Duran - Cervantes (A sad shame that this bout was never made)
Posted: 14 Jun 2023, 18:25
This hypothetical along with an obviously nice size list of other's that "Easily could've been made, but somehow someway just never Managed to Materialize".
This one in particular though, just always strikes me as Mysteriously Odd that while it should've been seen as "The Bout that Must be Made", just apparently, for some specific reason or Reasons never materialized as such.
Cervantes fought and tko'd Chang KiL Lee in the 6th round, on march 2nd, 1974, while Duran won the rematch versus Esteban DeJesus, on March 16th of that same year. This is exactly specifically the time when the promoters and managers really should've been starting in the works of making this Would've been Amazing Bout come to Fruition.
They idealistically could've first worked it out for them to have a 10 round non-title defense bout. At 140 obviously.
It would've been a nice challenging non title bout for Cervantes. Duran could get a Real Feel of fighting against an Elite 140 title-holder, and hopefully do well enough, and then basically go from there.
It's poignant to point out that Duran was already having obvious issues making 135, as early as a few months after dethroning Buchanan" in June of 1972, for the 135 Strap. Remember, "Duran-Dejesus 1" took place in November of 1972, and it was a 10 round non-title bout, with both boxers weighing over 135.
Duran fought many non title tune-up bouts throughout his Lightweight Reign. His weight for these bouts generally hovered between 137-144, and he even weighed in at 151 in one particular tune-up non-title bout, and it was in 1973 !!
That tells you right then and there, that Roberto Duran was Completely suitable to move up to being exclusively a 140 guy, and challenging for the 140 JrWW title, as early as 1973, and Definitely by 1974, and most ideally, right after that march of 1974 rematch win over Dejesus.
Like I stated, they could've just had a 10 round non-title bout, in the 140 jrWW division, And Duran would've been able to decide, based on the outcome of they're 10 rounder, barring an egg-laying performance, if he wanted to then leave LW(135)/vacate his belt in that 135 division, which he had obviously already basically outgrew as early as 1973, and proceed to challenge Cervantes for the 140 Belt in what would've obviously had been a 15 rounder.
A 10 rounder between these two Great Boxers would've been one of those very possible stage setting monumental rivalry trilogy events. I tend to think that Duran would've won a very close decision, and it would've likely had a definitive aura of controversy to it, meaning, probably a fair share of fans would've been saying stuff like, "Well Really it could've went either way", or, "Hey, a draw would've been a more fair decision".
Therefore, they would've definitely then had the proper 15 round title bout, with Duran then obviously having to vacate his 135 LW champion belt. The first bout(The non title 10 rounder) likely would've taken place in June of 1974(Being that things got done So Much Quicker back in them days), and then the 15 round jrWW title bout would've likely taken place in September of 1974.
Myself being A Big-time fan of Roberto Duran can obviously see Duran winning the 140 belt from Cervantes.
But realistically though, could I be 100% certain that Duran would've won the 140 title versus Cervantes..!?
Or even the initial 10 rounder initial concept bout...?!
I prefer to refer to it as a Concept bout, because that would've been My personal take on that bouts approach, had I been Duran's manager for instance. That would've been the specific way that I would've wanted to bring Duran along in his boxing carear, so to speak. First have him just have A 10 rounder versus Cervantes, and then see what happens, and then go from there.
If Duran's style just didn't correlate for whatever reason, going by the first bout(The 10 rounder), then I as a manager of Duran would've just said to Duran, "Well, you're still The King, at Lightweight, so let's just get back to work, and business as usual".
This one in particular though, just always strikes me as Mysteriously Odd that while it should've been seen as "The Bout that Must be Made", just apparently, for some specific reason or Reasons never materialized as such.
Cervantes fought and tko'd Chang KiL Lee in the 6th round, on march 2nd, 1974, while Duran won the rematch versus Esteban DeJesus, on March 16th of that same year. This is exactly specifically the time when the promoters and managers really should've been starting in the works of making this Would've been Amazing Bout come to Fruition.
They idealistically could've first worked it out for them to have a 10 round non-title defense bout. At 140 obviously.
It would've been a nice challenging non title bout for Cervantes. Duran could get a Real Feel of fighting against an Elite 140 title-holder, and hopefully do well enough, and then basically go from there.
It's poignant to point out that Duran was already having obvious issues making 135, as early as a few months after dethroning Buchanan" in June of 1972, for the 135 Strap. Remember, "Duran-Dejesus 1" took place in November of 1972, and it was a 10 round non-title bout, with both boxers weighing over 135.
Duran fought many non title tune-up bouts throughout his Lightweight Reign. His weight for these bouts generally hovered between 137-144, and he even weighed in at 151 in one particular tune-up non-title bout, and it was in 1973 !!
That tells you right then and there, that Roberto Duran was Completely suitable to move up to being exclusively a 140 guy, and challenging for the 140 JrWW title, as early as 1973, and Definitely by 1974, and most ideally, right after that march of 1974 rematch win over Dejesus.
Like I stated, they could've just had a 10 round non-title bout, in the 140 jrWW division, And Duran would've been able to decide, based on the outcome of they're 10 rounder, barring an egg-laying performance, if he wanted to then leave LW(135)/vacate his belt in that 135 division, which he had obviously already basically outgrew as early as 1973, and proceed to challenge Cervantes for the 140 Belt in what would've obviously had been a 15 rounder.
A 10 rounder between these two Great Boxers would've been one of those very possible stage setting monumental rivalry trilogy events. I tend to think that Duran would've won a very close decision, and it would've likely had a definitive aura of controversy to it, meaning, probably a fair share of fans would've been saying stuff like, "Well Really it could've went either way", or, "Hey, a draw would've been a more fair decision".
Therefore, they would've definitely then had the proper 15 round title bout, with Duran then obviously having to vacate his 135 LW champion belt. The first bout(The non title 10 rounder) likely would've taken place in June of 1974(Being that things got done So Much Quicker back in them days), and then the 15 round jrWW title bout would've likely taken place in September of 1974.
Myself being A Big-time fan of Roberto Duran can obviously see Duran winning the 140 belt from Cervantes.
But realistically though, could I be 100% certain that Duran would've won the 140 title versus Cervantes..!?
Or even the initial 10 rounder initial concept bout...?!
I prefer to refer to it as a Concept bout, because that would've been My personal take on that bouts approach, had I been Duran's manager for instance. That would've been the specific way that I would've wanted to bring Duran along in his boxing carear, so to speak. First have him just have A 10 rounder versus Cervantes, and then see what happens, and then go from there.
If Duran's style just didn't correlate for whatever reason, going by the first bout(The 10 rounder), then I as a manager of Duran would've just said to Duran, "Well, you're still The King, at Lightweight, so let's just get back to work, and business as usual".
