Ken Buchanan vs Esteban De Jesus

[scorpio83]

Who would win between Ken Buchanan and Esteban De Jesus in their lightweight match up? I think Buchanan would get the better of De Jesus by boxing him to win a decision in 15 rounds. Pleas tell me what do you guys think?

[Ambling Alp II]

Two solid, fighters. They were about as even as you can get. Could see this going either way. Too bad it didn't happen.

[elmersalsa]

Ken Buchanan was more class. Better fighter and technician. The Scot before the great Roberto Duran fight was a sensational boxer.

Esteban Dejesus was a very good boxer, indeed. But I think that Buchanan beats him by UD.

[elmersalsa]

By the way, Esteban De Jesus and Ken Buchanan are two of the top 20 lightweight boxers of all time in my book.

[scorpio83]

Can anyone please tell why this match never happened? Also, Ken Buchanan is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, why not Esteban De Jesus, whom I hope he eventually gets inducted posthumously.

[Ambling Alp II]

Sometimes it just doesn't happen. You have to remember that fighters are not always both available at the same time.

Neither should be in the HOF; about 90% of the fighters that are in were better than Buchanan. Many not in were better. Agree that it doesn't really make sense for Buchanan to be in and DeJesus not.

Both were very good fighters. Neither was great.

[elmersalsa]

Sometimes it just doesn't happen. You have to remember that fighters are not always both available at the same time.

Neither should be in the HOF; about 90% of the fighters that are in were better than Buchanan. Many not in were better. Agree that it doesn't really make sense for Buchanan to be in and DeJesus not.

Both were very good fighters. Neither was great.

They were great lightweights, not all time pound per pound fighters. Both were very good and excellent fighters that can hang with any lightweight in history.

If Barry McGuigan is in the hall, Esteban Dejesus should be in also.

[Seamus]

You need to watch more of Barry McGuigan. He had a short prime before he retired, but at his best he was very impressive.

[Ambling Alp II]

McGuigan had the nerve to beat Pedroza, someone he likes. Therefore he must be trashed.

[Ambling Alp II]

Sometimes it just doesn't happen. You have to remember that fighters are not always both available at the same time.

Neither should be in the HOF; about 90% of the fighters that are in were better than Buchanan. Many not in were better. Agree that it doesn't really make sense for Buchanan to be in and DeJesus not.

Both were very good fighters. Neither was great.

They were great lightweights, not all time pound per pound fighters. Both were very good and excellent fighters that can hang with any lightweight in history.

If Barry McGuigan is in the hall, Esteban Dejesus should be in also.

So were they very good or great?

[Kalan]

Esteban D Jesus was a great fighter who would have beaten Buchanan easily at their best... His record should have been 43-0 heading into the rematch with Roberto Duran.. He was robbed in Caracus against Antonio Gomez.. But Duran really did beat him.

Duran was a very shrewd businessman as well as a clever boxer.. He didn't want to rematch De Jesus right away because it wasn't a title fight.. He retained the Lightweight Championship and didn't have to rematch De Jesus right away.. De Jesus was the first boxer Duran ever fought who flat outboxed him...along with decking him hard in the 1st round.. De Jesus dipped under a left lead by Duran and came up with a vicious, countering left hook..

Duran worked very hard to bring his boxing skills and jab up. He won 10 straight fights before the De Jesus rematch, which he planned to hold in Panama where he could dictate every edge. Again in the first round De Jesus nailed Duran with a sharp left hook and decked him very hard. This time countering a short right hook by driving inside. Duran boxed much better, started getting a slight edge on Estaban in the mid rounds. and eventually scored the KO.

It was a devastating defeat for De Jesus.. He took it hard.. It was his first real loss where somebody really beat him. He fell into poor habits and cocaine and heroine addiction -- sharing needles and eventually getting AIDS.. He retired from Boxing at 29.. He could box and punch.. He was super slick both inside and outside.. Every skill you needed to beat the world's best fighters, he had them.. He didn't have discipline, and that's the downfall of many a boxer.