Do you classify Duran as a Big Lightweight in his Prime

[rightsideup]

The thread I started about Rocky G and Jake Lamotta got me thinking about dominate fighters like Jake who were very strong for there weight classes. I was wondering if Duran would fall into the same category? He actually looked small compared to Ray Lampkin. I know Ray Leonard was very open with his praise of Duran's Strength in there first fight.

[joseph5620]

The thread I started about Rocky G and Jake Lamotta got me thinking about dominate fighters like Jake who were very strong for there weight classes. I was wondering if Duran would fall into the same category? He actually looked small compared to Ray Lampkin. I know Ray Leonard was very open with his praise of Duran's Strength in there first fight.

I don't believe he was. Realistically Duran never should have fought past 154. But he didn't have the discipline to stay in shape between fights.

[Daddy T]

I classify him as the best lightweight in his prime

[New England]

compared to modern LW, no. these guys cut massive weight, weigh 135, and put on 10-20 lbs. rios was in the mid 150's on fight night when he was a LW.


duran took fights above 135 pretty often when his title wasn't on the line, though. he wasn't small.

[TBear]

He was average size wise for a lightweight. When you mean size I imagine you mean height as well since they all weighed 135. Duran was an inch shorter than Mayweather is. Which was amazing because Duran started lighter and rose all the way to super middleweight.

[K-DOGG]

The thread I started about Rocky G and Jake Lamotta got me thinking about dominate fighters like Jake who were very strong for there weight classes. I was wondering if Duran would fall into the same category? He actually looked small compared to Ray Lampkin. I know Ray Leonard was very open with his praise of Duran's Strength in there first fight.

Big? Hard to say; but he always appeared to me to be a half-starved Panamanian street kid who was just that damn tough. I never really thought of him as "big"......just junkyard dog tough.

[rightsideup]

My own thought on the subject is that duran had an average size frame for his generation and the rules of the day. By the end of reign though he started to grow and had difficulty making 135. He was strong for a lightweight had amazing stamina punched hard very good speed and carried fight ending power all the way to end of fights.

[BennyST]

No, very average/typical sized lightweight.

Was often smaller than his opponents earlier, but grew into a perfect/natural sized lightweight by his peak through the mid to late 70's and stacked up well, neither bigger or smaller (apart from sometimes his height) than most opponents before eventually eating his way out, the fat bastard.

Maybe small by today's standards, but I think he was your prototypical lightweight fighter. 5'7", 66" reach, lean and strong.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I think he was a decent to slightly above average sized lw...
I dont think he was some physical monster like hearns at welter

[Ray Corso]

Strong willed and in the body too! Came forward mostly and imposed his will so the impression of him was big! He was lean as a young fellow but actually developed into a thicker body at the end of his lightweight career! As a welter he put the added 12 pounds on easily and looked good at 147! Against Leonard in the first fight he could have beated any welter in the world that night.
He was able to continue on his experence alone and do well against much bigger men. To me Duran is a top ten lightweight and up high on the list!
The latter part of his career was just a man "picking up the pennies" as he moved along in life! Ray.

5'7" 135lbs