Whitaker vs Duran @ lightweight

[Manju]

This is a close one.

If Sweat Pea vs JCC is the model, then Pernel has the edge, since he effectively defanged Chavez. But Duran was not as methodological, ie predicatable, as JCC, was better defensively, and a tad more bloodthirsty. He was also harder to outbox.

To address Duran-Leonard II and the CV that Duran quit b/c he was being out-boxed and humiliated. If you watch the fight, Leonard wasn't really outboxing him. He was certainly using a lot of movement but Duran cunningly refused to move forward, unlike Hagler and in great contrast to Chavez (with Whitaker).

So the early rounds were close, with Duran effectively neutralizing SRLs strategy by forcing SRL to come to him. However, once he did, SRL was able to beat Duran to the punch on the inside. Then he would scooter away b/f Duran could get in a big shot.

This is really what frustrated Duran. In one round and I thnk in the beggining of another, SRL began to showboat, to use the bolo punch, stick out his neck, etc. Everyone remembers that and thinks thats why Duran quit. But if you watch the tape, SRL wasn't showboating at the time of the no mas. Rather he began to out-punch Duran and send him backwards. In essence his movement enabled his power.

so (oddly) this means I give an edge to Duran, becase sweet pea doesn't thave SRL power and if you go backwards on duran so he can't catch you, he'll just smartly stand in the midde of the ring. This will force Sweet Pea to fight more stationary, which he's very good at (like PBF was agaisnt mosely) but not good enough to beat a peak Duran, imo.

Close though.

[milmascaras1]

beanflicker,

maybe i did exaggerate a bit about duran "dominating" whitaker. you're right, nobody could have done that because he was too good a defensive fighter.

[Beanflicker]

Hey to each his own, its all opinion anyway and we'll never know for sure.

I just can't picture anybody in the history of LW dominating sweet pea. he was such a hard guy to fight, prime pea wins at least 4 or 5 rounds against anyone IMO.

[chinchekked]

Thanks for the input. This thread has given me a lot of artillery to argue each side. BTW you all seem to be pretty educated fight fans and I will definitely be spending more time on this forum.

[chinchekked]

Bump, first thread I ever started on here

[roberto duran legend]

Would have been a great fight but when in his absolute prime HANDS OF STONE was nearly unbeatable at lightweight, UD Duran.

[marbleheadmaui]

If I could just time transport two fighters from all history on their best night to matchup? it might just be the 1977 Roberto Duran and the 1990 Sweet Pea.

The Pete case says the following. Duran often struggled with gifted boxers, Leonard, the Viruets, Benitez and so Sweet Pea would dance him all night long. The Duran answer says, well wait a minute, he beat Leonard and the Viruets as well as other exceptional boxers like Esteban and Vilomar Fernandez and Lou Bizzarro.

The Duran case says Pete never saw a skilled, offensive, relentless engine at his very best weight like Duran and when he did, Tito Trinidad, he couldn't handle it. The Pete response is well Chavez was no joke even at 147, neither was Azumah even at 135 and Pete dominated both of those guys.

At the end of the day I think Pete would have moments where he made Duran look bad, even silly. But I don't think he really has an answer that lets him win a majority of rounds against Duran's aggression.

Duran in an EXTREMELY close decision.

[chinchekked]

Bump to stir up trouble to go along with the Floyd vs Leonard/Duran thread

[Majesty]

Anyone that thinks Duran would knock out Whitaker is fooling themselves.

[johnsebastianmiran]

I have see Duran fight many times and I saw him train as well. Some people forget his head movement was superb to say the least and just for fun he used to use his head to work out on the speed bag. He used to jump rope in a squat position in his prime year workouts. He was a closet boxer that could not only circle around you but adopt and change gears when he got the distance he wanted. His defense when needed was prime stuff. I remember when he went after the elusive Vilomar Fernandez and the challenger used every trick in the book and he repeted himself and Duran knocked him out in the fourteenth round. He always dictated the ace and when he chose not to there was a KO.
I am a Duran fan and I wish to say that before anyone gives Sweet Pea the nod remember Duran fought everyone that accepted his challenge and he took risks. Sweet Pea was a great defensive fighter and Duran was no Hurtago. His endurance was unquestionable but against Duran who was always a different breed of cat and a natural predator, his work would most definitely be cut out for him. I thought he won when he fought De Lahoya but he lacked enthusiasm and the judges picked up on that. Chavez lost that night IMO when he fought Whitaker but that was not Duran across the ring.