Pbf vs. 1972 Roberto Duran

[Schmapps]

Hello all,

i'm a long time reader on ESB but only recently registered myself...and here is my first post hooray! ha ha. Anyways, I am watching Roberto Duran vs. Ken Buchanen for the lightweight title on ESPN Classics. And the thought struck me: How would Floyd fare in a lightweight matchup with this '72 version of Duran? Could be a very interesting matchup...I tend to think that Floyd may be defensively very perplexing to Duran, however does he throw enough leather to keep Duran off him? Or does Duran eventually catch up to Floyd with his relentless offense?

Any thoughts?

[Russell]

Welcome to the board, Schmapps. :)

[Schmapps]

Thank u. I have been a big boxing fan for twenty years and I haven't seen a more intelligent and interesting board anywhere.

[McGrain]

Welcome Schmapps.

We find out about PBF is the answer to this one. If he can take it and take it and take it he has some sort of chance.

Personally I see little wrong with Mayweahter's heart, but I still see a late stoppage win for Duran.

[Russell]

Floyd eventually fighting Cotto would be useful here.

We've seen him troubled by pressure fighters before to varying degrees, sometimes pretty badly.

[brownpimp88]

We've seen duran struggle with movement, aka edwin viruet, leonard, benitez.

[Stonehands89]

Schmapps. Welcome. And congratulation on a good first thread/post.

Duran should be favored to catch him and neutralize the slickness with undaunted pressure -legal or otherwise. I suspect that Duran would be rougher and more active than Oscar and would apply far more effective pressure than Ricky.

Floyd is a beauty in there, but I just don't think he'd have physical strength or the requisite firepower to keep Duran off -especially over 15 rounds. Remember at this point in his career, Duran was known to get a hellacious second wind at around round 8. So just when most fighters are getting a bit winded, Duran turns it up and as Arcel testified, "he just won't let you alone."

[Schmapps]

Welcome Schmapps.

We find out about PBF is the answer to this one. If he can take it and take it and take it he has some sort of chance.

Personally I see little wrong with Mayweahter's heart, but I still see a late stoppage win for Duran.
Yeah, I agree it would show alot about Floyd. I have noticed whenever his name is brought up it usually leads to hateful criticism or unabashed worship ha ha. Personally, I am pretty objective about him and find much to admire. I think he has alot more heart and will than alot of people give him credit for. However, the nagging concern as I see it is, we really don't know yet how he would respond to adversity. Would he get off the canvas and win? Could he win if forced into a legitimate slugfest? Not that it's his fault that he hasn't had to ha ha I mean the ultimate point of boxing is hit and don't get hit right. But all the historical greats of all time have all shown this ability, that's why they are what they are. I have trouble counting Floyd amongst this category without having seen how he responds to such adversity. (Just too bad there isn't anyone around who can push Floyd to his limit so we can find out!)

[Russell]

I think he'd go out on his shield if anything.

He's arrogant. He wouldn't just roll up in a ball and quit, losing or not.

[dpw417]

Welcome aboard.
This is a very interesting fight...I'm sure not sure where exactly Mayweather's peak weight is...I'm beginnning to be more impressed with his performances from junior welter upward to welterweight. He did have a masterpiece against Corrales at 130lbs though...You couldn't really improve on a fight like that...
I'll assume we are at lightweight for this one...Mayweather's speed and defense would perplex the raging Duran at times...with the left arm across the body (sometimes up with elbow protruding), chin tucked safely behind the shoulder, right hand up by the chin (or further out to counter a left hook, with a quick uppercut)...In this fight, Duran would be countered sharply and solidly outpointed for stretches in the some rounds...If memory serves, Buchanon was able to come on in the later rounds of their fight...Mayweather with his speed, defense, and counter punching is a more multi faceted opponent than Buchanon...IMO.
Duran in '72, was an aggressive, raging, torrent of leather...not so much the technical fighter he was to become...I like Duran's aggression, but is he seasoned enough to beat Floyd at this time?
While Mayweather is exceptionally slick and mobile, but alot of times, he will stay in the pocket with the likes of Chavez (Jesus), Hernandez, and Castillo...He has always done this, and for the most part is successful...How about against a Duran?
I like Duran. Why? With his style (Floyd) being very adept with hisdefense...he would be in the pocket, looking for countering opportunities. Floyd would find them...but he would also be found, and pushed, pulled, shoved...and everything else! Ask Buchannon about that! I feel it would be close, but Duran even at this young stage is much more offfensively proficient than anyone Floyd has faced at lightweight,or ever, for that matter...So far in his career...and much more tenacious.
Duran by MD
Duran would take the next one by clear cut decision...

[Bummy Davis]

I like Durans effective pressure, Duran hit harder tha Hatton, was faster then Delahoya and hit harder, Duran also could bang to the body well...Floyd has fast hands, is great defensive fighter but can not hit like S.Ray, still Floyd has good power and speed...I see him landing some combo's on Roberto but Duran could also roll and slide and the effective pressure of Duran makes me think he would win on a late stoppage with the hook to the liver, right hand down the pike getting to Floyd late..11th -14th...in an even fight with Duran coming on

[RoccoMarciano]

I see him landing some combo's on Roberto but Duran could also roll and slide and the effective pressure of Duran makes me think he would win on a late stoppage with the hook to the liver, right hand down the pike getting to Floyd late..11th -14th...in an even fight with Duran coming on

:good

[werety]

I think 1972 Duran is a bit too green to win this fight. I would take Pbf to decision this version Duran as long he keeps his work rate up; however Duran anywhere from Dejesus 2 onwards especially Dejesus 3 definitely beats Pbf.

[ThinBlack]

Pbf takes a close decision over the 1972 version of Duran, who was several years from being the complete fighter he turned out to be.

[Bill Butcher]

Duran was a bit wild at this early stage but still very relentless, powerful & fast, he just kept coming.

I think Mayweather has a good shot to win close on points vs this version of Duran in a 12 round fight but in a 15 round fight I think even this Duran reverses that decision.

The more seasoned Duran from about 1974 onwards all the way up to Leonard I in 1980 would be too much for Floyd IMO.

[Waynegrade]

Hey, if PBF was troubled by ( and beaten first bout ) by Castillo. Scary to think what a prime time Manos de Piedra would do to him. And Duran was NOT a one puch brawler. Very underated defenisvely, good jab and head movement. Duran by lt. rd stoppage...

[duranimal]

Duran would pulp the cunt.

Floyds only chance is if Joe Cortez refs & throws duran out.

[MAG1965]

I just don't see a win for Duran. Ray Leonard brawled with Duran because Ray was young and Duran insulted him. Mayweather is not going to fight Duran's fight. He will fight the fight Ray fought in the second fight and win a decision. Not saying he is as great as Duran, but head to head stylewise he would probably win. Duran beat the Mayweather caliber at lightweight?

[Hannibal Barca]

Competitive, grueling fight for Mayweather, but Duran at this point is not the legendary complete peak fighter he would become from 1975-1980. PBF by decision 9/6 or 8/7. The Palomino or Montreal Duran would maul him, with PBF looking to survive as he did late in the 1st Castillo fight at times.

[duranimal]

I just don't see a win for Duran. Ray Leonard brawled with Duran because Ray was young and Duran insulted him. Mayweather is not going to fight Duran's fight. He will fight the fight Ray fought in the second fight and win a decision. Not saying he is as great as Duran, but head to head stylewise he would probably win. Duran beat the Mayweather caliber at lightweight?

You'd have popeye & apollo creed beating duran & if it was the case that yer dad was a SRL fan instead of being a duran disciple you'd be saying something different instead of yer usual deluded anti-duran squawks:yep

[Stevie G]

Hello all,

i'm a long time reader on ESB but only recently registered myself...and here is my first post hooray! ha ha. Anyways, I am watching Roberto Duran vs. Ken Buchanen for the lightweight title on ESPN Classics. And the thought struck me: How would Floyd fare in a lightweight matchup with this '72 version of Duran? Could be a very interesting matchup...I tend to think that Floyd may be defensively very perplexing to Duran, however does he throw enough leather to keep Duran off him? Or does Duran eventually catch up to Floyd with his relentless offense?

Any thoughts?
Welcome Schmapps :hi:

Duran would be too strong for Floyd,and eventually stop him.

[Bogotazo]

Personally, I think Duran has many more ways to counter coming forward and get inside on Floyd, than Floyd has ways of neutralizing and landing on Duran.

[Bogotazo]

I just don't see a win for Duran. Ray Leonard brawled with Duran because Ray was young and Duran insulted him. Mayweather is not going to fight Duran's fight. He will fight the fight Ray fought in the second fight and win a decision. Not saying he is as great as Duran, but head to head stylewise he would probably win. Duran beat the Mayweather caliber at lightweight?


Leonard and Dundee admitted post-fight that Duran made him fight that way. Leonard was never a runner, and while he tried to stand his ground and fight, it seemed the logical thing to do against the smaller man. Leonard is not dumb enough to lose such an important fight over 15 rounds without realizing he could automatically change the whole tempo of the fight and win if he simply felt like it. You can't ignore the fact Leonard explicitly stated his plan was to get an out of shape Duran for the rematch. The performance is still impressive, but the two events are night and day for reasons other than Leonard suddenly ad******g his strategy.

Also, Mayweather had impressive foot-speed, but he was never an effective bicycle-rider. He would either run, or stand and pot-shot. He rarely hits on the move, and Duran is better at cutting the ring off than Floyd is at staying in constant motion.

[PowerPuncher]

Mayweather neutralises ala Benitez, outspeeds and outboxes him

[ripcity]

Look it's the old Pressure Mayweather stragty that never works.
Mayweather wins and makes it look easy.
Duran is the most overrated boxer and Mayweather the most underrated boxer.
What happens when not if Mayweather frustrates Duran. We all saw what happened when Leonard frustrated Duran. I expect the same thing here.

[Bogotazo]

Look it's the old Pressure Mayweather stragty that never works.
Mayweather wins and makes it look easy.
Duran is the most overrated boxer and Mayweather the most underrated boxer.
What happens when not if Mayweather frustrates Duran. We all saw what happened when Leonard frustrated Duran. I expect the same thing here.


Duran is probably the best pressure fighter that ever was. Comparing him to his past opponents would be silly. Duran would exploit Mayweather's sensitivity to feints and habit of fighting in straight lines by using his dynamic offense and defense to advance and get into Mayweather's guard. The question is when, not if, Duran would get inside on Mayweather. From that point on, the question becomes who the better fighter is on the inside, which is fairly obvious to anyone who has watched the two.

The horribly conditioned Duran of the second fight should not be a barometer for how he deals with movement in his prime. Even so, Mayweather has never bounced on his toes laterally to dance or run from an opponent, and even if he did, a prime Duran has the IQ and footspeed to cut that ring off. Lesser fighters have done this to Mayweather, except they didn't have the elite inside game and counter-punching ability Duran has.