Who is more skilled. Floyd Mayweather or Roberto Duran

[Miburo]

Amusing how people are unequivocally conflating being a better overall fighter with being more skilled.

[deanrw]

It all depends on what you define as skills. If you are looking at it as a pure boxing standpoint, you will have a hard time finding anyone more defensively and offensively balanced as floyd.

If you include the intangibles as skills though, you would have to give the nod to Duran. Duran could be pure savagery in the ring, he simply wanted to tear you to pieces in there. He was not wild, but he had this controlled, magical, almost beautiful way of attacking, while still keeping defense there with him. He was like watching a tornado rip through a trailer park to the sound of classical music.

[A-Wolf]

Duran. I wonder how many of the people voting Mayweather have seen very many if any of Duran's fights.

Roberto Duran is not a top 5 P4P all time for no reason.

[Miburo]

Duran. I wonder how many of the people voting Mayweather have seen very many if any of Duran's fights.

Roberto Duran is not a top 5 P4P all time for no reason.

And why does that necessarily imply he was more skilled smug one? The logic on here is amazing. Apparently prime Foreman should've been a journeyman.

[MJ223]

And why does that necessarily imply he was more skilled smug one? The logic on here is amazing. Apparently prime Foreman should've been a journeyman.

The versatility he showed throughout his career maybe.?.?.? Just a hunch

[AztecWanker]

People, being fast and slick doesn't automatically mean you're better. Duran was arguably the best inside fighter ever, who could also box at a distance, use his jab, had power in both hands, etc. He could fkn do it all.

Altho I do consider Fraud a better boxer and has the sharper defense, but he is not as complete a fighter as Roberto Duran was.

[A-Wolf]

And why does that necessarily imply he was more skilled smug one? The logic on here is amazing. Apparently prime Foreman should've been a journeyman.

I gave a one sentence answer to the question, buddy. "Duran."

Everything else you see there isn't smugness. It's disgust. FACT most of the people who responded to this poll have seen little to no Duran in their lives ever. I've seen 43 of Duran's fights and all of Floyd Mayweather's fights from the first up to current day. Prime for prime Roberto Duran was a far more intuitive, naturalistic boxer - and less the athlete and thinker that Floyd Mayweather is. All respect to Floyd but if you fight as safely as Floyd Mayweather it's hard not to look as good as he does. Roberto Duran is one of the most beautifully savage, breathtakingly skilled fighters of all time. He would drop jaws. The people who have actually watched his fights now what I'm talking about. Now go ahead and tell me you're an expert on Duran and blah blah blah...

[Miburo]

The versatility he showed throughout his career maybe.?.?.? Just a hunch

What does versatility have to do with pure skill? From a technical standpoint it's obvious Mayweather was more skilled. OBVIOUS. That doesn't necessarily mean he was the better overall fighter however. As a very scant few along with myself have pointed out, it was Duran's brawling instinct and inside fighting sense that really set him apart, in combination with very good fundamental ability and natural physical gifts. He had extremely fast hands and great power at 135. Skill alone doesn't necessarily make for a great fighter, it's a combination of many factors, otherwise we'd see nothing but pure boxers.

[Miburo]

I gave a one sentence answer to the question, buddy. "Duran."

Everything else you see there isn't smugness. It's disgust. FACT most of the people who responded to this poll have seen little to no Duran in their lives ever. I've seen 43 of Duran's fights and all of Floyd Mayweather's fights from the first up to current day. Prime for prime Roberto Duran was a far more intuitive, naturalistic boxer - and less the athlete and thinker that Floyd Mayweather is. All respect to Floyd but if you fight as safely as Floyd Mayweather it's hard not to look as good as he does. Roberto Duran is one of the most beautifully savage, breathtakingly skilled fighters of all time. He would drop jaws. The people who have actually watched his fights now what I'm talking about. Now go ahead and tell me you're an expert on Duran and blah blah blah...

Seems like everything you said there confirms Mayweather as the more skilled fighter. Which doesn't mean he is better. Stop being dense.

[A-Wolf]

What does versatility have to do with pure skill? From a technical standpoint it's obvious Mayweather was more skilled. OBVIOUS. That doesn't necessarily mean he was the better overall fighter however. As a very scant few along with myself have pointed out, it was Duran's brawling instinct and inside fighting sense that really set him apart, in combination with very good fundamental ability and natural physical gifts. He had extremely fast hands and great power at 135. Skill alone doesn't necessarily make for a great fighter, it's a combination of many factors, otherwise we'd see nothing but pure boxers.

You're too impressed with people making a show of what they do. NAH. The only thing that is OBVIOUS is the superficial conclusion someone could leap to in rating the true tactical skill of each fighter. I can see how your mind works.