No one ever beats Roberto Duran at Lightweight. If someone did, Roberto Duran would beat them 2 out of 3 times in a series. The fighters with the best chances are Pernell Whitaker, Joe Gans, and Benny Leonard, and possibly a few more, but Duran will win 2 out of 3 against each of them. Manny Pacquiao only had one fight at Lightweight which was against David Diaz, who was good, but not great. He looked impressive nonetheless. But back to the fight, Pacquiao can not beat Duran at Lightweight. He even stands a better chance at Welterweight or Light Middleweight. This would still be a nonstop action fight, and Duran will use his very underrated boxing and counterpunching skills against Manny, which is his weakness. Finally, in around round twelve, it's a Duran round, where he flurries and gets Manny on the ropes. Pacquiao has no response at all. Duran lands combinations flush on the chin of Pacquiao, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight.
Duran TKO12.
Explosive match-up of big punching brawlers. Pac would have an advantage in speed, but Duran is no slouch either, and I think he's smarter than Manny. I'd go with Duran because, lightweight was his prime weight, where he was strongest and hit the hardest. The key here would be Duran's body punching. Pac's a little weak in the abdomen (Remember that single shot by Margarito that almost put him down?) and if Duran would invest on body shots in the early rounds, he could reap dividends by the late rounds; either he stop Manny in the 10th or 11th or get a close UD.
That's not even a question bro.
Roberto Duran would beat the brakes off of Manny Pacquiao
This is a no brainer. Duran would kill Manny. Duran is the greatest, total package at lightweight. He would chop Manny down and brutalize him. Duran wins this inside of 8 rounds easily.
Pacquiao had just one fight at lightweight, knocking out David Diaz but David was the weakest of the then titleholders at the division that included namesakes Juan Diaz and Julio Diaz and later Nate Campbell. One fight is not a gauge of his worthiness in the class although he was coming off the lightweight when he fought and beat Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. But that time, Pacquiao was at the peak of his prime as seen in his later beating of Miguel Cotto.
Duran is considered by many as the greatest lightweight fighter and champion ever and it was due to his utter domination of the division where it was said he was at his best strongest peak.
A fight between the two at lightweight will feature both at the height of their peak and potentials as boxers and champions.
It will be a lulu of the fight with Duran holding the edge in strength, endurance, including cut resistance and punching power as well as a considerable advantage in experience fighting at high level in that weight class. Pacquiao however will have the edge in speed, mobility and overall boxing skill including his uncanny ability to throw punches in bunches from various angles.
Duran will be the aggressor and will carry the fight to Pacquiao in the early to middle rounds forcing the Filipino to retreat or move from side to side to avoid Duran's lunges and rushes while being limited to ocassionally throwing his own rapid fire combinations. Pacquiao will at times stand his ground and trade with Duran although he will immediately disengage once he gets the better of the exchanges or if Duran gets too dangerous. The fight would therefore be too close to call up to the 6th or 7th round.
Duran will start to mix his attack by targetting Pacquiao's body by the 8th round whenever he gets Pacquiao on the ropes and the corner and Pacquiao will try to neutralize that by staying out of the ropes and avoiding the corners while landing his own counters that will raise some welts on Duran's face. The fight will become rough and rugged as Duran tries to pin Pacquiao using his forearm and shoulders and Pacquiao tries to be as elusive a target and get out of being trapped. Duran is adept at cutting the ring hence Pacquiao will have a hard time staying away from him. The two will conceivably suffer some cuts on account of accidental headbutts in the process but Pacquiao will be adversely affected more because of the brittleness of his facial skin especially around the eyes.
By the end of the 10th it will become clear to Pacquiao, bleeding from cut above one eye, that he would have to stand his ground more and try to keep Duran at bay with his rapier-like volume punching at which he will succeed to a certain extent as Duran tries to find more openings to land his shots especially to Pacquiao's body to slow him down. Duran's underrated defense will take over as he smothers most of Pacquiao's punches and dig in to his body, especially the rib cage area.
The end will come in the 12th and final round as a hard hook to the body doubles up Pacquiao and Duran follows it up with a ponderous right to the jaw sending the Filipino down on all fours writhing in pain from the impact of the body shot. Pacquiao will try to climb up as the referee finished the count. Duran was up on the score cards of two judges while the third has it even up to that point.
Duran KO 12 Pacquiao.
Pacquiao was too fast, too powerful for Duran. TKO11
duran at lightweight or welterweight.
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