30 for 30: Duran - Leonard

[zhubin]

By the time Duran fought Leonard in Montreal he had been fighting for 12 years and his record was 71-1. That is a lot of boxing for a man not yet 30 years old. It was the last time we ever saw Roberto Duran at his peak, he won a close decision, but he did win, he landed the harder punches and more often was the aggressor. He was great that night.

No Mas highlights a fighter who had achieved everything he ever needed to achieve in the ring, by New Orleans he was already half the fighter he was just 6 months earlier. Leonard knew about Duran's weight issues, he knew about his preparation problems, he knew about the partying, he also knew if he waited any longer for a rematch then those problems might just get solved. Leonard had his man the moment the 2nd fight was signed. Duran should've made Leonard sweat on a rematch for a year.

Duran's own temperament, partying, rapid weight loss and his total under- estimation of Leonard's abilities beat him that night. I'm not buying any of the Leonard in-ring wizardry that befuddled Duran in New Orleans. Leonard was very good, but he wasn't that good that he could humiliate Roberto Duran. Duran was a 12 year veteran, already a legend by 1980 and arguably the greatest Lightweight champion of all time, Duran beat himself before the first bell sounded and he has no one to blame but himself for that.

Sugar Ray Leonard won the fight and would've won a decision, the result was never in doubt before a single punch was thrown.

We never saw the greatness of Roberto Duran again. He fought on another 21 years when he should've retired after the Hearns disaster.

Well said. Even though part of the motivation for Duran to take the second fight so quickly was the huge payday...part of it was also who he was as a fighter/person. He was not the kind of fighter who was going to make an opponent wait a short while (Ray with Duran in second fight) or a long while (like Ray did with Hagler) to gain the advantage. Not excusing his lack of focus/preparation for the rematch against Leonard...but just saying.

[THE THIRD MAN]

By the time Duran fought Leonard in Montreal he had been fighting for 12 years and his record was 71-1. That is a lot of boxing for a man not yet 30 years old. It was the last time we ever saw Roberto Duran at his peak, he won a close decision, but he did win, he landed the harder punches and more often was the aggressor. He was great that night.

No Mas highlights a fighter who had achieved everything he ever needed to achieve in the ring, by New Orleans he was already half the fighter he was just 6 months earlier. Leonard knew about Duran's weight issues, he knew about his preparation problems, he knew about the partying, he also knew if he waited any longer for a rematch then those problems might just get solved. Leonard had his man the moment the 2nd fight was signed. Duran should've made Leonard sweat on a rematch for a year.

Duran's own temperament, partying, rapid weight loss and his total under- estimation of Leonard's abilities beat him that night. I'm not buying any of the Leonard in-ring wizardry that befuddled Duran in New Orleans. Leonard was very good, but he wasn't that good that he could humiliate Roberto Duran. Duran was a 12 year veteran, already a legend by 1980 and arguably the greatest Lightweight champion of all time, Duran beat himself before the first bell sounded and he has no one to blame but himself for that.

Sugar Ray Leonard won the fight and would've won a decision, the result was never in doubt before a single punch was thrown.

We never saw the greatness of Roberto Duran again. He fought on another 21 years when he should've retired after the Hearns disaster.

Well said. Even though part of the motivation for Duran to take the second fight so quickly was the huge payday...part of it was also who he was as a fighter/person. He was not the kind of fighter who was going to make an opponent wait a short while (Ray with Duran in second fight) or a long while (like Ray did with Hagler) to gain the advantage. Not excusing his lack of focus/preparation for the rematch against Leonard...but just saying.

Duran has no excuses in fight 2. He was not prepared and that was totally his fault, as was his underestimating Leonard. Look at Duran's eyes before the first fight and you will see a noticeable difference just 6 months later, even Leonard was shitting himself in fight 1, at the ref's instructions he was looking for a way out of this mess.
To his credit he learnt from the loss and like a great champion that Leonard was he took the lesson well. Duran was already a 12 year fight veteran by 1980, what did he have to prove really? He never beat Benitez, Hearns or Hagler at higher weights and he was past his peak in all of those fights. Leonard got the rematch and won, that's boxing. He did lose to De Jesus years earlier, but this drove him to greater heights, it probably made his career in retrospect. Duran was twice the fighter after he lost one and that is the sign of a true champion. Leonard was wise and did his homework after fight 1, all credit to him, but Duran certainly gave him a helping hand.
Duran wasn't washed up by the end of 1980, but his motivation and relentless drive was diminished to the point that he became a journeyman to the stars, a great payday for those on the rise or in contention. Some still paid the penalty for taking him on like Cuevas and Moore, but Benitez, Hearns and Hagler were in the Premier League and by the mid 80's Roberto Duran was heading for relegation.
We never saw the truly great Roberto Duran again after Montreal.

[Beanflicker]

In the end, he still quit like a bitch. I've seen tons of fighters fight passed their primes and get the shit beat out of them but not quit. Duran was losing, had a tummy ache, and quit.

[THE THIRD MAN]

In the end, he still quit like a bitch. I've seen tons of fighters fight passed their primes and get the shit beat out of them but not quit. Duran was losing, had a tummy ache, and quit.

Is he to be judged for this forever? Is this how we remember him? If so then Boxing is indeed a cruel game.

[IamInuit]

In the end, he still quit like a bitch. I've seen tons of fighters fight passed their primes and get the shit beat out of them but not quit. Duran was losing, had a tummy ache, and quit.

Is he to judged for this forever? Is this how we remember him? If so then Boxing is indeed a cruel game.

No he shouldn't. He's an all time great and arguably the best lightweight that ever lived or at least standing beside a guy named Benny. The other Leonard admitted that they knew he was having weight issues in between fights and what they did by getting a rematch actually 5 months later was keep Duran in a depleted condition. I think that physical strain effected Duran mentally.

[Scrap]

Durans over here for 2 weeks, look after Him Scrap. Anything He wants, I thought F=king Hell dont fancy that, bet He is a horrible C=t. Hank Caplin came over with Him, great Guy who was into the History of Jack the Ripper, so being in Wapping, I would have walk abouts with Him, enjoyed. Duran couldnt believe what a nice Guy He was, just one of the Lads. 6 days in I asked Him if He could visit an Amateur Gym, not far away. He said what young Fighters, I said yes, lets go He said. It was not to the liking to the Promoters. We set of just to be there for 10 minutes, but it turned out we were there for 2 Hours. He sparred with all the Kids some on His Knees lol. Everybody could not believe it. Anyway that 2 weeks I became a Big Fan of Roberto Duran the MAN.

[roberto duran legend]

In the end, he still quit like a bitch. I've seen tons of fighters fight passed their primes and get the shit beat out of them but not quit. Duran was losing, had a tummy ache, and quit.

Quit like a bitch,my god you are obviously a boxing historian who knows how to sum up
a great fighter in one sentence.You thick cunt.

[IamInuit]

By the time Duran fought Leonard in Montreal he had been fighting for 12 years and his record was 71-1. That is a lot of boxing for a man not yet 30 years old. It was the last time we ever saw Roberto Duran at his peak, he won a close decision, but he did win, he landed the harder punches and more often was the aggressor. He was great that night.

No Mas highlights a fighter who had achieved everything he ever needed to achieve in the ring, by New Orleans he was already half the fighter he was just 6 months earlier. Leonard knew about Duran's weight issues, he knew about his preparation problems, he knew about the partying, he also knew if he waited any longer for a rematch then those problems might just get solved. Leonard had his man the moment the 2nd fight was signed. Duran should've made Leonard sweat on a rematch for a year.

Duran's own temperament, partying, rapid weight loss and his total under- estimation of Leonard's abilities beat him that night. I'm not buying any of the Leonard in-ring wizardry that befuddled Duran in New Orleans. Leonard was very good, but he wasn't that good that he could humiliate Roberto Duran. Duran was a 12 year veteran, already a legend by 1980 and arguably the greatest Lightweight champion of all time, Duran beat himself before the first bell sounded and he has no one to blame but himself for that.

Sugar Ray Leonard won the fight and would've won a decision, the result was never in doubt before a single punch was thrown.

We never saw the greatness of Roberto Duran again. He fought on another 21 years when he should've retired after the Hearns disaster.

Well said. Even though part of the motivation for Duran to take the second fight so quickly was the huge payday...part of it was also who he was as a fighter/person. He was not the kind of fighter who was going to make an opponent wait a short while (Ray with Duran in second fight) or a long while (like Ray did with Hagler) to gain the advantage. Not excusing his lack of focus/preparation for the rematch against Leonard...but just saying.

Duran has no excuses in fight 2. He was not prepared and that was totally his fault, as was his underestimating Leonard. Look at Duran's eyes before the first fight and you will see a noticeable difference just 6 months later, even Leonard was shitting himself in fight 1, at the ref's instructions he was looking for a way out of this mess.
To his credit he learnt from the loss and like a great champion that Leonard was he took the lesson well. Duran was already a 12 year fight veteran by 1980, what did he have to prove really? He never beat Benitez, Hearns or Hagler at higher weights and he was past his peak in all of those fights. Leonard got the rematch and won, that's boxing. He did lose to De Jesus years earlier, but this drove him to greater heights, it probably made his career in retrospect. Duran was twice the fighter after he lost one and that is the sign of a true champion. Leonard was wise and did his homework after fight 1, all credit to him, but Duran certainly gave him a helping hand.
Duran wasn't washed up by the end of 1980, but his motivation and relentless drive was diminished to the point that he became a journeyman to the stars, a great payday for those on the rise or in contention. Some still paid the penalty for taking him on like Cuevas and Moore, but Benitez, Hearns and Hagler were in the Premier League and by the mid 80's Roberto Duran was heading for relegation.
We never saw the truly great Roberto Duran again after Montreal.

There was six months in between the two fights. And Duran is the only real quit I have ever seen outside of a mob influenced Ali/Liston 2.