Why do people like Roberto Duran

[kerubee]

WINKY, my man!

No dude im actually being serious with this one...I mean he lost to the main guys he fought.I know he was a beast at lightweight but seriously he got destroyed by Hearns and even lost to Ray Leonard by embarrasment.

I recognize that you are serious about this one, and Duran lost to Hearns just plain flat but:

I do not think that he lost to Sugar Leonard boxing. There was not a problem with what he ate earlier before the fight. No. He quit because he could not "catch up" to the "running" of Leonard all around the ring afraid of getting hit.. Duran just got frustrated the same way that anybody gets frustrated when can not catch a fly.

You never saw Duran running away from nobody in order not get hit.

Learn from the mexican fighters: They stand infront of the opponent and fight. (Duran is from Panama)

[oldgringo]

My favorite Duran fights are his wins over Moore and Barkley. The way he dismantled bigger fighters was amazing.

[SouthPawHitman]

Duran was a brilliant fighter. I think that is the best word to describe him. I would probably pick him over any lightweight in history. He was such a complete fighter in his prime.

Good post fam.

[Ray Corso]

This thread is .........10 years old.........................

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I honestly thought he ******....just look at his fight with Hearns.He was too slow and why does everyone think he was good?

If you're going solely off of the Hearns fight, you haven't even looked at him at all. That's like watching Hearns' lost to Barkley the first time out and saying he sucks.

Duran fought out of the slums of Panama to beat Ken Buchannan who was one of the best Scottish boxers ever and win the lightweight title which he defended twelve times and unified by beating his rival Esteban Dejesus in their third fight. Duran won that series 2-1, both wins by KO over Dejesus who was a badass fighter himself. Despite their rivalry, Duran flew to Puerto Rico and embraced Dejesus when he was dying of AIDS at a time when most people kept their distance from AIDS victims.

He went on to beat Carlos Palomino, thoroughly dominating him at welterweight which was two divisions above his natural fighting weight and Palomino was no joke. He then beat a young, unbeaten Sugar Ray Leonard who was one of boxing's biggest stars at the time if not the biggest, below heavyweight. He demolished Pipino Cuevas and destroyed Davey Moore. He gave Hagler a very close fight all the way at middleweight- four divisions above his natural fighting weight and many feel he even beat him. He then beat Iran Barkley- the man who beat Hearns twice- to become middleweight champion at 37 and other than De La Hoya, the only man to win titles at lightweight and middleweight.

And I have to add, if you have a lot of great respect for Winky Wright and none for Roberto Duran, you need to seriously watch more fights and read up on the sport a whole lot more.

[Scott9945]

If you're going solely off of the Hearns fight, you haven't even looked at him at all. That's like watching Hearns' lost to Barkley the first time out and saying he sucks.

Duran fought out of the slums of Panama to beat Ken Buchannan who was one of the best Scottish boxers ever and win the lightweight title which he defended twelve times and unified by beating his rival Esteban Dejesus in their third fight. Duran won that series 2-1, both wins by KO over Dejesus who was a badass fighter himself. Despite their rivalry, Duran flew to Puerto Rico and embraced Dejesus when he was dying of AIDS at a time when most people kept their distance from AIDS victims.

He went on to beat Carlos Palomino, thoroughly dominating him at welterweight which was two divisions above his natural fighting weight and Palomino was no joke. He then beat a young, unbeaten Sugar Ray Leonard who was one of boxing's biggest stars at the time if not the biggest, below heavyweight. He demolished Pipino Cuevas and destroyed Davey Moore. He gave Hagler a very close fight all the way at middleweight- four divisions above his natural fighting weight and many feel he even beat him. He then beat Iran Barkley- the man who beat Hearns twice- to become middleweight champion at 37 and other than De La Hoya, the only man to win titles at lightweight and middleweight.

And I have to add, if you have a lot of great respect for Winky Wright and none for Roberto Duran, you need to seriously watch more fights and read up on the sport a whole lot more.

You keep referring to Duran as a natural lightweight, but he moved because he could no longer safely make that weight. When Duran fought Leonard, he was at that point a natural welterweight still in his prime. You don't hear people call Mayweather and De La Hoya "natural lightweights" when discussing their higher weight achievements, because that would be false too.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

You keep referring to Duran as a natural lightweight, but he moved because he could no longer safely make that weight. When Duran fought Leonard, he was at that point a natural welterweight still in his prime. You don't hear people call Mayweather and De La Hoya "natural lightweights" when discussing their higher weight achievements, because that would be false too.

I would say Mayweather actually was a natural lightweight and De La Hoya maybe 140. These are their best weights really.

As for Duran, he started out as a bantamweight and grew into lightweight. That was his prime fighting weight.

All of his fights beyond that were above his natural fighting weight and the weight where he was the most effective which is how I define natural weight.

[Scott9945]

I would say Mayweather actually was a natural lightweight and De La Hoya maybe 140. These are their best weights really.

As for Duran, he started out as a bantamweight and grew into lightweight. That was his prime fighting weight.

All of his fights beyond that were above his natural fighting weight and the weight where he was the most effective which is how I define natural weight.

It's all perception I suppose. If a boxer looks fit and is fighting at his highest level, then to me that is a natural weight for that point in their career. Duran was under 30 and a champion at 147. Everyone knew he had been struggling to make 135 for some time. All those fights in the 120's were when he was still a skinny teenager.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

It's all perception I suppose. If a boxer looks fit and is fighting at his highest level, then to me that is a natural weight for that point in their career. Duran was under 30 and a champion at 147. Everyone knew he had been struggling to make 135 for some time. All those fights in the 120's were when he was still a skinny teenager.

I look at it as where a fighter is his most effective. I think Duran as a lightweight had all his tools at their sharpest- especially his footwork. His legs were never as good as he moved up. It is all perception and that's how I see it.

And I do think a fighter moving up to face a naturally bigger opponent deserves credit for doing so. it comes with a bigger risk than an opponent closer to his natural size.

[DJ Enerate]

Pound for pound Duran was likely the best fighter of his generation. Duran could fight as an aggressive swarmer (Leonard I),or as a patient counterpuncher as the Hagler fight showed. He could also mix it up like he did against Pipino Cuevas a masterful dismantling as was his next fight against Davey Moore.

Duran's best opponents came later in his career when he was older and at a weight above his prime fighting weight. Duran also always gave away height reach and youth to later opponents Leonard, Benitez, Hagler, Hearns, Moore, Barkley etc...

At his peak Duran was a defensive master, in-fighter, body puncher, and sharp puncher with KO power in both hands. As a lightweight champion Duran has few peers.

Excellent post. Duran was a dynamic, technical marvel and a true beast. One of, if not thee most complete fighter we have extensive footage of. He punched way above his weight.

His defence was phenomenal as this vid shows at 7.14