Roberto Duran just wasn't very good

I laugh every time some proclaim that the all-time foul master is among the greatest fighters ever. His whole career is based on TWO victories in 100+ fights. Granted, he did rule the lightweights but beat one good fighter (Buchanan in a fight where he cheated once again) and split victories with the other. His supposed prime was at lightweight but had he only fought there he wouldn't be mentioned as a great.

What made him "great" was the questionable decision he got against Sugar Ray in a fight where Ray fought the dumbest fight possible and went to grappling competition with the mini-sized Ruiz. In the rematch Ray kept his cool and showed that the two were in different class completely. When Duran couldn't foul, he quit.

Then Duran went on to fight the other greats of his day, and got beaten handily every time. Still some admired him for defeating very average Cuevas and Davey Moore even though he lost to scrubs meanwhile

Then the fight against Iran Barkley supposedly made him a legend. Barkley? Duran (who at the time was not even very old by modern standards) got a gift in another foul-fest. After that he went on to take plenty of whippings.

Duran's fights are boring to watch and apart from clinching, elbowing, rabbit punching, low blows and butts he does nothing in the ring remarkably well. Yet he is mentioned as some master technician and his fans are willing to forgive everything for him because he was soooo 'brutal' ( =cheater).

Hugs of Stone = The most overrated boxer ever

 

Best fighter ever, pound for pound.

 

Top 10....ever P4P....

 

I laugh far more everytime I hear Lewis mentioned as an all time great.

With 0 great wins, and KO'd twice by bums with 1 punch.

And fought like a scared pussy against the cruiserweight Holyfield.

 

There already is a topic about Lewis' legacy on the first page

 

But his legacy is based on his campaign at lightweight - and from when he crushed Buchannan with a smashing blow to the bollocks, he only lost one fight in 30-odd....that's impressive.

The 1980-89 years are just the icing on the cake.

:bears:

 

This may be the dumbest thread I've ever seen on this forum. Duran is an ATG for certain.
And Duran from 72-80 is probably as perfect a fighting machine as there has ever been.
Great handspeed, verry good power, relentless pressure, excellent stamina, underrated boxing skills, granite chin...and just fought with a fury unmatched by anyone in that era.

How anyone could make a statement that "Duran just wasn't very good" is asinine.

 

:: That adds clarity to exactly what Ugotabe is talking about.

 

dsimon writes:

That about sums it up.

I once asked Joe REine who the most intimidating fighter he ever met was. He told me that Duran was truly frightening in that regard and was a lot scarier than a lot of bigger guys. Today Cotto has some of that same charisma. Duran was the mold though... He would relentlessly break down his opponent and take the fight out of them psychoilogically as well as physically.

Sometimes there is a lot more to a fighter than how they win in fights. Duran was a fighter's fighter. It is easy to dismiss him but when one does it shows ignorance about the sweet science.

 

I know - I was just pissing around with that one! ::

 

:bears:

 

UGTBK......fuck off with this stupid 'I hate Duran' gimmick. It's such an obvious plea for attention.

 

UGBK has hate in his heart.

 

What do you expect from a Finn who loves Klitschko and the overall heavyweight division of today? ::

 

:notallthere: So Duran is bove all criticizm?

 

This guy just wants attention with this thread is all.
I have never seen anyone roll with shots better than Duran did, and he was perhaps the most relaxed fighter I have ever seen in there.
Duran was the most relentless fighter I have seen along with Rocky Marciano, though Manos de Piedra boxed a lot more and had a immaculately educated left hand and could hook off of the jab so easily and fluidly.
His Best Ever performance was the lightweight unification rubber match with Esteban DeJesus in Las Vegas, in which he hit his zenith as a fighter.
Duran was a brilliant boxing/punching machine that afternoon breaking down a terrific champion who had pinned the only loss on his resume.
As great as Duran was, I think a peak Henry Armstrong would have beaten him in the trenches, though.

 

from you....yes

 

I believe that is pretty much the idea of forums: to get attention to things. I want to question the status Duran has gotten and I don't see why it is so difficult to accept. Nobody is above a critical look IMHO.

 

That's the thing. You're not being critical. Looks to me like you're just :stir:

 

He's above being called 'not that good', yes. :: He's undisputably one of the greatest 5 fighters to ever lace them up.

 

IMHO that is VERY disputable for the reasons I listed. Duran is good, but not as good he is thought of right now. His image gets him much more props than his abilities should

 

A great book describing the great career of a great man.

:bears:

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

Well your entitled to your opinion but the overwhelming consensus among boxing historians, boxing writers and boxing fans alike is that he ranks right up there with Robinson, Pep, Amrstrong, Greb, Louis et al and was probably the best fighter of the last 50 years. You could deconstruct the resumes of any of those guys as well if you wanted to be anal but I don't think you get to be that revered without deserving it.

 

And all of them, even though they are to me clearly greater than Duran, get criticized, someties heavily too.

 

I had the opportunity of meeting the author of this book. Very cool guy. When he first went down, people weren't accepting of him because he couldn't speak spanish. So he went back home, and took a course to learn spanish. He went back, and they loved him for it.

 

Who at 135-140 would you see beating a prime Roberto? Outside of a prime Whitaker or Mayweather,...I would pick the Duran from 72-80 to be the favorite over anyone since then at either weight.

And let me add too that I could see Duran beating Pea or Floyd too.....but because of styles I would have to slightly lean towards them over Roberto.
But make no mistake,.....neither guy has ever faced a fighter as great, determined and ferocious as a prime 135 pound Roberto Duran.

 

Whitaker, Floyd, Mosley and Pryor. Arguello, Taylor and Tszyu also have a shot

 

If Arguello, Tszyu and Taylor only have a "shot" at beating you... well, you are VERY good.

 

I always thought Arguello matched up well against Duran.