Who would win between Julio Cesar Chavez vs Roberto Duran

[DJ Enerate]

No way does Chavez beat prime Duran. No ****ing way. Chavez beats Mayweather though.

[McGoorty]

The problem with picking Benny Leonard to beat Duran is that Duran can be watched in more than a dozen fights in color, Leonard in a few black and white messes when he was past prime. The remainder of any basis for choosing him essentially comes down to "reputation" in whatever form whether journalism or the lips of old timers. Are their more views of Leonard out there than I believe?

We all should know by now that people around the boxing business, especially journalists, speak hyperbolically. They are practically in the business of inventing hyperboles. Their job is to create lasting impressions. Jimmy Cannon or A.J. Leibling could be courtroom lawyers. They should be and more people would go free. Boxing is an exciting sport to write about. Some of the greatest writers tried their hand, even the mousey Joyce Oates got in on the act for another perspective.

Similarly, I am unable to authoritatively say I think Duran would beat Leonard. He did beat a pair of talented brothers quite similar in style to Benny Leonard. They were runners, too--the feather-fisted Viruet boys, Edwin and Adolpho. Both boring fights, as I remember them, came down to Duran chasing them all over the place to land enough punches to win.

He has to chase Leonard all over the place when I envision this fight. If my vision is faulty, let me know.

I see Leonard fighting Duran after the pattern of Tunney handling Dempsey. Your presumption must be that he will be able to out step Duran the way Tunney did. Ray Leonard did it in II, now can Benny do it? He has to land enough light punches to make Roberto look silly, practically without being hit himself. His tappers will not mean much if he is being hit with some of Duran's impactive, head-turning blows while he is tapping.

It took a 5'10" all time talent, poetry itself in motion, to out step Duran and make him look silly. What is Benny, maybe 5'8"? Ray at the very least matches Benny for speed & mobility. In punching power he blows him away.

I think you underestimate Leonard's power, the man could hit when he wanted to, he would turn a opponent into a power shot with great skill, the LeeWyllie2 video is excellent in showing and explaining Leonard's skills. It is hard to compare them because Leonard is shown in just two fights and yep he sure is past prime in the last film. I envision Leonard hitting at least as hard as Durna and maybe harder, I think speedwise they are probably about even so I think it comes down to who is smarter and both are very smart but as I envision Duran always trying push the fight I also see him walking into traps... this is a distance fight as Duran has the chin at lightweight to last for sure. In a single fight Duran may well win but I also think Benny has same chance but if they fought 3 fights I think the vast fighting IQ of Leonard will see him learning from any mistakes he makes and improving on that to win.... He will not take long to realise that he can get Duran angry and work on his phsyque

[The Old LefHook]

I think you underestimate Leonard's power, the man could hit when he wanted to, he would turn a opponent into a power shot with great skill, the LeeWyllie2 video is excellent in showing and explaining Leonard's skills. It is hard to compare them because Leonard is shown in just two fights and yep he sure is past prime in the last film. I envision Leonard hitting at least as hard as Durna and maybe harder, I think speedwise they are probably about even so I think it comes down to who is smarter and both are very smart but as I envision Duran always trying push the fight I also see him walking into traps... this is a distance fight as Duran has the chin at lightweight to last for sure. In a single fight Duran may well win but I also think Benny has same chance but if they fought 3 fights I think the vast fighting IQ of Leonard will see him learning from any mistakes he makes and improving on that to win.... He will not take long to realise that he can get Duran angry and work on his phsyque

There are good thoughts in most of what you say. The whole post is clouded unfortunately by the claim that Benny Leonard hit as hard as Duran. I doubt that many concur. Majority does not make right, however. I will look into it.

[The Old LefHook]

There are good thoughts in most of what you say. The whole post is clouded unfortunately by the claim that Benny Leonard hit as hard as Duran. I doubt that many concur. Majority does not make right, however. I will look into it.

Maybe you are right, McGoorty. Leonard was a master in the Gibbons style with a better punch. That could be hard for anyone to deal with. A two inch height advantage for Duran and a three inch reach advantage for Leonard, if the stats are correct. Curious. It was plenty rugged in Benny's day. He was not fighting powder puffs. He had the face to prove it too. Meet him close up and you would guess he was a boxer.

[bambam182]

I think during the 3rd round of the match of a prime version duran and chavez, you will suddenly hear a song come on saying "filipino, filipino, filipino" and pac some how traveled to the past and storms into the ring giving both chavez and duran his straight left followed by his hook and knocking them both unconscious and having all the pac-tards say "see pac is the best"