Is Roberto Duran the best lightweight of all time?

[dino]

i would put money on mel taylor whitaker mayweather and defeintaly mosley and chavez..no direspect to duran but he fought in the 60s and 70s..guys today are better fighters

[jabsRstiff]

i would put money on mel taylor whitaker mayweather and defeintaly mosley and chavez..no direspect to duran but he fought in the 60s and 70s..guys today are better fighters

Meldrick Taylor ?


He didn't do much at 135. He started his career there....had some notable fights/wins (Davis Jr. & Blake)....but made his hay at 140.

You're acting like Duran fought back in the 40's.
The 70's, in terms of boxing, are the modern era.

[J !]

i would put money on mel taylor whitaker mayweather and defeintaly mosley and chavez..no direspect to duran but he fought in the 60s and 70s..guys today are better fighters

dino dont mean to be rude dude but that post does make you look like a friggin idiot.

mosely over duran are you quite mad?
He aint fit to lick duran's boots mate.
5 round at best in one sided beat down.

[jmctheone]

duran

no fighther at lightweight could beat duran he was amazing!!

BEST LIGHTWEIGHT ever

[Yogi]

no fighther at lightweight could beat duran he was amazing!!

It's funny, but after reading that comment of yours, I seem to recall the fact that Esteban DeJesus DID beat the lightweight version of Roberto Duran in one of their fights.

If DeJesus could beat Duran in a fight, then it's entirely possible and also very likely other great lightweights could've beat him, as well.

[onetwopunch]

Duran was a beast at lightweight, yes Esteban De Jesus beat him once handed him his 1st defeat but Duran came back and beat DeJesus, Esteban Dejesus was a great lightweight as well. But Duran hands down was the best light weight, he had it all and he mastered the art of rolling with the punches when he was inside..he was one mean s.o.b.

[czars_salad]

Absolutely, Duran was the greatest lightweight of all time. His 'No Mas' fight against Leonard had nothing to do with his lightweight career because that fight with Leonard was at welterweight.

i agree!!! he may not be the best at welterweight but he is certainly the most complete lightweight of all time

[Yogi]

Duran was a beast at lightweight, yes Esteban De Jesus beat him once handed him his 1st defeat but Duran came back and beat DeJesus, Esteban Dejesus was a great lightweight as well. But Duran hands down was the best light weight, he had it all and he mastered the art of rolling with the punches when he was inside..he was one mean s.o.b.

Sure, DeJesus was a hell of a talent and a great lightweight in his own right. But he wasn't one of the absolute elite all-time great lightweights throughout history (The Ring ranked him at 15th, I believe), and if he could beat Duran, then it only makes sense to think others could beat him, as well.

But it's these "hands down" and "no question about it" comments that gets to me. I don't care how great you are, there was always somebody to challenge you throughout history (Duran had a tough time with the jab, movement and quickness of Ray Lampkin, for God sakes). EVERY fighter throughout history can lose to another great in their weight class, no matter who you are. ****, even Sugar Ray Robinson was said to have been lucky to get the nod in a couple of fights during his welterweight day (Servo and Gavilan both fought him very tough and many observers thought they beat Robinson), and that's probably the single greatest fighter of all-time.

You know what, if Duran was so head and shoulders above everyone else in the history of the lightweight division, why didn't his own trainer, Ray Arcel, acknowledge him as the greatest lightweight ever? You would think Arcel would've, don't you think? Nope, he selected Benny Leonard as not only the greatest lightweight of all-time (Ring ranked him as the 2nd greatest lightweight of all-time), but as the single greatest fighter of all-time, regardless of weight. And seeing as how Arcel worked the corners of both Duran and Leonard, you'd think he'd know a little something about the subject, wouldn't you?

Duran was obviously an elite all-time great lightweight, and maybe he was the best of all-time at that weight (key word being "maybe"). But he was far from being the automatic or easy choice that some think he is for this category. No way guys, there's been way too many great ones throughout history and more than a few could definately give Duran everything he could handle ina fight or even offer him a stiff challenge for that top spot (Leonard, Gans, Armstrong, Williams, Canzoneri, Ortiz, etc.). It's very close up top and it's completely ignorant to think otherwise, if you ask me.

[J !]

yogi most folk who post on here can just aobut remember Duran to ask them to KNow the lieks of Benny Leonard, Kid Gavalian, Henry Armstrong et al is stretching it mate.

They have only just realised that Duran would beat Mosely

duran is in the mix and withouth doubt the modern era's best lightweight.

Its always very difficult to compare guys form the pre 2nd world war era with now, the rules were so disperate for starters (watch footage of someone like Demspey V Willard who more or less stood over his oppoenent and waits for the poor willard to get to his feet without even backing off.

Undoubtedly not having to return to a neutral conrer would have adided Duran but how good was boxer mover Lenoard then? Cos it sure didnt favour him.........it is rumoured he could box ten rounds and still have a perfect parting in his hair!!!


like I say difficult to compare such era as the basic and integral rules of conduct in the ring changed immensely.

[RockyMarciano]

Oh yeah Roberto duran was the man!!! but saying he was the best is kinda hard to do...no mas?....the best dont give up!!


just my opinion