Oscar is a warrior and doesn't have a track record of making excuses, so I don't expect him to do that tonight. I doubt very much if he could beat Hopkins with concrete hands.
Duran is the Greatest
IMO Roberto Duran is the greatest of all time pound for pound. a killer knock out artist (Hands of Stone) and a supreme boxer who was underrated in that department. Lightweight champ really undisputed for 7 YEARS! That was back in the 70s when belts meant a little more than they do today. He was ferocous and feared, a legend. At the age of 30 he stepped up to welterweight to fight a prime Ray Leonard, using him as a heavy bag for 15 rounds while winning the Welterweight crown!
He fell from grace as most human beings do when he surrendered in the Leonard rematch, but what happened afterwards cements his legendary status. He moves up in weight again at 32, and as a heavy underdog hammered Jr Middle champ Davy Moore for that title. THEN.. he steps up to middleweight, giving the feared Marven Hagler all he could handle for 15 rounds, only losing by a point or 2.
After almost getting his head knocked off by Tommy Hearns, he comes back again at 37, engaging in one of the greatest ring wars ever against Middleweight Champ Iran Barkley who had KOd Hearns! Duran won the Middleweight Belt.
The Duran who beat Barkley would have done the same to Hopkins, believe me. Duran would have killed Oscar.
It's a shame that younger fans today only remember Duran if they remember him at all as the old guy fighting Camacho and Paz. Look at his record, his opponents, his longevity, and importantly his ability to come back after being down (listen up Roy Jones) and a great case for Roberto being the greatest can be made. Facts are stubborn things!
I look foreward to hearing an opposing view, it's great we have this forum to exchange facts..er.. opinions.
However, I think a fighter's greatness should be determined by his level of opposition, dominance, longevity, and overall accomplishments. I think winning a head to head matchup is secondary to the aforementioned categories.
Exactly! That's why my vote is for the great Roberto Duran!
Duran is my favorite fighter of all time so I admit I am biased, however facts are stubborn things biased or not so here goes. Someone earlier implied that Duran did not beat up Leonard in the first fight. Wrong. I saw the fight closed circuit at the time, and even Leonards manager knew it was over after about the third round when Duran was having his way and hurting Leonard. After the fight I remember Leonard went on a well deserved vacation with his wife and was contemplating quitting boxing because his body, ribs hurt so much from Duran's punches. This Duran, a natural LIGHTWEIGHT fighting at WELTERWEIGHT at 30 years old. People forget that at the time, before the first fight many were saying Duran was past his prime. There was even a rumor that that Duran had heart problems. Well he wasn't. He beat the crap out of Leonard for 15 rounds and didn't let up. Leonard too fought like the champion he was and is, and I respect him very much. The fight was close only on the cards.
Don't confuse the Duran in the second fight or third with Duran of the first fight. Duran beat Leonard. Duran was hardly marked at all after the first fight, and Leonard was swollen all over, all you need to do is see the tape of the fight.
And as for Duran never being the same again after the second fight, well for God's sake he only knocked out highly regarded Davey Moore at Junior Middle for the title when everyone thought he would be killed. He then very nearly took a decision from Marvin Hagler!!! Duran was ahead I believe after 13 rounds. This is back when Hagler was a machine. Then at 37 years old after almost being decapitated by Hearns, he beats the man who beat the man, the awesome Iran Barkley in the fight of the year.
He continued to fight and entertain until he was 50. To judge Duran by his disgrace against Leonard II is unfair. Look at his whole career. The greatest Lightweight ever, and a little guy turning into a giant killer later in his great career.
That's why you often hear the word Legendary next to Duran's name, not Leonards.