Offensive and defensive boxing at its best.

[BennyST]

Back in the late 70's, after Duran had dominated the lightweights for a decade, he moved up and took a series of fights at 140-147, testing the waters against a series of opposition from puffs to top contenders and then HOF champions and legends.

This was one of his earlier fights against contender Jimmy Heair. While he lacked his trademark ferocity, many of these bouts were tune ups that were obviously made so Duran could work on things in fights, and it seemed like he was working on his jab, defense and a full arsenal of offence. Amazing stuff from an amazing fighter in his prime, if not in his best shape.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Good video... Never getting bored watching old school Duran... Most fighters train to fight, but Duran was born to do it

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Sad thing is if this fight happened today, idiots on NSb would be saying Duran a hype job and cherry picking and Duran is ducking Pryor or arguello

[Scott9945]

Back in the late 70's, after Duran had dominated the lightweights for a decade, he moved up and took a series of fights at 140-147, testing the waters against a series of opposition from puffs to top contenders and then HOF champions and legends.

This was one of his earlier fights against contender Jimmy Heair. While he lacked his trademark ferocity, many of these bouts were tune ups that were obviously made so Duran could work on things in fights, and it seemed like he was working on his jab, defense and a full arsenal of offence. Amazing stuff from an amazing fighter in his prime, if not in his best shape.

I saw Heair fight many times when he was based in Los Angeles. Coincidently I saw him and Duran live on the same card against different opponents. Heair's win that night over former titleholder Chango Carmona was probably the biggest of his long career. Duran beat the hell out of a journeyman in a non title fight. Little Red Lopez also fought on that card.

[BennyST]

Sad thing is if this fight happened today, idiots on NSb would be saying Duran a hype job and cherry picking and Duran is ducking Pryor or arguello

Yeah, he was lucky that Arcel and Brown were still alive and boxing was still regarded as the king of sports. They would train Duran in small fights, then build up to his bigger fights and title fights, and of course there were so many avenues of seeing fights then. Free tv, radio, live...the world stopped for the big fights then. When boxing ruled.

I suppose he would be a bit like a James Toney if he fought today, particularly if he had a great old school trainer like Miller. It's a fascinating thought though....what would he be like if he fought through the bantamweights to the middle/super-middleweights of today?

I saw Heair fight many times when he was based in Los Angeles. Coincidently I saw him and Duran live on the same card against different opponents. Heair's win that night over former titleholder Chango Carmona was probably the biggest of his long career. Duran beat the hell out of a journeyman in a non title fight. Little Red Lopez also fought on that card.

Heair was an interesting fighter. Not really a top contender and not really a journeyman. He had some big fights all told, won a hell of a lot against a bunch of nobodies, beat a couple of decent fighters and lost to the best. Had lots of heart and a hell of a lot of fights.

I think you could really see the fire in Duran starting to ebb around this point consistently. He would get up for big fights, and occasionally produce brilliance when thought of as an underdog and given no chance, but it seemed to be the start of his lack of training, decline and laziness.

I often see a lot of similarities in James Toney if you compare him to a modern fighter. The incredible offense and defense, the brilliant start, sudden bad losses, weight gain, ill tempered with no discipline, and huge redemption, but just born to fight. If Toney had been able to beat Jones Jr, they'd be incredibly similar.

[mickey malone]

One of life's great tryers, Heair... Remember him coming over to England, to fight Dave boy Green in London.. Lasted the course again, and he put up a game performance in that one too, difference being, Duran would've stopped Green with the show he put on against Jimmy.

[Panamaniac]

In my view, the fight that best exemplified Roberto Duran's boxing (defensive/offensive) skills was his measured methodical and incremental dismantling of one Davey Moore. He conducted a clinic of the sweet science that night... (That beatdown took such a heavy physical toll on the kid - due in part to the ineptitude of the ref - he never fully recovered.)

Duran vs Moore, Rds. 7 & 8

[vbtube]TF6at28s3wQ[/vbtube]

[Anthony342]

Yeah plus it put to rest the past demons of No Mas and was a good career comeback for Duran, as some believed then.