pacquiao vs duran?

[KostyaTszyu44]

Duran by ko. To big, to skilled offensively and defensively, to strong. I would be fun due to Pacs speed for the first 6 or 7 rounds, but that whole time Duran would be chopping him down to stop him in 10.

sounds about right

[Classic]

Love Pacquiao, but...

This is just a horrible match up for him. Duran thrived on guys who came to him. Every single guy who attacked him head on paid dearly, with the exception of Hearns and Hagler. And he acquitted himself well against Hagler. And Duran was past his best on both occasions.

In Duran, Pacquiao would be facing someone tougher and meaner than he can ever hope to be. He would also be facing an underrated technical master. Finally, Duran hit harder than him at 135 and was deceptively fast.

Also, Duran's best punch was a straight right down the middle (though the left hook wasn't bad either) which as we all know is the bane of southpaws.

Of the today's fighters Pacquiao is a favorite of mine, but this simply isn't a contest. Duran by slow, brutal dismantling, and KO within 8.

[Chups]

Duran is not Juan Manuel Marquez.

[Classic]

Chups...

What's your point?

[LondonRingRules]

just a few short years ago this thread would have been a joke in duran's favor. pac's really done a lot lately.

** It's perfectly natural to favor Duran in his division since there are few lightweights ever lived that would have a chance against a prime, well prepped Duran.

However, this kid turned pro a pound above the straw limit and has gone on to one of the most spectacular careers in history. He's earned his chops in the feather division which is approximately the in the ring size of the lightweights Duran was fighting. Manny has been in the mid 140s stepping into the ring, so the size disadvantage doesn't really exist.

Duran doesn't have much experience against southpaws, so perhaps someone can provide any notable southpaws he beat as a lightweight. Roach has provided ace game plans for Manny and learned him some good boxing skills. He's not nearly so aggressive.

Hatton will tell us a lot, but it's silly to just dismiss a fighter of Manny's caliber yet. Dejesus gave Duran plenty to worry about, he was actually more of a bother than Leonard, yet the same usual suspects dismiss DeJesus out of hand because he was unfortunate enough to come of age in the same era as Duran and fell just short of glory. Folks forget that DeJesus did win the first non title match, and stuff does happen.

Let's remember also Floydy wasn't too keen on facing Manny when the fight was proposed after the first Marquez fight. Not saying Floydy was ducking mind you since Arum has obviously kept Manny on a brilliant promotional scheme and Floydy won't fight Arum fighters. Many thought Manny had an excellent chance against Floydy, and of course Manny jumps 2 divisions to blast out the fighter Floydy retired on rather than rematch for his largest career purse.

Something very, very special about this skinny little kid who's become something like JFK, Rudolph Valentino, and Ali all rolled into one in his country. Too special to dismiss so blithely.

[Classic]

Pacquiao...

...ain't all that skinny anymore! The guy fills out that frame pretty well I gotta say. Pacquiao is something special, yes...

But if we're talking the best version of Pacquiao at 135 vs the best version of the BEST lightweight in history, then well, I have to say, as much as I like Pacquiao, I cannot conceive of him winning this fight.

Now it's true, Duran did lose to de Jesus, but as anyone who loves this sport knows, even the very best fighters come across someone that's simply got their number. For Duran, people point out De Jesus. But I'm not sure why. Because he beat him once and dropped him twice? De Jesus was never close to taking Duran out, that is KOing him. Also, Duran brutally avenged his loss against Esteban. Furthermore, De Jesus and Pacquiao fight nothing alike. Essentially, Pacquiao is a quick, in and out bomber. De Jesus is a slick counter puncher with a potent left hook. Different guys...

Pacquiao will go down as a modern great. But i just don't think he's got the skill set to beat Duran. Even this new "boxer" version of Pac wouldn't get the job done.

[Left2body]

I would be interesting because Pac really attacks and is aggressive but so is Duran. But Duran was a beast and as Sweet Pea put it "Just the thought of fighting Duran when he was at 135lbs sent shivers down his spine".

The other thing is that by today's rules they could fight at 126lbs or 122lbs. I honestly think that the old fighters are inflated 1-2 weightclasses in today's era of the 24-38 hour pre-fight weight-in. You were weighted in on the same day for a 15 round fight. That means you COULDN'T dry yourself out the way fighters do today because you would literally pass out in the ring.

Hell Hagler could've cut to WW. Imagine Hagler vs some of today's WW's.

[LondonRingRules]

Hell Hagler could've cut to WW. Imagine Hagler vs some of today's WW's.

** Don't be ridiculous or we're gonna have to make Ali a middleweight.

You get to be the junior phantasmweight.