Terry Norris vs Roberto Duran...

[Goodnight, Irene]

Two guys currently being discussed in other fights collide here at JMW.

Norris at his peak vs Duran at his 154lb best...

[lurkyshaka]

Norris for me.

He had the ability to outbox Duran and the power to keep him honest. But more than ever he'd have needed to box a controlled fight though, cos Duran would pose danger. Norris couldn't afford to go inside with Duran, he'd have had to fight smartly and be content with a points win from range. Jab, movement and bursts of activity to pick up points.

Its a fight that Norris was capable of losing, but if we expect the best of him to show up then he'd get the win.

[Goodnight, Irene]

How do you see Norris reacting to what was left of Duran's punch at 154?

[Bricks]

No way Norris can keep himself together for 12 let alone 15 rounds against the duran that busted up moore and cuevas and took hagler close. Norris would implode with the pressure and drity tactics duran put on him and either cause some degrading foul related spectacle or more likely get dragged into a brawl and get pulped by roberto.

[Goodnight, Irene]

They were both pretty sadistic, nasty fvcks. A dirty fight would get interesting quickly.

[Datsue]

Norris for however long he can hold his jabbing & moving together, & then he gets KTFO'd. Sooner or later Duran finds his chin with that right hand & it's goodnight.

[lurkyshaka]

How do you see Norris reacting to what was left of Duran's punch at 154?

I think he could have limited its effectiveness for the most part, but its quite possible he'd have got shook up or dropped along the way. But i think Norris at his best had the ability and movement to nullify Duran and not let Roberto get set enough to really do damage.

Obviously Duran would want a scrap, would need that. The last thing he'd want would be Norris up on his toes moving side to side and popping him with counters and quick flurries. Norris resisting the urge to go after Duran would be his biggest battle. I think he'd have managed it out of respect for Duran but it'd not have been a massive shock if he'd come unstuck.

I'd have given Duran a better shot at beating Norris than Mayweather, as Duran carried more intent on his punches than Floyd and would have been more prepared to take risks in pursuit.

Norris decision imo, but i could see a scenario where it could have all gone wrong.

[lurkyshaka]

Norris for however long he can hold his jabbing & moving together, & then he gets KTFO'd. Sooner or later Duran finds his chin with that right hand & it's goodnight.

Duran wasn't a one shot puncher at 154. He carried a dig at the weight but would have needed more than one or two shots to win. As weak as Norris's chin is perceived to have been......only genuinely crushing punchers stopped him during his prime.

Could see Duran hurting Norris with something, but finishing him off wouldn't have been easy. When Norris was in boxing mode and fighting smart he wasn't an easy target, so getting at his chin with any kind of regularity would have been a problem for Duran who we know could be outboxed, frustrated and nullified with speed and movement.

[elmersalsa]

Norris for me.

He had the ability to outbox Duran and the power to keep him honest. But more than ever he'd have needed to box a controlled fight though, cos Duran would pose danger. Norris couldn't afford to go inside with Duran, he'd have had to fight smartly and be content with a points win from range. Jab, movement and bursts of activity to pick up points.

Its a fight that Norris was capable of losing, but if we expect the best of him to show up then he'd get the win.

I agree with you 100%...This is a weight range too far for the great Roberto Duran to cope with. The only chance Duran has winning here is if Norris go toe to toe, fighting Duran's territory. Anything else, Norris wins by UD. He would not make the MISTAKE that Davey Moore did.

[Bricks]

Terry Norris is a great guy out of the ring and was a great talent who would be champ today, but that said I think that run of beating shot guys like SRL, Curry and Mugabi etc makes him look better than he actually is. my opinion is Duran at 154 and the hot streak he had would have been able to handle norris even if he boxed. What SRL did was exceptional, Norris was no SRL....there was always the chance Duran could catch his weak chin.

[tommo100]

i can see duran goading norris into a tear up and stopping him late
if norris kept to his boxing then i thinks he wins by wide points margin,he`d need to keep on his toes though

[elmersalsa]

I believe that Norris moving side to side and not being an easy target to get hit cleanly will give Duran, my favorite fighter, all kinds of trouble. Duran at this weight, even if he were in his prime, would be too slow. The only chance he has is if Norris makes the mistake of going toe to toe. Terry is not gonna stop Roberto, but his speed will frustrate the Hands of Stone.

at 154lbs and up, weight class too big for Duran
at 147lbs downwards, Duran was a terrific and special fighter. The best I ever seen. Period.