THE BEST EVER-THE LETTER D

Was there really any question? Manos de Piedra himself. Roberto Duran.

http://www.ringtv.com/blog/2219/the_best_of_all_time_a_to_z_duran/

It is difficult to explain Duran. One had to watch him over and over and over again. The savagery was obvious. But sometimes it overshadowed the magnificent skills and majestic talent. Everything was moving all the time with Cholo. Hands, feet, shoulders, head. One of the great angle takers I have ever seen. Fast hands, lightning feet, exceptional ring IQ and he wanted you DEAD! One thing about Duran was you could watch him improve and become a all-timer in just the three fights with the formidable Esteban de Jesus. He loses the first one by brawling, wins the second by being a more educated stalker and dominates the third by being a master counterpuncher. Anybody who describes Duran at his best stylistically as a brawler just doesn't know what they are talking about.

Duran really had two distinct HOF quality careers. Before no Mas he was perhaps the greatest lightweight of them all and had authored one of the most prestigious wins in history over Ray Leonard. After No Mas he defeated two HOFers and won 50% of the 154 and 160 crowns.

Want to see a an all-time great fighter? Watch a fat and old Roberto Duran, giving up six inches of height, seven inches of reach and nine years to Iran Barkely who is coming off a shocking third round knockout of Tommy Hearns and is either the #1 or #2 middleweight on the planet. Duran is EIGHT divisions over where he began and FOUR divisions over his best. He is 37 with 90 fights. He is a phenomenon. He is DURAN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cXppog_20c

The other four selections are Manassa Mauler Jack Dempsey, Jack Dillon, George Dixon, Jim Driscoll and Johnny Dundee. I have no problem with any of those nor can I think of anyone Ring left out.

great call i was like hmm wonder who it will be

doh i am that drunk i overlooked or couldnt realize it was mr Duran

and it aint close

Birdofthad wrote:

great call i was like hmm wonder who it will be

doh i am that drunk i overlooked or couldnt realize it was mr Duran

and it aint close

No it isn't.

its like hole hell Kenard Lang oh never mind he still can upset top talents

the guy was just a freak

if memeory serves me correctly Hearns is the only man to KO him????

Birdofthad wrote:

its like hole hell Kenard Lang oh never mind he still can upset top talents

the guy was just a freak

if memeory serves me correctly Hearns is the only man to KO him????

Well NO Mas was a KO and William Joppy overmatched Duran when he was about 45. Three KO losses I think.

god william joppy getting to say he KOd him is jsut sad I mean I like Joppy but damn it that aint fair

I saw Howard Eastman beat him then get shafted I will pretend Duran vs Joppy never happened

Birdofthad wrote:

god william joppy getting to say he KOd him is jsut sad I mean I like Joppy but damn it that aint fair

I saw Howard Eastman beat him then get shafted I will pretend Duran vs Joppy never happened

It was on ESPN and it was hard to watch.

Remember Pat Lawlor?Hearns was the only guy to put Roberto to sleep.

WinstonSmith wrote:

Remember Pat Lawlor?Hearns was the only guy to put Roberto to sleep.

Geeze did Lawlor get him too? I don't remember that one. Another over 40 situation I presume. So is it 4 ko losses then?

in the words of Marv from Home Alone

NEVAAAAA

we will only count Hearns as a KO Leonard was a IQ (I quit) haha

Lawlor TKO'd him the fight after SRL III when Duran hurt his shoulder

marbleheadmaui wrote:

WinstonSmith wrote:

Remember Pat Lawlor?Hearns was the only guy to put Roberto to sleep.

Geeze did Lawlor get him too? I don't remember that one. Another over 40 situation I presume. So is it 4 ko losses then?

Lawlor got him in 1991.Duran was forty years old.

I agree with every positive description of Duran written here. I think it was 20 years ago when "Ring Mag" ranked him as the 7th greatest fighter of the 20th century. I recall going to a sports arena to witness the closed circuit showing of "Leonard - Duran I." I was very confident in Leonard before the fight, then they showed Duran in his dressing room. He was looking at Sugar Ray on a moniter. Ray was laughing at him. Duran didn't look too happy. In fact, with his light facial hair, he resembled a werewolf. I wasn't too confident anymore.

what the record books shows as a ko loss and what i feel is a ko are 2 different things..i saw the lawlor fight..durans weight i think was announced as a kind 165..he was a good 185 fat and sloppy.duran threw a right hand and screamed out in pain..he either threw out his sholder or tore a roter or both.the ref stoped it when duran could not move the arm without huge pain...duran asked the ref lol why you stop the fight...to me a ko is the ten count or when someone realy is beaton helpless like lamotta -robinson..the rest like a cut eye ala vitali and several others is BS ..thats just my thoughts only.or a injury like cerdan duran etc etc..thats not a ko and what the record books say in my mind i dont care..

durans greatness the hunger the magnificence peaked the first leanord fight..the ricky hatton party man the original after that fight was duran...yes marble he had several careers..everytime you felt he was done he would shock you by a unexpected performance..moore was one fight..then hes done.then he beats barkley..un real or gives hagler fits.
in his heyday he was a great puncher..as you mentioned did soo many things with masterfull expertise..i remember the first time i saw him fight..i walked in a bar in our italian neighborhood to get sausauge n peppers and the fight was in the second round..by the fifth rounds i recognized this guys going to be a great one..the place was noisy and i asked someone whats that fighters name..the guy said duran why..i said that guys crazy..the determination no fear and hatred showed not only on durans face but in his body language...i said to myself.this guys gonna be very special.

So any guesses for E?

flash elorde

dmar5143 wrote:

flash elorde

I can't think of anybody else.

Gumby wrote:

So any guesses for E?

Jimmy Ellis or Elorde by default.

Duran? I was thinking Bad Chad Dawson