Why is robert duran so higly regarded?

[Dr Rumack]

i see so many list listing him as a GOAT but what makes him better than money may weather ? i had a look at his wiki and he was fighting bums until sugar ray
from that point on he started losing because of tougher competition

Some troll posts are so offensive that even experienced posters have to respond to them.

[GhostBlade]

I think Duran just had that legend surrounding him and it didn't hurt that his fighting style was pleasing for boxing fans and he looked like a Rocky movie villain. I think the 80s were all about finding the heros and villains of boxing. It didn't hurt that he couldn't speak English either which made him even more mysterious and exciting for boxing fans. Even today boxing fans appreciate these foreign brawlers like Matthysse and Maidana even if they don't win all of their fights.

[SUCIO416]

I think Duran just had that legend surrounding him and it didn't hurt that his fighting style was pleasing for boxing fans and he looked like a Rocky movie villain. I think the 80s were all about finding the heros and villains of boxing. It didn't hurt that he couldn't speak English either which made him even more mysterious and exciting for boxing fans. Even today boxing fans appreciate these foreign brawlers like Matthysse and Maidana even if they don't win all of their fights.

he was actually in the movie rocky lool... hes the guy sparring rocky in the ring when mickey tells him, 'if you can catch that little fighter youve got speed!' kinda thing

[SUCIO416]

[New England]

for starters, lots of idiots "rank" fighters.


duran isn't called the goat by anybody who knows what he is talking about. the names most commonly cited as the greatest ever are robinson, langford, and ali. robinson is far ahead of the other two in overall mentions by learned historians. many do rank langford high, and ali's resume is just f#cking ridiculous.

duran is without a doubt a top 10 figther, though.

he's arguably the greatest LW of all time. he was the top LW on the planet for almost a decade pior to moving up and making all of his money in fights against bigger men. he has meaningful wins all the way to middleweight. his win over a prime ray leonard at WW is one of the single greatest wins of all time.

[techliam]

I don't know whose lists you've been reading but they sure as hell don't include many boxing historians.

I agree that Duran was the best Lightweight ..

However I Don't like this approach. Historians have just as much agenda as us, especially on opinion-based subject. If many historians agree, still doesn't make it fact .. I respect other opinions

Theres no solid facts to claim validity, other than 'historians' agree...which is a fallacy, a claim to authority when there perhaps may be none. Unless perhaps Duran beat some of these other suggestions, but it is not usually the case.

Apologies if I have misunderstood this post..

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Imo Duran may not be the GOAT at lhw but he is right up..

duran, ortiz, leonard, pernel, anyone is a solid choice for GOAT

[Poet682006]

I agree that Duran was the best Lightweight ..

However I Don't like this approach. Historians have just as much agenda as us, especially on opinion-based subject. If many historians agree, still doesn't make it fact .. I respect other opinions

Theres no solid facts to claim validity, other than 'historians' agree...which is a fallacy, a claim to authority when there perhaps may be none. Unless perhaps Duran beat some of these other suggestions, but it is not usually the case.

Apologies if I have misunderstood this post..

That's why you don't cherry pick one or two historians but look at what the consensus is.

[Tobi.G]

Robert Duran is one of the legends of the sport even though he was fat and ugly. But he was one of the best ever lacing them up!

[Poet682006]

Any schmuck with an opinion can pass themselves off as a "historian" - it doesn't make their opinion anymore credible. And if you do place so much credence to the opinions of what historians think, I think you'll find very, very few regarded Duran among the greatest of lightweights thirty odd years ago.

Lou Ambers, one of the fighters not even mentioned by you, has a more impressive resume than Duran has as a lightweight.

You mean thirty years ago when Duran was still a very active fighter? Considering that historians are very reluctant (for good reason) to rank active fighters who are arguably still in their primes on all-time lists why would I be shocked? You'd do far better to look at the lists made in the '90s when Duran was clearly washed up and see where they ranked him.

And btw, any ignorant schmuck with an internet connection can make posts on a boxing site. It doesn't meant their views have any validity at all.