successes but downplay and excuse his failures other fighters don't get this type of treatment. But for whatever reason Duran is the exception. Duran is an elite atg but he's not the GOAT.
Pushed Hagler to the brink of defeat? Have you actually watched the fight? Respect to RD for going the distance with a peak Hagler. All the same, he never looked like winning the bout. Fortunate for him that Hagler was in one of his strangely cautious moods. As an aside, can anyone imagine any version of RD lasting the distance with Monzon?
Ali for me. He beat three top ten heavy weights of all-time. Duran went a combined 1-5 against the other fab four members and Benitez Ali resume is just better
1. Sugar Ray Robinson 2. Sam Langford 3. Harry Greb 4. Muhammad Ali 5. Roberto Duran 6. Hank Armstrong 7. Bob Fitzsimmons 8. Willie Pep 9. Joe Louis 10. Ezzard Charles 11. Roy Jones Junior 12. Joe Gans 13. Sugar Ray Leonard 14. Floyd Mayweather 15. Manny Pacquaio
Duran is far from my favourite fighter. Have to say, however, that your 'evaulation' of the fighter is terribly wrongheaded. He was never cowed by any of his opponents, he was a terror during his lightweight reign, and (even though I don't personally enjoy watching the fight) his performance against SRL in Montreal was one of the greatest of the past forty years. If you can't see this then you need to watch more of his fights. If you have watched plenty of his fights? I don't know what to say. You mention De Jesus. You're aware that RD stopped De Jesus twice, aren't you? 'Cab drivers'? Oh dear.
You forgot to mention Laing. Duran lost to him in his early 30's. And he was only 31, I think, when Benitez easily beat him. Had a look of schooling at times. Benitez was very, very good, but you would have thought that Duran at least would make it competitive. Same with the Hearns loss. No shame for a former lhw to lose to Hearns, but he really got blown out of the water. Ali's defining wins were mainly his two first title wins, and they weren't very close. The wins against Norton were by no means defining. And a past prime Ali's struggles with prime Norton was given a bit of perspective when an ageing Norton gave a prime Holmes all he could handle.
I'm aware. Dejesus was a shell and coked to the gills by that point though. RD shouldve stopped him the first time anyways but he shat that one too.
