Barkley vs. Duran: The Real Balboa-Dixon?

[HomicideHenry]

I remember when Roberto Duran and Iran Barkley fought, and have seen it a few times since. I'll always remember how Barkley took it upon himself to avenge his friend Davey Moore, as he lost to Duran, and not only that, but to 'fight all these so-called legends' and knock them off the boxing radar.

In ROCKY BALBOA, Mason Dixon fights Balboa in the hopes to elevate his failing popularity, though he believes he can 'kick that old man's ass' with his 'hands tied behind his back', and actually detests the idea of doing the exhibition.

Barkley was, in my opinion, just being an asshole.

In alot of ways the whole Barkley-Duran fight and the press around it, reminds me of wrestler Randy Orton and his 'Legend Killer' persona, facing guys like Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Flair and others, because somehow 'beating' an old guy makes him credible.

The difference between the fantasy relm of Orton's character and Barkley was that Barkley was already an estabilished super-star, an insitution of sorts to the entire sports world, and the man he was going to face was already the stuff of legend, though an older man who seemed to be slipping away.

Barkley-Duran turned out better than many would have thought, being an all out war that we always hope and pray to see but rarely do, with Duran even winning the contest---though by a small margin, the knockdown made all the difference. Duran, if anything, proved that heart, will, sacrifice and down right faith still held a place in the pain business.

Dixon-Balboa was alot the same way, though with the younger man winning, but was a fight that helped not only revitalize the career of an underappreciated champion, but to the entire division he was in, if not the sport.

I think it's a decent comparison, would you say?