I go with Duran at 135 (Duran's best), and Pac at 140 (Pac's best) and 147. These are all pick'em situations though for the most part.
Pacquiao vs Duran
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Prime Duran?
Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Get the firetruck outta here.
Banished.
Anyway, I think it'd start out a bit of a war, but Duran would target the body early, then get into s rhythm and start to counter Pac, and also make him miss a lot with his great defense.
Because Duran was so brutally offensive, people forget two big things, which is why he's considered a top ten ATG. He was primarily a counter puncher and had one of the best counter right hands you'll see. He had incredible defense which transferred very quickly into brutal offense. Arguably better transition from defense to offense than anyone in history.
I see Pac doing well early while Duran tested the waters with a bit of a war, then he'd start to get to Pac with the body shots, and then he would come into his own feinting Pac out, making him miss and getting inside with brutal combinations after slipping his shots and countering.
Duran just has too many things he could do, and in a real agreessive fight, his skill would take over and his defense and countering would see him land more and land harder. Duran is one of the few guys I can happily say doesn't just match Pac in stamina and aggression, but actually surpasses him. His speed at lightweight was also phenomenal as was his power obviously. Unlike Pac, Duran kept his fight ending power to the last second of a fifteen round fight.Comment
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You'd pick Pac over the Duran that beat Sugar Ray Leonard and Carlos Palomino?
I'm always baffled when people talk about Duran suddenly losing all these fights at 147. People talk as if he suddenly went to ****e at 147. He went to ****e at 154 and above, but at 147 and below, there are very, very, very few that would beat him at his best. We're talking only the Robinsons of the world and that's a close fight. He had about ten fights at 147. He beat two HOFers and ATG welterweights, one of them generally considered the second greatest welter ever and often a top ten ATG himself at his prime. He lost one fight bizarrely.
If you think Pac doesn't win at 135, he wouldn't win at 147 or 140 either. Duran was just as good at 147, even better defensively and if we're talking at their best, Duran gets beaten by nearly no one at 147 as him moving up to beat one of the fastest, tallest, most skilled welterweights and greatest fighters overall in history showed.
Pac? Nup. Not happening.
http://*************/watch?v=x6Xj1N7OxEc
http://*************/watch?v=gbgJdtW2aOcComment
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Contrary to what many believe, but Duran quite possibly has a faster single punch than Pac. He has a faster single punch than Floyd as well. Watch the tapes. You'll see.
Duran is a bad match up for every LW to WW in this era.Comment
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its a pick em fight. People are really underestimating Pacquiao in this one. Duran was a great offensive boxer. He had excellent defense especially when you consider the fact that he came forward all the time. But PRIME Pacquiao, the one that took out Hatton in 2, battered Cotto, and basically retired Margarito was a monster.
One thing you don't do with Pacquiao is come forward. And Duran comes forward. But because Duran is not just a brawler, but a boxer as well, it makes the fight interesting and 50/50.Comment
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That same Pacquiao got beaten by a 40 year old Marquez, moving up two divisions. Unless Pacquiao had a prime that literally only lasted one year and three fights. He fought Marquez around a year before Hatton, and again a year after Margarito. It was the same guy. What you said for Pac also goes for Duran. The guys that came forward got annihilated against him.its a pick em fight. People are really underestimating Pacquiao in this one. Duran was a great offensive boxer. He had excellent defense especially when you consider the fact that he came forward all the time. But PRIME Pacquiao, the one that took out Hatton in 2, battered Cotto, and basically retired Margarito was a monster.
One thing you don't do with Pacquiao is come forward. And Duran comes forward. But because Duran is not just a brawler, but a boxer as well, it makes the fight interesting and 50/50.
This fight would actually be Pacquiao leading, not Duran. Duran would be counter punching and drawing Pac into attacking. When you put Pac in with slow guys, that don't have defense, don't counter and aren't particularly fast or bright but wade in with their face, then yes, he looks great. As do most fighters. Duran came forward when he wanted to, but did so off counter punching. He was essentially a very aggressive counter puncher. He rarely ever led with his own shots. He would feint an attack, draw the shot or shots, then slip and counter, get inside and work. That was his entire game. Counter punching, defense, feinting, and aggression off the front and back foot.
Duran also looked absolutely unbeatable against guys like that, but until 154 and above he also destroyed all styles, and better fighters than Pac. He didn't just look good against those types. He looked scary good against any style. The difference is that unlike any of those guys, he's as good a counter puncher as Marquez, has more power, is faster, has better defense, better chin and can outlast Pac in a war if he needed. To compare them to Margarito and Hatton is a tragedy of epic proportions. Cotto is a little better and was in his prime unlike the others, but still very, very slow compared to Duran. Had no stamina, is hurt easily and doesn't have the varied attack or defense.
Duran has no problem with speed. He dealt with Leonard's speed for crying out loud and largely matched him. He would match Pac too. You're the one underselling Duran by suggesting that Pacs fights with slow, no defense, largely unskilled, past it brawlers have some significance. When someone feints him, then draws him onto counters, and gets inside and pushes him back, as Duran does, it's not going to be anything like Margarito and Hatton.
Last edited by BennyST; 07-26-2014, 10:08 AM.Comment
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you can think what you'd like, but it's wrong.
duran fought all the way up to middleweight at the world class level. he had better power than manny, better defense, a better chin, and much better boxing skills.
all manny has is foot and handspeed, and duran ahd the skill to overcome it.Comment
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