Does Anyone Else Think SRL Beat Roberto Duran In The Brawl In Montreal ?

[Master]

The only thing i'll add is that for a guy who supposedly fought the wrong fight, he was actually really impressive.

He did fight the wrong fight as the second fight proved.

It was the perception that he was fighting Duran's fight. Agreed it was close.

[johnsebastianmiran]

Leonard made one big mistake and it cost him the fight. He tried to play by Duran's rules in the ring. SR L lost and he lost because he blinked and he was in there with a savvy challenger. I never liked Leonard but he was on the money in their second fight he used the ring like he was supposed to. SR L tried to hustle Duran on his terms if he did what he was supposed to maybe things might have turned out differently but Duran had other plans and no one beats him at his game especially that night in Montreal.

[THE THIRD MAN]

It's interesting that commentators were calling it for Duran by round 12 and that Leonard needed a KO to win in the final rounds? (see Cosell)
I have never heard Leonard complain about the decision, he lost it and then tactically won post fight by receiving a rematch just 6 months later when Duran simply wasn't ready. (He blew up enormously between fights)
Duran should've forced Leonard to wait at least 12 months and had another fight before agreeing to meet again, Leonard was always going to improve after fighting someone like Duran, IMO it was the best thing that happened to Leonard, it may well have been the telling factor in the first Hearns fight when he cameback from the brink of defeat and pulled out an amazing win. You don't fight a decade long champion like Roberto Duran and not learn something. In fact it was Duran who ended up making the mistake in the end.