Very true. A lot of people don't take into account that Duran was the little guy all the way after lightweight. Of the fabulous four, he was at a size and age deficit from the beginning.
Makes him all the greater in my opinion. What a warrior.
Salvador Sanchez is my all time favorite. Duran after Chavez, but I love sugar Ray Robinson. So many great warriors.
Best regards,
Zaroku
Well, Iran went right at him. Unfortunately a lot of Duran's later opponents took advantage of his limited mobility. If they all fought him like Iran, I think he would have beaten them all.
Agreed. Unless they had power & a reach advantage. Great champion.
If you are referring to Roberto Duran, we need to clear a few things up here. He came from Panama- not Mexico. His father was Mexican but left his mother with Roberto and his other siblings when he was young. He came a from a poor section in Panama in the 1950s. So he had no easy time coming up. On a bet, he once hit knocked out a horse with one punch. I'm not sure he knocked it out completely. I think he actually knocked it down. Still, weighing probably around 115 at the time, that is unreal power.
Yes, he is one of the all time greats. He is the greatest in my opinion. Duran fought his way out of the slums to the lightweight title by the time he was 21. He defeated Ken Buchanan by knockout in the thirteenth round and Buchanan is considered one of Scotland's best of all time.
He went on to defend his tile twelve times, virtually cleaning out the division. His lone defeat in over seventy fights came against the very talented Esteban Dejesus in a non-title fight in New York shortly after Duran was injured in a car accident. He avenged that loss in a rematch(KO11) and a rubber match(KO12). He also pretty much dominated all his challengers and worked in many non-title fights as well.
Then he traveled up to welterweight where he dominated hall of famer Carlos Palomino by unanimous ten round decision, prompting Palomino's retirement. Then he defeated Sugar Ray Leonard in Montreal for the WBC Welterweight Title in a virtuoso performance and that was probably his prime.
He would lose the rematch with Leonard in a fight so mired in controversy that while everyone had a theory on why he quit, no one can know for sure. I believe after that, he was still reeling form the loss which caused him to be too technical in fights with Benitez and Kirkland Laing. The old Duran was not in those fights.
The old fire resumed against hall of famer Pipino Cuevas who he battered into submission after four rounds. He then destroyed prospect Davey Moore to claim the WBA Junior Middleweight Title. Next was Hagler for the middleweight title in a fight he lost but was very close and Larry Holmes believed he won the fight. Leonard also said that watching Duran fight Hagler gave him the confidence to fight Hagler.
Duran would then pay the ultimate price for underestimating Thomas Hearns who destroyed him in two rounds. I would like to note, though, Duran was so damn tough he was trying to get up after being railroaded by a naturally much bigger man. Also he wanted a rematch with hearns years later which fell through when Hearns lost to Barkley.
More to follow...
I love the guy. Shocked me when he beat Iran.
Sure Durant had a few loses, but he lost as a team. Oklahoma City Thunder with Russell Westbrook are still contenders.
Oh btw, Durant and the Thunder are in the United States, not Mexico
Durant has never won a championship. Not in high school, not in college, not in the pros. He's too soft, like you. You two don't have it in you to be a champion.
Durant has potential. I just hope he comes back with a full bill of health. Not sure what Mexico has to do with this
Durant should just embrace the nickname "Slim Reaper." That's easily the best nickname in the NBA.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/BunnyWurb/giffy%204/KevinDurant_shimmy_original_zpsa9d6beaf.gif
we all know he represented panama, not mexico when he was fighting, nothing wrong with that, im still proud of him as an ATG latino legend... exactly. its like danny garcia never repped puerto rico until his last few fights. Even his dad said they don't rep Latinos that they are americans at the amir khan press conference.
we all know he represented panama, not mexico when he was fighting, nothing wrong with that, im still proud of him as an ATG latino legend...He WAS MEXICAN, he's dad was mexican, don't care for who he fought he had MEXICAN blood.
Way too many "Problems" with this post but just in case you're referring to the great Lightweight Champion Roberto Duran of Panama, he certainly ranks in most peoples top 10 P4P. The greatest lightweight since Henry Armstrong, maybe ever. More wins than Floyd Mayweather has fights. Way more. Moved up to welterweight and beat a prime Sugar Ray Leonard (the only guy to do that). Took on anyone, anywhere, anytime in one of boxing's greatest eras. Bigger men, slick boxers, feared sluggers, ATG's. Didn't matter. In his prime he was a boxer/puncher with elite level skills; defense, footwork, blazing speed, SCARY power, and just flat-out mean. If he had you hurt you were done. The very definition of fierceness. I'm barely scratching the surface here....
I think you meant way more ko's than Floyd has had fights. That's why Floyd isn't comparable to the great Duran.
i watched an interview where he said he is mexican and panamanian and proud of both
we all know he represented panama, not mexico when he was fighting, nothing wrong with that, im still proud of him as an ATG latino legend...
If you are talking about Roberto Duran he is without a doubt an all time great fighter. He is not Mexican and did not fight out of Mexico. He was born in Panama and lived in Panama his whole life.
He had quite of a bit of losses. Just wonder what are you guys thoughts on him
Way too many "Problems" with this post but just in case you're referring to the great Lightweight Champion Roberto Duran of Panama, he certainly ranks in most peoples top 10 P4P. The greatest lightweight since Henry Armstrong, maybe ever. More wins than Floyd Mayweather has fights. Way more. Moved up to welterweight and beat a prime Sugar Ray Leonard (the only guy to do that). Took on anyone, anywhere, anytime in one of boxing's greatest eras. Bigger men, slick boxers, feared sluggers, ATG's. Didn't matter. In his prime he was a boxer/puncher with elite level skills; defense, footwork, blazing speed, SCARY power, and just flat-out mean. If he had you hurt you were done. The very definition of fierceness. I'm barely scratching the surface here....