BoxRec

Anyone ever see his fights with Duran? They were very competitive. He was the only title challenger to go the distance with Duran in his 12 Lightweight title fights. The second fight, for the title, was really close. I thought Duran won, but only by a couple of points. Viruet showed a real good chin in those fights, Duran never hurt him. Anyone know much about him outside of his fights with Duran?

Duran never hurt him?

After his first fight with Duran, Viruet sat behind me at the nassau Col. to watch the closed circuit of Ali-Frazier III -- I went to shake his ahnd and waht I saw scared the hell out of me -- Viruet's head was totally deformed -- he had knots and welts all over his arms, head, and face -- and he was in a semi-stupor, barely able to talk.

Duran hurt whomever he hit.

Punto final.

From the rafters, i too I thought Viruet did great -- I recall some of his fans releasing pigeons into the rafters at the bell for round 10.

Duran wound up with an unrelenting hatred for Viruet and his family.

I was ringside for Duran over Adolf. Viruet. After the fight, at ring center at MSG -- Duran started to brawl with Edwin, Adolf. and their FATHER!!

Hurt in the sense of getting rocked, looking like you might go down, being on queer street. Viruet never looked hurt in that sense. He might have gotten his face busted up, sure, but Viruet never came close to getting knocked out. Duran hit Viruet with shots that would have KO'd any of his other Lightweight challengers, and yet Viruet survived 25 rounds with him in two fights.

I don't know what Punto final means.

And, yes, Duran and Viruet didn't look like they liked each other very much. But, then again, I don't think Duran liked many of his opponents. I haven't seen the Adolf Viruet fight, must have been an interesting scene. Duran apparently said that he would never fight in MSG again after the first DeJesus fight, but he obviously fought there a few more times, most notably against Moore.

Amazingly, a young, talented Edwin Rosario kayoed him in two rounds.

I saw Viruet's 10 rd decision loss to Sammy Goss. He made a big finish in the last couple rounds but came up short on the cards.

Viruet's 25 rounds against a prime Duran is a pretty good example of how insane the argument that Duran could KO a prime Chavez is.

Seamus wrote:Viruet's 25 rounds against a prime Duran is a pretty good example of how insane the argument that Duran could KO a prime Chavez is.

Holy shit!!!

I agree with Seamus.........I must be slipping.

Man, how soon they forget:

Viruet was a brilliant fighter when at top of his game, as he was agaisnt Duran in their first bout. Viruet a two-time Golden Glove winner and undefeated amateur had beaten Alfredo Escalera and Vilomar Fernandez and drawn with Saul Mamby prior to meeting Duran.

He had a great chin -- his bout against Rosario was a passing of the torch from one great PR fighter to another. Viruet, for many reasons, was a shot fighter after the 2d Duran bout.

Hell, at lightweight Viruet may have outpointed Chavez.

Edwin Viruet RAN FOR HIS LIFE the 25 rounds that he did with Duran. He was fighting for survival.

elmersalsa wrote:Edwin Viruet RAN FOR HIS LIFE the 25 rounds that he did with Duran. He was fighting for survival.

So that's 2 more fights you haven't seen but feel confident to pass judgement on.

Stick to posting Jim Trunzo fantasy fights and claiming they are real, mate.

elmersalsa wrote:Edwin Viruet RAN FOR HIS LIFE the 25 rounds that he did with Duran. He was fighting for survival.

He was a mobile fighter but he never "ran" from Duran. He gave Duran two really good, close fights.

How about Viruet's fight with DeJesus? I've never seen it, but DeJesus won by split decision. Were there any doubts about that decision?

I was there -- Viruet was already sliding -- but was especially distracted when a gunfight broke out in the stands during the middle rounds.

Only the real boxing fans remained after that!

"at lightweight Viruet may have outpointed Chavez."

Viruet wouldn't have outpointed Chavez. Julio Cesar Chavez would have broken him down and won by a wide margin or TKO.

Aftermath wrote:"at lightweight Viruet may have outpointed Chavez."

Viruet wouldn't have outpointed Chavez. Julio Cesar Chavez would have broken him down and won by a wide margin or TKO.

Considering the Duran fights, that's clearly not likely. Duran couldn't stop him, and I didn't have either fight a wide win for Duran, so the idea that Chavez would is questionable. I really don't think its a stretch to question whether Chavez could have beaten that version of Viruet, at least based on the Duran fights. Granted, those are the only Viruet fights I've ever seen, but he was fighting on the ten or fifteen best fighters who ever lived. Chavez was great but, as much as his fans might not like to hear it, Duran had it over him in nearly every category.

I do agree with seamus that Duran probably wouldn't stop Chavez, though, if they did fight. I would pick Duran by decision.

Duran was more talented, but Chavez was tougher (much as Duran fans won't like that, either). This is why I give Chavez an excellent shot at beating Duran, even at Lightweight (where both were great). Duran is faster, has better defense, superior technique, & boasts the edge in most categories --- however, I've no doubt that this'd be a trench war, Duran would be suckered into proving he is, "the better man" & this is where he is at serious risk of being bested. If it came down to it, Duran would quit before Chavez would.

I'd still favour Duran, but, boy, I wouldn't put a dime on it. I'm convinced Duran would have fought Chavez's fight, & very few men who ever walked this earth could have done that & survived, much less won.

Why is Chavez tougher. He quit a couple of times. He never had to fight huge Middleweights or fighters as talented as Leonard and Hearns, who were also bigger. Duran wasn't exactly Hector Camacho, he could go to war with Chavez and it wouldn't necessarily be to Chavez's benefit.

Not saying it wouldn't be competitive, and as I said, I don't think Duran stops Chavez, but I think Duran wins.

Anyway, lest I be accused of getting off topic again, when nearly every other thread on this forum does... maybe we should agree to disagree on this one.

I prefer Duran I think the 70s Duran is a scarey finely tuned specimen.

BUT my lil lady thinks Chavez is the end all, and she would no doubt agree with your G.I...especially after she saw Duran say 'No Mas' agaisnt one of her more disliked fighters.

I think its a tough call between the two, I really want to scrathc up on my lower weights viewing.

I Feel Fine wrote:Why is Chavez tougher. He quit a couple of times. He never had to fight huge Middleweights or fighters as talented as Leonard and Hearns, who were also bigger. Duran wasn't exactly Hector Camacho, he could go to war with Chavez and it wouldn't necessarily be to Chavez's benefit.

Not saying it wouldn't be competitive, and as I said, I don't think Duran stops Chavez, but I think Duran wins.

Anyway, lest I be accused of getting off topic again, when nearly every other thread on this forum does... maybe we should agree to disagree on this one.

Difference was that Duran was imply a naturally larger man than Chavez... hell that's evident even today... Duran killed himself to make 135 for years and moved upand was still a top fighter from 147-160. Chavez on the other hand was pretty much always in fighting shape and didn't partake in modern-day draining techniques. He would basically enter the ring at pretty much the same weight he weighed in at. So, as a result he started as a Bantamweight but eventually became a stable SFW-LWW, having virtually no trouble ever making weight, even as he started to slip a little and he moved up to WW to fight Whitaker he weighed only 142.

I actually agree with GI on this one. I think Duran would try to go to war with Chavez and it would wind up being something like Vazquez-Marquez III. Duran being the superior technician, but Chavez being the tougher fighter and harder puncher by a hair. And when it comes to them quitting, Duran quit because he was embarassed in his prime, Chavez quit only when he was already damaged to the point where the ref could've/should've been stopping the fight anyway and when he was on a major career downslide.

Collins2000 wrote:

elmersalsa wrote:Edwin Viruet RAN FOR HIS LIFE the 25 rounds that he did with Duran. He was fighting for survival.

So that's 2 more fights you haven't seen but feel confident to pass judgement on.

Stick to posting Jim Trunzo fantasy fights and claiming they are real, mate.

I saw both fights and this guy, Viruet did not wanted to be another Duran KO victim. He proudly chose to run, a la Vilomar Fernandez. He didn't even cared of winning the fight, but he cared to go to the distance with the great Roberto Duran.

elmersalsa wrote:

Collins2000 wrote:

elmersalsa wrote:Edwin Viruet RAN FOR HIS LIFE the 25 rounds that he did with Duran. He was fighting for survival.

So that's 2 more fights you haven't seen but feel confident to pass judgement on.

Stick to posting Jim Trunzo fantasy fights and claiming they are real, mate.

I saw both fights and this guy, Viruet did not wanted to be another Duran KO victim. He proudly chose to run, a la Vilomar Fernandez. He didn't even cared of winning the fight, but he cared to go to the distance with the great Roberto Duran.

One last thing I might say about this is that, maybe, since Duran had difficulty with a taller mobile fighter at Lightweight, Viruet, you might see in that the outline for how he would go on to lose to a bigger, faster mover in Leonard.

I Feel Fine wrote:One last thing I might say about this is that, maybe, since Duran had difficulty with a taller mobile fighter at Lightweight, Viruet, you might see in that the outline for how he would go on to lose to a bigger, faster mover in Leonard.

All I got to say is that with Leonard, the fight was over before the opening bell. It was over when he agreed for a rematch for such little time.