Was Duran An All Time Top Ten Welterweight?

[The Old LefHook]

We are speaking of course of the specific Duran who beat Leonard. Are there 10 historical welterweights who could whip Duran on that night? How long does your list get before you run out of confidence? Are there other welterweights you see handling Duran easily?

1 Hearns
2 Robinson
3 Walker?
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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[Willie Pep 229]

Trying to find a WW seems impossible. How about a few Jr. MW?

Your short list:

Feel like Hearns was best, peaking at 154 . . . Not sure the Hearns who fought Leonard is able to keep Montréal Duran off him.

The SRR is difficult because it's hard to talk about his WW dominance except to point to extraordinary numbers. The MW fights are the ones that echo. There seems a style connection to Basilo with Montréal Duran that makes me think that a SRR win is probable, but not certain.

Walker lost to a bullying Greb, albeit Greb much larger than Duran - Walker is so hard to judge, little to no film, few biographies film or print wise, just really good numbers and resume. I think he is as much an enigma as Harry Greb.

I am going to pull one out my ass halfwit style.

What about the Benitez who fought Leonard? May have had the speed to keep Montréal Duran off him and oddly enough may (at a very young age) have had the experience not to be overwhelmed by the night. I believe Leonard was to some extent overwhelmed by the event and pre-fight Duran, and when Duran began to bully him, he reacted to it and never set his fight plan into action.

I wonder if Duran could have forced a style change on Benitez.

[IronDanHamza]

H2H probably yes.

Emile Griffith could beat him, could also lose to him, probably a trilogy or even a four fight deal.

Mayweather and Pacquaio, I’d probably pick. But again could also see him beating both.

To be honest, there’s not many I’d pick.

Kid Gavilan perhaps another one.

[QueensburyRules]

H2H probably yes.

Emile Griffith could beat him, could also lose to him, probably a trilogy or even a four fight deal.

Mayweather and Pacquaio, I’d probably pick. But again could also see him beating both.

To be honest, there’s not many I’d pick.

Kid Gavilan perhaps another one.

- - Duran's stay at welter short, but sweet, and in that timeframe, potentially he could beat every welter ever existent, but in turn could possibly be beat by the handful of top welters on his shlt day as Leonard showed.

[The Old LefHook]

Okay, Duran seems to be rated very highly, even as a welter. I think Benitez is a great pick--has a good chance, but is no cinch. Gavilan is another good pick--but no cinch. Personally, I believe Monroe Brooks would whip Crawford. Crawford never faced a Duran, and with his mentality, never will. Crawford is on pace to be forgotten as soon as he retires. Can't stand boxers who like to talk but not fight the best and way over appraise themselves. Hate Crawford. Duran would tear him a brand new
ăsshole, to almost everyone's delight.

[GhostofDempsey]

The ones I think could give him a 50/50 fight at welter include Zivic, Robinson, Gavilan, Basilio, Griffith, Luis Rodriquez, Napoles, Pacquiao.

[The Old LefHook]

Incredible in my opinion for anyone to include Pacquiao. He gets knocked cold by Duran, cannot punch hard enough to even bother him, and is less a welterweight than Duran is. If Marquez can knock him cold, it is not much task for Duran to do it. Title vulturing only fooled the shallow. Pac would have his hands absolutely full at a lower weight facing JCC, in a fight up for grabs.

[IronDanHamza]

Incredible in my opinion for anyone to include Pacquiao. He gets knocked cold by Duran, cannot punch hard enough to even bother him, and is less a welterweight than Duran is. If Marquez can knock him cold, it is not much task for Duran to do it. Title vulturing only fooled the shallow. Pac would have his hands absolutely full at a lower weight facing JCC, in a fight up for grabs.

Disagree. I think the style suits Pacquaio.

You don’t think Pacquaio can hit hard? I disagree there aswell.

[billeau2]

Okay, Duran seems to be rated very highly, even as a welter. I think Benitez is a great pick--has a good chance, but is no cinch. Gavilan is another good pick--but no cinch. Personally, I believe Monroe Brooks would whip Crawford. Crawford never faced a Duran, and with his mentality, never will. Crawford is on pace to be forgotten as soon as he retires. Can't stand boxers who like to talk but not fight the best and way over appraise themselves. Hate Crawford. Duran would tear him a brand new
ăsshole, to almost everyone's delight.

I see where you are going with Benitez. Technically gifted fighters with toughness had a few pluses going in against Hands of stone.

Even though he only fought at Welter for a title or so I would give Joe Gans a go at Duran. Gans had real pop like Duran... There are probably a few more that could challenge Duran in addition to whom has been mentioned on the thread so far.

[billeau2]

Incredible in my opinion for anyone to include Pacquiao. He gets knocked cold by Duran, cannot punch hard enough to even bother him, and is less a welterweight than Duran is. If Marquez can knock him cold, it is not much task for Duran to do it. Title vulturing only fooled the shallow. Pac would have his hands absolutely full at a lower weight facing JCC, in a fight up for grabs.

I agree with you about Pac, Marquez is my favorite of the trifecta of Barrera, Morales and Marquez. I think he could fight on another level as a technical fighter when balls were to the wall. He showed that when he went down repeatedly against Manny, and started to come back. Pac comes in fast and hard off straight lines... if you watch him he almost looks like a Thai Fighter at times... Marquez Finally timed him perfectly lol, but the caveat here? It took him four tries.

I think Pac is smaller than Duran. Duran could box as well (better) as Marquez and slug as well as Barrera/Morales. Pac is overmatched, and Pac, great as he is, does not have the "gears" that Marquez, much less Duran had, to switch into a boxer vis a vis slug it out, as needed. Too many weapons, combined with size, and just pure bad intentions from Duran.