Correction: I mistook the multiple videos of this fight for two separate fights. After Davey Moore's death in a tragic accident in the late 80s Duran would go on to fight his friend, Iran Barkley. I have added a video of 10 of Duran's KOs as an isolation study of his shovel-hook straight right mechanics. His broad back helped, making him a monster at lightweight. Duran demonstrates superb boxing hips, fast-shifting his weight from hand to hand. His uppercut mechanics are also unsurpassed.
The second commentator in the first fight, Al Bernstein, is the most knowledge non-boxer to ever comment on the sport. This performance by Duran is one of the most savage dismantlings of a bigger younger fighter I can recall.
Technical points:
- Moore’s head is too far forward by a small margin, but enough to hurt his cause.
- Moore is keeping his lead too close to his own chin. He should be working from a hand span.
- Moore’s use of elbows, shoulders and clinching is good, but not good enough to frustrate the savage Panamanian.
- Duran uses a three-quarter fist jab –nearly vertical—which sets him up for his lunging shovel hook to the liver. He was renowned for his liver shot and scored at least one one-punch KO with it.
- Duran uses his overhand right to set up his shovel hook.
- Duran will dip the knees and lead with either uppercut, which should not be attempted by someone with less than 50 pro fights.
- Duran successfully weaves back pulling away his head from the force of punches because he does not lock his hips but fully rotates, not making the common mistake of leaning back over one hip and getting locked.
- At 8:33 in Round 3 see Duran measure with his lead. He has killed Moore’s footwork with the body attack and is now sinking in rights. His right was the best in the game. Note how it arks slightly down as it lands with the fist in line with his shoulder.
- Starting in Round 4 Duran begins to roll with punches to facilitate counters.
- Duran puts his quadriceps into most punches. See his knee mechanics, which were aided by his squat-jump rope routine.
- Duran sets up the right hook by landing a shovel hook. That is the art of rhythm in boxing.
- Overall look to how Duran hits every time he shifts his weight. He might be tired but if he is shifting left he might as well throw a right, etc. Duran rolls his head around the punching arm when he pops up from his bob or weave.* This is practiced under the speed bag, circling the bag with the head after you hit it hard once.
*A ‘bob’ is just to duck and pop back up. A ‘weave’ is when you improve your hip position with a step and or lean while you bob so you do not end up getting smacked back down like a ‘jack in the box’ toy. The well executed weave snakes around the attacking fist and supporting limb, making it part ‘bob’ part ‘slip’ and part ‘lean’ with a step.
