Duran Had A Party In His Dressing Room After The 2nd Leonard Fight

Btw, I don’t disregard everything after the fight—I just take it in context. The difference is that I consider ALL of the pre- and post-fight comments while you guys seem to only gravitate toward the specific post-fight comments that offer excuses for Duran’s performance. For all the imaginative reasons you guys come up with for why Ray Arcel and Brown had to repeatedly lie about Duran’s shape before the fight, it’s astonishing that you don’t get their much stronger and far more obvious motives for lying after the fact.

 

are we looking for an excuse here. If Arcel says it then it means he was washed up and any win after is great because he was on the downside.

 

My point was aimed at you claiming Duran was well-behind. He wasn't.

This perspective of the bout speaks to the idea (usually, in the minds of Leonard adulators) that SRL was putting on some type of master class on Duran; when, in reality, a Duran at half-speed was still finding it hard to lose rounds.

 

Well those scores surprised me but he sure as hell knew he was behind. You think he was going to turn it on and get the victory? Leonard was getting better as the fight progressed.

 

Do you know for a fact he was taking diuretics just prior to the fight because I can find plenty of quoted stating he was in fine condition for the rematch.

 

This is how I see it.
Something very odd happened that night in that ring.

 

I believed he was more clearly ahead, you still didn't answer my other points though.

 

Is it really that "imaginative" to suggest that the Duran camp would not air their concerns in public, before the fight?
Are there really a stronger motives for lying, after the fact? It's far from astonishing that they'd lay their cards on the table afterwards and not before.

And, in any event, one need only watch the Montreal and New Orleans fights side-by-side. Pre and Post New Orleans commentary is mere supplement to the obvious. Duran was clearly not in the same condition in the second bout. If people are 'gravitating toward' what you call "excuses", it's perhaps because they are looking for a reason why he was not the same Duran.

 

You didn't make a point; just a mistake.

 

There's certainly the possibility. There's also the possibility a lot of people had careers and a lot of money invested in Ray Leonard's continuing success, and Duran himself might have had interest in it (for the reason you outline or otherwise). The questions have never been answered satisfactorily.

 

This is actually the crux of the divide.
Leonard's supporters tend to exalt his performance in New Orleans and align Duran's quitting with Leonard's 'tactical genius' that night.

 

Yep, he was still ahead though. Now please answer my other points or will you pretend you didn't see them?