Duran after No Mas was very inconsistent although he had some very good performances such as the Barkly fight which was very close but dramatic , the Moore fight where his thumb and experience came through, Cuevas but pipino could have been ruined by hearns, and hagler although a loss he surprised people. He was however on the wrong side of thirty and did not have the quickness of his youth. My questions are could the Duran of Leonard 1 have beaten Benitiz at that time?
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Yes! Wilfred wouldn't handle Durans pressure very well and if neither are
highly motivated they would stink out the house.
A motivated Duran beats alot of people that are bigger, when not he gets beat.
Remember Duran at his best was a Lightweight!
Ray. -
Duran at his absolute best beats Benitez at his absolute best.Comment
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Benitez was a great technical fighter but Duran was on a short list.Comment
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My instinct is to pick Duran without a second thought. But I watched his fight with Benitez and can't forget how badly owned he was. The scores in that fight were a joke. But the Duran who beat Leonard may be able to overcome a bad style matchup.Comment
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Duran was made to train on a penal island for that fight and was in shape but mentally I believe he had a hangover from no mas while Wilfred was taking the preparation for that fight to his highest level of his career. Yes I totally agree the judges were awful for that fightOriginally posted by Scott9945 View PostComment
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Anyone have an idea why Duran chose to box Benitez rather than get aggressive like he did in the first Leonard fight?Comment
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Umm...I think he beats him most of the time, but not very badly. Benitez was a genius boxer, one of the few of that ilk who can stand right in front of you and evade punches. Duran had problems reaching runners sometimes like the Viruets. He was able to beat them, even winning by wide margins on the cards, but was able to administer no beatings in doing so. To that extent, Duran had trouble with those guys and a few like them. Well, those guys were good runners, wheeler-dealers like Tunney or Gibbons although without being of their superlative class, of course, but Benitez was of that most superlative class himself, though he was not so much of a wheeler dealer who used his legs to the extent of a Leonard (take your pick which one). Benitez had a ****y confidence in his defensive ability. He liked to stand right there with you--which is not the ultimate gameplan for fighting Duran. He would be much less available than Leonard was in fight I, and much more available than Leonard in fight II. He would make Duran throw a thousand punches and land only a hundred and fifty, but that would be enough. My feel for this one is Duran about 65% of the time.Last edited by The Old LefHook; 02-22-2015, 03:14 AM.Comment
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I get annoyed when people try almost to diminish Duran's performance against Leonard by saying stuff like "...well, Leonard lost that fight because he wanted to trade instead of box".
The truth of the matter is that Leonard could have fought any way he liked. Duran had the skills and determination to adapt and win.
They forget that against any other opponent Leonard would have won by KO or convincing points margin. He fought like a tiger and silenced those doubters who considered him all "showbiz" and no substance.
I don't know how many times he ratcheted up the pressure on Duran thinking he would crack. He was still doing it at the end of the fight but no matter how high he pushed his performance Duran just kept on stepping higher.
THAT is the truth about the first fight. Not this pro-Leonard mythology which has Ray foolishly gifting Duran victory.Comment
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