Is Roberto Duran the best lightweight of all time?

[NChristo]

Rocky Kansas and Johnny Kilbane are HOF'ers aswell don't forget.

Along wth Willie Ritchie aswell to add to the names you mentioned.

For me, the greatest Lightweight of all time has to be Benny Leonard.

His resume is in a league of it's own.

Didn't realize Kansas was in the HOF, thought I put HOF next to Kilbane too, although he and Dundee they were HOF at Feather / Jr Lightweight and not Lightweight.

Leonard's resume at lightweight is just staggering.

[zelley]

Second thoughts and changing minds

I think it is very easy to change ones mind in trying to pick the top ten and then ranking them on to ten. The various comments clearly indicates, it is near impossible to get
the same ten picked. The comments about rethinking after watching Wolgast and Nelson hit the nail on the head. When it gets to picking, in some cases it becomes a popularity contest and therefore the older champions are likely at a big disadvantage, but they shouldn't be if
we are to make a fair and objective selection. For many, DURAN is the one to beat for top spot, but he would have his hands of stone full if punching it out with the likes of Wolgast and Nelson. And, even a LEW JENKINS, if he brought his fighting heart and body into the ring would be deadly for any lightweight. Then, CANZONERI, I once watched a video of him fighting and he dancing side-to-side would of made it difficult for the best of them.

[McGoorty]

I think it is very easy to change ones mind in trying to pick the top ten and then ranking them on to ten. The various comments clearly indicates, it is near impossible to get
the same ten picked. The comments about rethinking after watching Wolgast and Nelson hit the nail on the head. When it gets to picking, in some cases it becomes a popularity contest and therefore the older champions are likely at a big disadvantage, but they shouldn't be if
we are to make a fair and objective selection. For many, DURAN is the one to beat for top spot, but he would have his hands of stone full if punching it out with the likes of Wolgast and Nelson. And, even a LEW JENKINS, if he brought his fighting heart and body into the ring would be deadly for any lightweight. Then, CANZONERI, I once watched a video of him fighting and he dancing side-to-side would of made it difficult for the best of them.

Very good post, we are talking about THE division when it comes to depth of greatness. I like that you mention Jenkins, I don't know if he's the hardest punching LW ever, but I do know that he was THE MAN in his era when it comes to power. I have heard that his hand speed was right up there and he never took a backward step, although I suspect Wolgast would take his time taking a Jenkins apart. One thing to remember about fighters like Wolgast..... they are comets who arrive in a blaze and burn for 6 or 7 years, but that means that the wars take their toll on the body. As for Nelson, his wars were almost unspeakably violent and the Wolgast war must have been the end of Nelson, but he carried on like most old champions...... Nelson knew it wasn't fighting that would destroy him, it was retirement and NO fighting that he feared,... the ONLY thing he feared.

[Panamaniac]

Is Roberto Duran the best lightweight of all time?

Any arguments against this?

The last word... (?)

1. I would relocate the "is" in the thread title (above) and place it after "Duran"
2. Replace the "best" with "greatest"
3. Replace the "?' with an "!"

Result: Roberto Duran is the greatest lightweight of all time!

[Barn]

The last word... (?)

1. I would relocate the "is" in the thread title (above) and place it after "Duran"
2. Replace the "best" with "greatest"
3. Replace the "?' with an "!"

Result: Roberto Duran is the greatest lightweight of all time!

Then he would be lying.

[ghns1133]

no

but head 2 head yes IMO

[Marchegiano]

hmmm. Well. I'll say it like this. Great can be chopped up plenty of ways. Of course the over-all greatness of Duran is not to be questioned. But the day Burke met Bowen. I feel they showed what greatness means on that day. I do not believe Duran, or any other fighter, would have made it from sun to sun. ....I don't believe either Andy or Jack would make it out of the first four rounds with Roberto but that doesn't change the point. To me endurance is the greatest quality, and the most endurant would be the greatest. It's a personal great. Excellent mention of **** your face Jenkins. Power's my second favourite quality.....I pseudonymed him **** your face......that kind of says it all. My point is Duran is probably the best for h2h challenges, but not always the best in specifics.

[lightsout_finit]

Of all the lightweights I have seen footage of I'd have to say Duran was the best.

[New England]

Of all the lightweights I have seen footage of I'd have to say Duran was the best.

cosign


it will save me a tangent

[zelley]

Roberto duran

it is thought that he was the best lightweight of all time, but he is recognized as an all time great P4P fighter due to the many titles that he won. I fought one of his lightweight tile
contenders twice in Golden Gloves action in 1968 so watched the fight between DURAN and LAMPKIN a couple of times. Back in the mid-Seventies, I thought Ray was winning except his hands were dropping what appeared to be heat exhaustion. Pacific Northwest dudes would not be used to fighting in the hot Panama sun in a 15-round or 12/round fight.

Recently, had a chance to view a video of the last couple of rounds, and once again it looked close even in the later rounds, but there it was LAMPKIN dropping his arms and was open for heavy contact and sure enough it happened with one round to go. Duran connected and the rest is history.

Based on this fight, I would like to think that DURAN is the greatest lightweight champion but based on this one fight, Duran did not show the stuff of the greates. He got lucky withthe heat and Ray's dropping arms. Any excellent top lightweight could have taken advantage of that situation.

Also, his victory over KEN BUCHANAN to win the title is clouded with the low-blow controversy. So that does not make Duran the greatest lightweights based on his fouling ability because boxers like LEW JENKINS, if they were at their top form, could give Roberto a real lesson in low blows, thumbing, choking and a few head buts. Would Roberto have the right stuff to keep cool or would be blow-it or quit???