When studying Roberto Duran fights, what skills to pay attention to?

**mozilla2004** · 05-13-2010 05:00 AM

I want to study Roberto Duran fights to understand why he is considered such a great boxer. Can anyone tell me what skills he does really well and what to pay attention to when watching his fights?

I want to learn what I can about his style to see if they are applicable to me.

**boxingbantz** · 05-13-2010 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by mozilla2004

I want to study Roberto Duran fights to understand why he is considered such a great boxer. Can anyone tell me what skills he does really well and what to pay attention to when watching his fights?

I want to learn what I can about his style to see if they are applicable to me.

It's fair to assume that you aren't anything like Robero Duran

**Majesty** · 05-13-2010 06:58 AM

He was very great at rolling with punches and killing the body.

**CutMeMick** · 05-13-2010 07:23 AM

He's just does a lot of things right...
Look at his lateral movements, his foot work and the way he cut's off the ring.

**paddy448** · 05-13-2010 08:43 AM

He's was very fluid, I think his defence gets underated sometimes, slipped and rolled with shots very well. Great offensive fighter(one of the best IMO) had dynamite in both hands(could knock u out with either ) was a vicious body puncher too. When he was a lightweight a he was an unstoppable force of nature, just like a typhoon comin at u relentlesly. Don't get it twisted tho, he wasn't no one dimensional brawler, he had great boxing ability, not of the purist kind, but it was there. truly a special fighter.

ICB · 05-13-2010 08:26 PM

Bit of a strange thread especially the last comment. But IMO he had some of the best defense ever, for an aggressive fighter. He would roll with punches and make you miss so easily, especially considering how aggressive he was. You'd think he was very hittable.

Other things that stand out is obviously the mans fighting spirit. He was literally a force in the ring, every punch he threw he would grit his teeth. I also loved the way he would cut off the ring, many aggressive fighters should take some notes. On Roberto Duran about the art of cutting off the ring.

Finally the most amazing thing that stood out for me, is that when he was a Lightweight. He handled one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time in sparring Rocky Balboa.

**BIG H** · 05-13-2010 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by ICB

Bit of a strange thread especially the last comment. But IMO he had some of the best defense ever, for an aggressive fighter. He would roll with punches and make you miss so easily, especially considering how aggressive he was. You'd think he was very hittable.

Other things that stand out is obviously the mans fighting spirit. He was literally a force in the ring, every punch he threw he would grit his teeth. I also loved the way he would cut off the ring, many aggressive fighters should take some notes. On Roberto Duran about the art of cutting off the ring.

Finally the most amazing thing that stood out for me, is that when he was a Lightweight. He handled one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time in sparring Rocky Balboa.

I remember debating with you about Duran a couple of years ago and you weren't that impressed. Fair play for going and watching more of him and changing your mind!

**Jimanuel Boogustus** · 05-13-2010 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by ICB

Finally the most amazing thing that stood out for me, is that when he was a Lightweight. He handled one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time in sparring Rocky Balboa.

I only realised this when they started re-running the Rocky Films on Freeview!

I need to go watch me some Duran.

**Taeth** · 05-14-2010 05:34 AM

There are so many things, but watch the lateral movement on the inside, the little shifts in his body to make space to get shots off, watch his timing on the outside, and his upper body movement, he was very good at almost stutter stepping in and catching opponent off guard because they thought he was feinting a rush. THere are just too many things a boxer does to really pinpoint all the things you need/should be watching for, IMO you should watch with a trainer who's willing to sit down and watch some film with you because he is doing so many little things that made him special. The only thing I wish he had was a little better jab, but his was still quite excellent.

**johnsebastianmiran** · 05-14-2010 07:39 AM

Duran as someone pointed out rolled with the punches often causing an opponent to rethink his strategy because here was this monster in front of him. Duran's speed is hardly ever noticed because of his seemingly non stop forward approach but if you look closely at his side to side movement coupled with his ability to cut the space between himself and his opponents he looks like he's boxing when he's pounding the hell out of someone. He was always busy.

**zhubin** · 05-14-2010 09:27 AM

Because he was such a devastating puncher...many things about Duran often get overlooked. As people have mentioned...his defense was underrated...especially considering what a tremendous offense he had. His overall skill and fluidity where also sometimes overlooked because he seemed to like to "brawl" so much. And finally...the guy was just a flat out amazing athlete (check out some of his jump roping and speed bag vids from back in the day). Add to that his huge personality...just a LEGENDARY fighter.

**DaxxKahn** · 08-21-2010 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by mozilla2004

I want to study Roberto Duran fights to understand why he is considered such a great boxer. Can anyone tell me what skills he does really well and what to pay attention to when watching his fights?

I want to learn what I can about his style to see if they are applicable to me.

Man there were just so many...Duran had stages of his career so that nis one thing that made him great...Just as he was counted out to be done he proved he was to be recokened with...I don;t mean the Duran who fought later on due to the need of money but the Duran up until about 1990...

As a LW he was perhaps one of the most vicious fighters in boxing history, he was genuinly the type fighter that scared other fighters, not average fighters either....In his WW years he started to develop all around his defense started to become more of a factor in bouts as mentioned Duran had a way of rolling with punches that took the steam off the biggest shots....I mean there is no other way to put it then the fact he was Roberto Duran...Can not be duplicated....Any man who has a 103-16 record was stopped only 4 times while having men such as

Ray Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Camacho, Buchanan, De Jesus, Paz, Cuevas, Benitez, Palomino etc speaks loudly on how great he was...The knockout wins were vicious, his losses were spectacular

I suggest watching a career set if his if you can get your hands on it...It is something you wont forget or regret