Roberto Duran's Greatest Victory

[MisterHardtop]

Duran's greatest win is over Leonard no doubt but his greatest night was against Marvin Hagler. It's the first fight I ever watched in Vegas and Duran was looking for redemption, this is where he found it. In a 12 round performance against a dangerous champion who won the fight and did so well, but the ghost of "No Mas" was put to bed. At least in my mind anyway, in defeat, Duran the warrior, found reconciliation with the boxing public.

[Humean]

1. Moore
2. Leonard
3. De Jesus (III)
4. Buchanan
5. Barkley
6. Cuevas
7. Bizarro
8. Lampkin
9. Palomino
10. Ortiz

Palomino is too low, even though it was not over the championship distance it belongs a bit higher, the version of Palomino that Duran dominated was better than the version of Cuevas that he destroyed.

The Leonard victory is number one for me, i'm not sure that two better fighters have ever fought each other at the time of the fight than in this fight.

[rightsideup]

Palomino is too low, even though it was not over the championship distance it belongs a bit higher, the version of Palomino that Duran dominated was better than the version of Cuevas that he destroyed.

The Leonard victory is number one for me, i'm not sure that two better fighters have ever fought each other at the time of the fight than in this fight.

I agree with you that the palomino fight should rank very high on Roberto's list of achievement's he won almost every round had scored a flash knockdown over a durable welter weight. I am a big Duran fan but I am not sure Leonard was really at his peak. The first Duran fight gave him tremendous experience which he utilized later. That being said Duran in an interview said he should have won the first fight by a wider margin he clearly was clowning in Round 15.

[Humean]

I agree with you that the palomino fight should rank very high on Roberto's list of achievement's he won almost every round had scored a flash knockdown over a durable welter weight. I am a big Duran fan but I am not sure Leonard was really at his peak. The first Duran fight gave him tremendous experience which he utilized later. That being said Duran in an interview said he should have won the first fight by a wider margin he clearly was clowning in Round 15.

Well you could always argue that Duran wasn't at his peak either because he was fighting at welterweight or that he was at the end of his 8th year as a championship fighter. I'm not sure how many other welterweights would have or could have defeated Leonard on that night, at most maybe only a few. I'm sure Leonard did learn a lot from this fight and he was slightly better for it but I still think that both fighters can be considered in their prime, tail end for Duran and near the start for Leonard. When it comes to 'prime' or 'peak' years I don't think it is worth talking about 'absolute prime' or 'absolute peak' because what you gain in experience you can lose in stamina and wear and tear, and fighters mental state can ebb and flow through the years altering their effectiveness on any given night.

[rightsideup]

Well you could always argue that Duran wasn't at his peak either because he was fighting at welterweight or that he was at the end of his 8th year as a championship fighter. I'm not sure how many other welterweights would have or could have defeated Leonard on that night, at most maybe only a few. I'm sure Leonard did learn a lot from this fight and he was slightly better for it but I still think that both fighters can be considered in their prime, tail end for Duran and near the start for Leonard. When it comes to 'prime' or 'peak' years I don't think it is worth talking about 'absolute prime' or 'absolute peak' because what you gain in experience you can lose in stamina and wear and tear, and fighters mental state can ebb and flow through the years altering their effectiveness on any given night.

excellent comments

[Panamaniac]

Palomino is too low, even though it was not over the championship distance it belongs a bit higher, the version of Palomino that Duran dominated was better than the version of Cuevas that he destroyed.

The Leonard victory is number one for me, i'm not sure that two better fighters have ever fought each other at the time of the fight than in this fight.

I realize that Palomino is a better fighter than several of the guys I rank ahead of him. But quality of opponent is not my sole basis for choice; if it were, Leonard would've been ranked first. Because I place a higher premium on stoppages, Palomino is ranked were he is. Sure, Duran stopped Ortiz in 15, but Palomino was a more formidable foe.

I can also understand why the overwhelming majority (to put it mildly) see Leonard as Duran's greatest victory. I imagine there are scores of non-boxing fans worldwide who - helped in part by the infamy of "no mas" - could name only Leonard as a Duran opponent.

[Panamaniac]

Moore was from NY, but the crowd that night was overwhelmingly pro Duran.

And roughly 75% of 'em were fellow "Panamaniacs".

[rightsideup]

1. Moore
2. Leonard
3. De Jesus (III)
4. Buchanan
5. Barkley
6. Cuevas
7. Bizarro
8. Lampkin
9. Palomino
10. Ortiz

I am surprised no one has acknowledge your third selection
Duran showed all his skill against his lightweight Rival

[Panamaniac]

I am surprised no one has acknowledge your third selection
Duran showed all his skill against his lightweight Rival

Good point.

[Ham Porter]

He looked great against Moore but it's important to note that he was in there with a guy who spent virtually all of the fight with a closed eye after having been thumbed in the first round.