Duran-DeJesus III

[marbleheadmaui]

If you've all done your homework you saw a young Duran do a Henry Armstrong imitation to beat Ken Buchanan. His head on Buchanan's chest, endless punching and savagry and some wild moves.

Now you are going to see Duran fully developed more than five years later. Esteban DeJesus, ranked #1, is the only man to beat Duran and though Duran won the second fight he was on the deck in each one. In each of those fights Duran pursued, Esteban countered. Now watch Duran out counter the counterpuncher.

Duran's talent has now been complimented by Ray Arcel's and Freddie Brown teaching him skill and imparting, and Roberto absorbing, almost 100 years of accumulated Ring wisdom. The movements are more efficient, his approach more measured and yet the ferocity remains. For those who have the image of Duran as brawler? Prepare yourselves!

[FinitoElDinamita]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

[marbleheadmaui]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

The thing about Duran is by 1975-76 he could be whatever he needed to be in the ring. He could still be the Henry Armstrong type brawler (ask Ray Leonard) or he could box your ears off (ask Carlos Palomino) or he could deliver a measured offensive beating (Davey Moore) or a beating via counterpunching (The Blade).

There just haven't been many like him.

I suspect the thing keeping Esteban out of the Hall is killing a teenager. What a great fighter he was.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

[Violent Demise]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

Duran prevented him from maybe being the greatest. Didn't prevent him from being one of the great ones

[IamInuit]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

He still is one of the greatest of all time. He's just under the likes of Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Ortiz, Duran and Canzoneri. He's an easy top 15 pick all time imo.

[marbleheadmaui]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

He still is one of the greatest of all time. He's just under the likes of Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Ortiz, Duran and Canzoneri. He's an easy top 15 pick all time imo.

I was thinking of a guy today to get the younguns who don't know Dejesus to understand how good he was. The name I came up with? Juan Manuel Marquez.
Waddya think? Is that more or less fair?

[IamInuit]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

He still is one of the greatest of all time. He's just under the likes of Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Ortiz, Duran and Canzoneri. He's an easy top 15 pick all time imo.

I was thinking of a guy today to get the younguns who don't know Dejesus to understand how good he was. The name I came up with? Juan Manuel Marquez.
Waddya think? Is that more or less fair?

I'd say that's spot on.

[Violent Demise]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

He still is one of the greatest of all time. He's just under the likes of Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Ortiz, Duran and Canzoneri. He's an easy top 15 pick all time imo.

I was thinking of a guy today to get the younguns who don't know Dejesus to understand how good he was. The name I came up with? Juan Manuel Marquez.
Waddya think? Is that more or less fair?

Yeah that's a good comparison. Especially the mentality. One of the reasons Marquez does well against Pacquiao is the same reason Dejesus did well against Duran. He wasn't scared of him. Duran at lightweight was an intimidating fighter. But Dejesus had no fear of him.

[paddy448]

Duran was such a great fighter. He was a beast with a good boxing brain. I think he defines the word greatness.

[CutMeMick]

In my top 10 favorite trilogies...

[THE THIRD MAN]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

Duran prevented him from maybe being the greatest. Didn't prevent him from being one of the great ones

No doubt one of the greatest Puerto Rican fighters, he beat Duran once and knocked him down twice at his peak. If Marquez is difficult for Manny today then DeJesus would give Manny one helluva time.

[marbleheadmaui]

Duran was a beast, not a man. I swear he would have murdered Chavez, Pryor and Pacquiao at any weight.. Speaking of Dejesus, it's criminal how underrated he is.. He's the 5th greatest Puerto Rican fighter in my eyes, right behind Tito..

De Jesus would've been one of the greatest Lightweight champions of all time if not for Duran.

Duran prevented him from maybe being the greatest. Didn't prevent him from being one of the great ones

No doubt one of the greatest Puerto Rican fighters, he beat Duran once and knocked him down twice at his peak. If Marquez is difficult for Manny today then DeJesus would give Manny one helluva time.

Yup. Esteban would give anyone a hard time.

[Mr140]

Duran was a great fighter but what a saw in the Leonard rematch as that he could be out boxed.

[Spicoli]

I'd be interested in going back and having a look at these 3 in a row. Nothing like a two, three fight series and seeing a fighters adaptation to a familiar opponent. Duran developed much respect for his power yrs earlier, brought out his best.