Felix Trinidad vs Roberto Duran at 147lbs

The Duran who beat Leonard vs one of the best offensive fighters in history.

 

Duran by Decision

 

If Tito won 1 minute of 1 round I'd be fucking flabbergasted. I'm not in the habit of making dismissive statements in these MMs but Duran's above 17 levels of skill and nouse above B-class beater extraordinaire on his train tracks. This would be about 1% more competitive than Duran Cuevas.

 

Nah

Duran may have been the better fighter, but Trinidad is much bigger naturally. Secondly, Duran was not a mover and jabber...but very agressive (although still good defense). This plays into Tito's POWER and offensive arsenal and accuracy.

It's a competitive fight

 

Duran slaughters him, KO within 3 rounds.

Trinidad started slow and had been down and hurt against average fighters. I think Duran hurts him early and doesn't let him off the hook.

 

If they were both lightweights, sure. But Trinidad is a bigger fighter and he's more powerful (like it or not) than both Leonard and Hagler.

 

Trinidad would win a couple rounds 3-4

 

Tito punishes the humps of stone whose stomach starts to cramp quick

 

Duran by late TKO.

 

The Duran that beat Leonard would have any version of Tito at 147 flipping burgers within 3 rounds. Duran is no Vargas.

 

Duran was a mover though, just a mover round the man rather than the ring. He'd give Tito angles in there that Tito couldn't work out with a protractor.

 

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I just want one thing out of this match --- Jay Nady as referee ;)

This is the type of fight where, if it went the distance, it might end up 0-0 after all the point deductions. I tend to lean toward Sly's thinking --- Trinidad's significant size advantage, coupled with Duran's forward-motion approach, weigh against Duran plainly being the better pound-for-pounder for a competitive fight. I can see legitimate cases for either man.

 

Duran is far too skillful for Trinidad... its as simple as that

 

On the one hand, most of Trinidad's better opponents were too skillful for him. Almost all fell by the wayside. Some fighters have that innate ability to crush you somehow. Trinidad's power was severe (though not in the all-time category for a single shot), but his courage was first-class. He broke men down --- many of them with a far more honed skill-set.

On the other hand, none were as skilled, across the board, as Duran. Not even Hopkins. Still, Trinidad is the bigger man in this match, rather than vice-versa. It'd take a very special Lightweight natural to fight in Duran's style & succeed against the Welterweight wrecking ball which was Trinidad, but Duran was, needless to say, as special as they come.

Either man could take this, IMO. It'd be exciting, doubtless.

 

Bottom line: each and every time Tito faced an A class fighter who wasn't shot or addicted to coke he got schooled. Not beaten, utterly schooled (Oscar deciding to run late, not withstanding).

Like I said, this looks allot like Duran-Cuevas. Compassionate stoppage after about 9 rounds.

 

Duran wasn't the take-you-to-school type, though, Hut-Hut. He's coming at you, hard & fast. That's the sort of thing which makes a guy like Trinidad lick his lips --- & when the guy pulling it is a 135lber by nature (though a very accomplished fellow at higher weights) --- well, I'll just say Duran is close to the only fellow who could fit these categories & have much of a chance against Trinidad in a stand-up fight at 147.

Still not sure I would favour him, though. I'm sure Duran would convince himself he could walk through Trinidad's best, but he may well find that folly.

 

Precisely.

 

Duran wasn't the 'take you to school' type? I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that. Presumably I missed the meeting where 'Take you to school' became synonymous with 'fight you on the outside'.

 

He certainly taught the likes of Davey Moore a bit on foul tactics, but Trinidad was filthy at times in his own right. I can never forget the level of emphasis in David Reid's words, which he offered after fighting Trinidad to his next opponent --- Fernando Vargas. "Trinidad will do anything to win the fight."

It's not difficult for me to imagine Duran winning this --- I'll just say I wouldn't be surprised, similarly, if Duran bit off more than he could chew trying to match firepower with a man this big, this powerful, this out-right relentless. A bigger, brutal guy with plenty of punch is one thing, but Trinidad's commitment & endurance are second-to-none to boot. That's a problem. I can't see Duran winning easily, if he does at all.

 

Fair enough we see this differently then, presumably since you have a much higher opinion of Trinidad than me. I really regard him as the single most consistent B+ level fighter of all time. He had a great ability to get the W against non elite guys but he simply wasn't remotely good enough at the top level. That's often the case with guys with great physical gifts (power in his case) but without a broader skill set. There isn't a single fighter on Duran's level I'd give Tito a prayer against. I think the Duran who beat Leonard absolutely brutalizes him at welter. And I don't use that word for effect I really think it'd be the kinda fight that you'd have to watch through your fingers.

 

Trinidad had obvious short-comings, but he was the type who maximised his somewhat limited gifts into something few can. He was a classic instance of a fighter being more than the proverbial sum of his individual parts. A Rocky Marciano-type, as it were. I really think he stands in good stead against almost anyone of Duran's size & style, no matter how much better they are overall (& Duran, I rightfully concede, was lightyears better than Trinidad).

I just can't help but see this as a war just waiting to break out, & that type of fight suits Trinidad down to the ground. Like I said, I can't think of many men in history in Duran's situation here who'd I'd seriously consider having a shot at Trinidad, but Duran's odds would be as good as anyone's like him.

I wouldn't say my opinion of Trinidad as especially high (though I do think he stretched beyond B-level, even if his talent wasn't A-list), but I see several key facets in this fight playing right into his not-inconsiderable strengths.

 

agreed 100%

 

Duran was a much smarter fighter with more tools to fall back on. He's the smaller man, sure, but proved his worthiness at 147. He had two better wins at 147 than Trinidad ever had there.

Duran could be all over his opponents and swarm them, but proved in his career that he could get it done it in a more methodical and patient style as well. He kept his right glove up to defend left hooks, and I suspect he'd be extra careful with this against Tito. I can see Tito landing some good shots and stunning or even hurting Duran, but not doing enough to win the fight. It was tough to land consistently on Duran, he ducked shots and rolled back from them so well.

Duran was just a superior fighter and had the tools to make up for the size disadvantage, IMO.

 

He didn't respect Hearns' punch & he wouldn't respect Trinidad's, either. That could be a big mistake. In a stand-up fight at 147lbs, Tito's the real one with hands of stone in this match-up.

 

Duran and Trinidad were on different levels in nearly every facet of boxing. Guys like Sly and many others erroneously think the only way to make a guy miss is to lay on one side and hide behind a shoulder. What made Duran great when at his best was how you couldn't get a clean shot on him and he's standing right fucking in front of you. Plus, when on the outside he knew how to break distance. There were times Duran would walk straight in and appear to be crude in his approach and yet you ddn't see guys firing much back at him during his best days.

Of the two, since someone brought up "movers" Duran doesn't need to stay away from Trinidad. If anything Trinidad was the one with the bad footwork. His balance could be piss poor at times and because of that his timing could be easily disrupted if his feet weren't properly set to punch.

Tito always needed room to effectively let his hands go, Duran would smother him and beat him to death on the inside.

Lastly, as far as dirty and would do anything to win a fight...ask Ken Buchanon about Duran's dirty tactics.

 

All valid points, & all things told, the very reasons I give Duran just as good a chance at winning as I do Trinidad. I don't dispute the above --- except to say I consider Trinidad's advantages in this particular matching, evidently, more significant than you do.

 

Good style matchup for Tito.

He rallies late and wins a decision.

 

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Its a decent scrap but I think Duran adapts to Trinidad and either takes him out late, or wins on a clear decision.