The Duran who gave a prime Marvin Hagler all he could handle for 15 rounds vs the young Roy Jones who bested a pre-prime Bernard Hopkins. Now when you read the above sentence you could be forgiven for thinking that this is either a competitive fight or else Duran would be too much for Jones...but in actuality.......... Jones would have DOMINATED and SCHOOLED little Duran and stopped him by the middle rounds. Mismatch!
Jones by UD Jones would win. DOMINATE??? NO :nono: 9-6, 10-5 rounds for Jones......Duran isn't Pazienza...
I always thought Hagler really dropped the ball against Duran, & that the fight had more to do with him than Duran, taking the course it did. I mean, consider a Middleweight legend of similar standing to Hagler --- how long would the Duran of 1984 have lasted against Monzon? Not very long, of that, you can be sure. Jones is just too big & too speedy, with too quick a trigger, for any Duran.
I don't think Hagler-Duran was really that close. The judges were drunk to have Duran winning after 13 rounds. I had it 10-4-1 for Hagler. Jones wins, for reasons already stated above.
Have to say, I just watched Duran's fight with natural 147lber, Benitez. It was frankly embarrassing for the Panamaniac at times. This would be similar in many ways, & not much more enjoyable, if at all, for Duran. Jones was just as quick, certainly bigger & more damaging, though not anywhere near as honed as Benitez. A disaster any way you slice it.
Roy was way too much for Duran to handle but Duran was tricky enough to get some respect. Roy by wide decision. Hagler had some trouble with Duran's right hand counters so he was a bit too cautious until the championship rounds. Once Hagler turned on the gas Duran was glad to see that final bell. It was a 9-6 or 10-5 type fight.
