Lightweight/Jr welter tournament final. Roberto Duran vs Henry Armstrong. Who wins?

Question

Lightweight/Jr welter tournament final. Roberto Duran vs Henry Armstrong. Who wins?

Answer 1

Armstrong's work rate and pace would be his downfall - at that weight you simply could not stand in with Roberto Duran and exchange punches.  Duran was the hardest hitting lightweight of all-time, and probably the greatest as well.  

Impossible to really pick a round with a guy as explosive as Duran, but the end would be clear, with Armstrong laid out like basically every other lightweight who ever tried to trade punches with Roberto Duran.

Answer 2

armstrong has the higher workrate, and takes a close unanimous decision over manos de piedra.

Answer 3

Armstrong's work rate and pressure would trouble Duran at first.  However, It may work against him later.  Duran was a better defensive fighter than many give him credit for.  The jab was the only punch he didn't use often.  He threw every other conceivable punch from every conceivable angle.  

Whitaker and Armstrong have the best chance of beating Duran at 135.  Pryor would beat him at 140.  This fight could go either way.  I think Armstrong would take an early lead.  By the middle rounds Duran would develop a strategy to score regularly and swell Armstrong's face, while avoiding major punishment to himself.  Duran didn't cut or swell much at 135 and that is what would make the difference for him.

Swelling never stopped Armstrong before.  However, it would hamper his performance in the later rounds.  Hammerin Hank doesn't hit hard enough to KO Duran and he wouldn't catch him off guard the way DeJesus did twice.  Duran was decked but not hurt against DeJesus.  Armstrong would be too close to score the type of clean shot needed to knock Duran down.  

After taking the early rounds and losing the middle rounds to Duran, Armstrong would surge again in round 11.  He backs Duran up momentarily but falls into a defensive trap as Duran is able to score and avoid much of Armstrong's return.  Duran is a master at avoiding punches up close.  Though Henry would hit him more often than Leonard did, he would not hit Duran enough to keep him hurt.  Leonard's arms are longer so it was much harder for him to hit Duran up close.  Armstrong can and will...........but will it be enough?

The ref considers stopping the fight in the 14th because of the swelling to Armstrong's face.  However, he turns up the heat in the 14 and shakes Duran.  The 15th is all out WAR as both fighters try for the KO.  At the end it's a close decision.  Duran loses the last round.........but

Duran by close unanimous decision

Answer 4

Close fight.  Armstrong win on a split decision

Answer 5

Duran would win by knockout. Armstrong would have given him a great fight but lets face it, duran was unstoppable at that weight. He didn't even start to lose until he went up five weight classes.