people always refer to duran as "a natural lightweight" and then everyone forgets that delahoya was best as a 135-40 pounder, he was never really a welter or a junior middleweight, which is why i thought it was a joke when people said he was weakened or dehydrated fighting manny. If he was, it was his own lack of prep not because he was too big for the weight class. I can't forget the first fight at 160 where he had lovehandles, yet people somehow think he was close to his best at 154.
I dont know, maybe that was the best weight for the mature version but it's also where he started losing big fights. Before that, he was on the path to true greatnessI think he was best at WW and still plenty capable at JMW. He was too big for JWW once he physically matured. I'd argue he was even slightly on the bigger side for WW. Other than Tito who was massive for the weight, no one really outsized him there.
I dont know, maybe that was the best weight for the mature version but it's also where he started losing big fights. Before that, he was on the path to true greatness
ya, you could see a huge droppoff in his performances by the time he fought Trinidad and he never totally recovered. Fine fighter at his best, lots of ambition, like many others before him, the fame didn't help him in the ring.Maybe. Shane would have always been there at LW or JWW. MW was definitely a bridge too far for him. It is a bit of a shame that Oscar's mistakes and behavior, most of it after his career, have sort of overshadowed just how impressive a resume he had.
Cotto Canelo was a catchweight fight at 155lbsPrime Oscar could have UD'd the Canelo that fought Mayweather all the way to Cotto. If they had met at 160, Oscar would be beat, maybe KO'd IMO.
edit- I forgot that the fight with Cotto was at 160. Might've been even at that point.
prime b-hop is a toss up. bernard fought well on the back foot and the front foot with a very stiff jab. could go either way imo. that other thread seems to underrate hopkins’ abilityCanelo would beat all top WW boxers in the 90’s. He would destroy prime Julio Cesar Chavez too. He would also beat prime B-Hop in his best shape and weight class too.