Duran explains why he quit (April 1981 Ring interview)

I'm a bit confused here, you said it's the same plan his camp had always had, i.e. keep him constantly fighting to he doesn't balloon so much. But then note, it was his longest break in 5 years. So it wasn't typical then if it was actually a longer layoff (more time to balloon) in between fights?

Second, as you state, it was well known that Duran ballooned up in between fights. This was common knowledge as you say, so whether SRL "knew" he already had is besides the point right, because he would know that he likely already was in the process of ballooning?

Third, you made no mention of Arcel looking to postpone the fight and get the date moved back because Duran wasn't going to come in shape. However, I guess King/Venue said that wasn't possible, and the fight proceeded as planned. Doesn't that seem to indicate Arcel didn't believe Duran was ready to go?

 

1) People have said that he was rushed back into the ring. Yes, he took like an extra month or two longer than usual, but fighting again "so soon" was hardly out of the ordinary.

2) I'm sure SRL knew he ballooned between fights, but if he went to Hawaii right after the first fight and called his lawyer/manager from there and said "Make the rematch," it wasn't with the idea that Duran had suddenly gained a lot of weight, was it?

3) I don't know what Arcel said or when he said it. Perhaps instead he should have tried to get Duran back in the gym earlier?

 

No. Not a fact. An opinion I can't agree with, I believe Duran beat far more elites and has met a higher quality of opposition.

 

I agree that what took place is pretty much as you described it. Duran simply didn't manage his weight loss properly and had to take duritics to loose weight at the end and he went into the fight weak and drained. SRL was moving and using his jab and likely would have won a decision, but when he started throwing bolo punches and sticking his chin out and basically embarrassing him, Duran simply quit out of frustration. I think he regretted it shortly afterwards but the damage had already been done. That's my honest assessment of what happened. Full marks to SRL for the win cause everyone who looses a fight has a story.

 

He can only blaim himself for being out of shape. A world champ should be in at least moderately good condition year round unless hes injured or on vacation.

 

who? he didn't really fight elites at lightweight Buchanan and Dejesus were ok, but Dejesus lost to Cervantes and Buchanan was no great. Who are the elites Duran beat?

 

it was an excuse. When he lost to the elites he said he was out of shape. He fought lesser guys who he could beat and he looked good. He was a front runner. He knew who he could beat and not beat and who he could bully.

 

You're a clown sometimes. You can't even use logic moderately it seems. If you could, you would realize how unsound your argument is. How would Duran know he could beat SRL when he first fought him? Or know he could bully him? He wouldn't, and yet he had no issue moving up two divisions to take on the no. 2 ww of all time did he? That isn't being a frontrunner or cherrypicking, just like it wasn't to take on Hagler when he did or Hearns. You can't seem to deal with the facts, and instead label them excuses. A court of law would not be your friend. He wasn't just out of shape for his big fights, it also happened in other fights against subpar foes. He was out of shape then 2, but yet barely winning or losing isn't an excuse then, but is when he losses to ATGs? Do you even believe this stuff your type and think it makes sense? The facts are these, and no matter how much you wish they weren't, they are.

Duran, past his prime and best division struggled with the ATGs he fought because he often had dedication issues and sometimes was facing ATGs in their prime and best division. That is a terrible recipe for success for anybody to succeed the majority of time.

 

Probably we will never know the truth, beyond that he quit in that fight. At this point, Duran has probably convinced himself of whatever reason he came up with to be at peace with it. I watched a documentary a little while back with he and Leonard, honestly the thing seems to bother SRL a lot more, because it sort of cheated him out of a win, however, due to the fact Leonard was basically the penultimate dickhead with most of his pre-fight negotiations through the rest of his career, I have little sympathy.
To his credit, Duran did come back with some great wins and redeemed himself, but he will always have to answer for NoMas, and this is on him, not Leonard. Greed got the better of Roberto, he didn't have to sign/agree to fight, and likely he would have mailed in his training effort regardless, he was not so motivated after that win, probably hard to be.
I feel Duran was already an ATG lightweight when he left the lightweight division (notice I didn't say ATG fighter).
He was great against SRL in Montreal, I don't know if he could ever have done that again.
Stylistically, I believe Hearns was always a very bad match-up, and I don't think it would have mattered if Duran trained for 5 weeks or 5 months or 5 years, it would never end well.
Benitez, for different reasons, also very tough fight for Roberto, and at 154 Wilfred was probably at his best.
Hagler really fought a cautious fight, don't know why, MMH had a way of stinking it up in his big fights too, with the exception of Hearns.
Regarding some of the previous comments, I think Duran would have beaten JCC at lightweight in a war, not by KO though. He would also have beaten Pacquiao, I like Manny, but the 135 lbs version would not fare well here, at least from my vantage point. Too susceptible to a right hand with his southpaw style and too aggressive, which is not going to end well. I have no doubt Duran could take Manny's best, I have serious doubt about Pac surviving Duran's infighting and right hand leads/counters. At lightweight, Duran was a powerhouse, and he excelled against aggressive fighters, I think he is at his best in this situation.
But, on the other hand, I think Mayweather would give Duran hell at 135. Floyd the LW (or even better, the JLW) was a really excellent fighter, and he could box your socks off as well as hit pretty hard. I also feel Pernell Whittaker would have been a very tough night for Roberto. He was much better suited to aggressive fighters. Not saying he couldn't/wouldn't beat these two, but he would have a really tough time, and might not. I don't like either of these guys, their styles don't do it for me, but I just see them being tough fights.
Sort of got way off topic, sorry.

 

I don't buy it. He sure was ripping people off not getting in shape, and I do not think an inshape Duran takes Hearns right hands or can beat Benitez if that is the excuse not being in shape. I do believe what I am saying. The fact he beat Moore and Barkley but not Hearns and Hagler or Benitez at the same weight is fact. He did not beat the elites and he beat the guys who were good but not great. So that shows the level he could overcome and the level he could not, regardless of how he said he partied or was not in shape. Sure Barkley was a good win, but Barkley was a limited fighter, which people will say well Barkley beat Hearns, but let us say Hearns never beat Duran. Is Tommy beating Kirkland Laing the same as beating Duran? Duran had a level he could beat Moore and Barkley and not Hearns or Hagler or Benitez. That speaks for itself. Terrible recipes for success is what makes the great fighters, which is why I think Duran is overrated. Spinks beat Holmes. Hearns beat Hill, in a fight Hearns was 4-1 underdog. Holyfield beat Tyson. Some think Duran beating Ray was the same, but I do not think so. Why? Leonard fought Duran's fight and was only on his second defense of his title. Not quite the Davey Moore fight of exploiting a younger fighter, but a little. Hearns showed Duran what happens when you fight a complete guy who has experience and can punch.

 

Agreed, but I was addressing Pea saying Duran was a front runner, bully and only fought people he knew he could take. That is a terrible argument when you move up and take on the likes of SRL, Wilfred, Hearns and Hagler... who you have no clue if he could take them, let alone be a frontrunner or bully them.

Further, those fights you mention were the direct result of his dedication starting to lack and his handlers knew it. It was likely a combo of that, and it also being the likely next phase of his career. What it wasn't solely though, is Duran carefully managing his weight increase to gradually work his way info the WW division.

 

Dedication and focus does have merit. It is just as much an important piece of the puzzle as anything else in boxing, or any sport for that matter. There have be so many fighters to lose it and it does have a direct correlation to success in a fight and more importantly a career. I'm not saying you are wrong as it ultimately does fall on the fighters shoulders. And I do agree with your analysis in parts. However, to simply dismiss it as an excuse rather than a valid reason..I think is a bit unrealistic

 

When every big fight he lost is an excuse, it could not be a valid reason. Every time.