could roberto duran won the welter title earlier?

[SBleeder]

You wouldn't favor Duran over Cuevas? Ya gotta be kidding! Better do some homework and figure out who these men were. Cuevas had power but was very limited and Duran below 147 was possibly the best fighter EVER!

You're really underselling Cuevas. Yes, he fizzled out rapidly, but Pipino was not simply a big puncher. At his best he was a very skilled boxer-puncher.

I'd favor Duran, but I would not rule out the possibility that Duran would get Hearns'ed.

In any event, Cuevas wasn't the actual welterweight champion, he was just a beltholder.

In a matchup between the Benitez from the Leonard fight and the late 70s version of Duran, I'd pick Benitez to win 9-6.

[wmute]

You're really underselling Cuevas. Yes, he fizzled out rapidly, but Pipino was not simply a big puncher. At his best he was a very skilled boxer-puncher.

I'd favor Duran, but I would not rule out the possibility that Duran would get Hearns'ed.

In any event, Cuevas wasn't the actual welterweight champion, he was just a beltholder.

In a matchup between the Benitez from the Leonard fight and the late 70s version of Duran, I'd pick Benitez to win 9-6.

Nah Man Cuevas isn't Hearns'ing Duran. Cuevas power was good for knocking out welters. Hearns kept stopping people up to 160. On top of that, Cuevas was not a sharp shooter, and did not have the range and height advantage Hearns had...

[SBleeder]

Nah Man Cuevas isn't Hearns'ing Duran. Cuevas power was good for knocking out welters. Hearns kept stopping people up to 160. On top of that, Cuevas was not a sharp shooter, and did not have the range and height advantage Hearns had...

And Duran would have been a welterweight had they fought in the late 70s or early 80s.

I'm not saying that Cuevas would likely win, but he at least has a puncher's chance.

[Panamaniac]

If the question is "could?" The answer is yes. Benitez beat Duran past his prime. A pre-Leonard duran could've beaten Benitez. In fact, if Benitez had faced the same beast Leonard faced in the first fight, Benitez would have suffered the same fate as Leonard.

[crold1]

You're really underselling Cuevas. Yes, he fizzled out rapidly, but Pipino was not simply a big puncher. At his best he was a very skilled boxer-puncher.

I'd favor Duran, but I would not rule out the possibility that Duran would get Hearns'ed.

In any event, Cuevas wasn't the actual welterweight champion, he was just a beltholder.

In a matchup between the Benitez from the Leonard fight and the late 70s version of Duran, I'd pick Benitez to win 9-6.

I think Duran could have whipped Cuevas pretty much anytime. Good fighter versus one of the best ever seen. It would have been a better fight in the 70s. Duran could have beaten Palomino or Cuevas. not sure he ever could have handled Radar. His rise worked out best case for him.

[joseph5620]

I think Duran could have whipped Cuevas pretty much anytime. Good fighter versus one of the best ever seen. It would have been a better fight in the 70s. Duran could have beaten Palomino or Cuevas. not sure he ever could have handled Radar. His rise worked out best case for him.

I always wondered how Duran would have done against Hearns at 147 if he faced Hearns instead of Leonard. I know that would have been a later date but it looks like a very interesting match up on paper.

[crold1]

I always wondered how Duran would have done against Hearns at 147 if he faced Hearns instead of Leonard. I know that would have been a later date but it looks like a very interesting match up on paper.

I don't think he ever touches Tommy. Dimensions all wrong.

[wmute]

And Duran would have been a welterweight had they fought in the late 70s or early 80s.

I'm not saying that Cuevas would likely win, but he at least has a puncher's chance.

So? My point is somply that without Hearns' power and accuracy, no one is Hearnsing anyone...