Is Leonard Vs Duran I one of the best fights ever, or atleast your top 5?

He has a point, although Ray in June of 1980 just on the basis of him fighting Duran's fight shows he was not yet the ATG he became later when he put it all together. Mental and physical. In June of 1980 he still thought everything was physical. He found out there was a mental aspect to it.

 

I don't care about his other fights, I'm talking about Duran-Leonard and his physical condition which was diminished to anyone with eyes, except for you.

You have to talk yourself in circles to convince us that it's hard to tell that Duran wasn't clearly past his best at 154? Are you kidding? If you have trouble seeing that, that's your problem, it's commonly understood by anyone honest who watched him throughout his career. Beating Moore and Barkley were great feats, he was still a very good fighter, but clearly not the same. In fact, the reason those wins are so celebrated is because he was clearly past his best. Keep ignoring the differences on tape to justify your craze agenda.

That's ******ed. He outboxed and beat Benitez and had no idea that boxing had a mental aspect to it? One of the stupidest things I've ever heard.

 

well I do not believe Duran was diminished. It is hard to say that unless we saw Duran fight Arguello at lightweight or Pryor at 140, which in 1980 would have been too early for Pryor and would have favored Duran as far as experience.

Well those are Duran's best wins past 147 and Leonard. Moore and Barkley, and my point was the fights with Moore and Barkley as well as Cuevas and Minchillo prove that Duran was not a washed up fighter when he lost to Benitez or Hearns.

And about Leonard and Benitez. The fact he stopped Benitez regardless if there were seconds left in round 15, he still beat Benitez with guts and hanging in there. He probably did figure Duran was smaller and he could knock him out in the first fight, so just that assumption that he could outgut anyone was Ray's immaturity and inexperience. So how is that one of the stupidest things you have ever head? What fight taught Ray that he had to fight his style and not take anyone for granted? The only fight to that point might be Marcos Geraldo, but they just figured he was too big.

 

baloney

ever see the Laing fight? Same weight, same year young pup

there is so much for you to learn

 

Don't really know what your point is. We know what happened. Duran beat a prime Leonard and then lost twice against him.

 

You guys can enter your cards for this fight at EyeOnThRing, and then compare round by round:

http://eyeonthering.com/boxing/brawl-montreal-sugar-ray-leonard-vs-roberto-duran-i

Lot's of classic fights there for fan scoring.

 

Mag you can't have it both ways. You slam those who use one excuss after another to explain Duran's losses then turn around and to the exact same thing to explain Leonard's loss. Pick a side and stick with it. If excusses don't cut it for Duran, than they don't cut if for Leonard. Make up your mind.

 

That's a great point. I don't think people remember how badly Duran hurt Leonard in the 2nd round. For a guy with Ray`s chin he shook pretty badly. Duran also rocked him in the 3rd round.

Whether he ever fully got his legs back is something only Ray Leonard knows.

 

I addressed that fight. I saw that fight on tv I remember, I just don't remember which network. I was 17 years old at the time so it is hard to really remember much. What does the Laing fight prove? Duran was washed up? Laing studied Leonard and Benitez? Laing was underrated? Laing was not a bad fighter and he was quick and he could get on his toes and with some speed he could punch. He also clinched when Duran got close and yes he also studied the Leonard fight. And also no one mentions the fact that Duran had not fought for quite a while if I remember correctly for that fight. I could be wrong.. You have to remember, Laing for Duran was the wrong style at that point.

 

This is where I do not agree. Ray was not prime yet. Ray figured him out.

 

That's a tired old line Mag, even for you.

 

Really all you're saying Mag is that fighters learn throughout their careers..wow shocking revelation. The fact is they drew up a game plan and they tried executing it and they failed. That's how boxing works, it has nothing to do with being prime or not prime. I'm sure Duran had a plan going into the fights with Leonard too, but just because one worked and one didn't, didn't mean he was prime in one fight and not the other. That's like saying Lewis wasn't prime in his first fight against Rahman but was in the rematch. That's totally ridiculous.

 

If you guys say the same line about Duran fighting a prime Leonard how much different can I respond? I am responding to the same comments whch I have heard before.

 

This isn't about impressing people or bringing up relevations or coming out with knew comments. This is about a fight 33 years ago, not much more is going to be revealed. it is about backing up what I say and Ray was not a complete superfighter in June of 1980 in light of how he fought. I am bringing up what I think is a fact, and trying to support what I said with points.
If I say Leonard was not prime in June of 1980 or did not fight like a superfighter, saying he learned and became a more complete fighter is valid especially when you have him fighting a totally different fight with a totally different and positive outcome for him. How is that outside the discussion we are having? He changed and showed greatness. That was Ray being the variable and not Duran.

In light of what happened in the fight and fights (rematch and rubbermatch) Leonard learned and Duran did not. Leonard adjusted and Duran did not. Leonard could fight 2 different ways and Duran could not. Duran could fight and beat Ray (close scores)when Ray was in his range, and when he was not Ray won easily ( 2 times). If you guys want different lines and don't want to hear the same old tired ones, you have to bring up different points also.

I did not compare Leonard/Duran to Lewis/Rahman. Mine was more Humberto Gonzales, vs. Michael Carbajal.