Why Was Crowd Turn Out For Leonard V Norris So Bad

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by sugarsean, Feb 11, 2010.


  1. sugarsean

    sugarsean Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Why was the size of the crowd for Leonard V Norris at the MSG so bad I think only like 4'000 - 5'000 people turned up, when the MGS can hold 22'000, plus Leonard had been out for over a year, I would of thought that the people would of been dying see him fight.
     
  2. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Not after he stole & ran away with Steve Wynn's millions of $$$$$$$$$ in that running dog fiasco at the mirage in dec89 against Duran when the whole crowd chanted "Bull****" Bull****" & walked out from the 9th onwards., the public had finally seen through Leonard & were no longer prepared to be fleeced or feed his over blown ego.

    He had no option except MSG as he'd been black balled from ever fighting in Vegas again so there was never ever going to be anymore senior's tour re-matches after the rip off stunt he pulled at the mirage + he'd had his day & just would'nt get off the stage, thats why he was christened "The ego maniacs egomaniac" so all that was left for him was the MGM as a top venue & the New York fight fans & boxing public in general voted with their feet & their wallets & in effect told him to **** off & leave the day to the younger men whose time had come.
     
  3. Jorodz

    Jorodz watching Gatti Ward 1... Full Member

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    :!:damn and i thought i was rough on leonard...
     
  4. sugarsean

    sugarsean Boxing Addict Full Member

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    But surely even you have to admit he was very gracious in his interview after the Norris fight
     
  5. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Its the truth:deal

    How could it be any other way after the Mirage fiasco:bbb After that farce even his most avid media fans said hang-em up, you're now making fools of us all. It was Bert Sugar that called him "The ego maniacs ego maniac"

    I was at the Mirage in 89 for the fight:tired:tired:tired what a thief in the night job that was & it was the official opening night of the Mirage & packed with the great & good who fled elsewhere before the end of the fight & blew their millions next door at Caesars instead.

    Mr Wynn was not a happy chappy:fire
     
  6. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    So what!! who gives a ****!!

    SRL is a very smart/polished/slick & media savvy man:deal
     
  7. Jorodz

    Jorodz watching Gatti Ward 1... Full Member

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    haha, there's a part of four kings that i couldn't believe: that it was the highest grossing fight ever up to that time. i refused to watch even til today. there's no point. duran was no longer duran and leonard played his game. fair enough but don't call it boxing. he was clearly done from what i've heard at that time and the norris result shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. he lured duran up to 168 knowing roberto would move up to heavyweight to get revenge for new orleans. it's a shame: duran deserved better and frankly, so did leonard. but sugar ray's image in the minds of many was tainted by his wins over duran, not helped
     
  8. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Running dog fiasco? Explain?
     
  9. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes it was the SuperFight to end the decade from 2 great champs who gave us the Superfight at the start of the decade Bob Arum wrote.

    It was the highest grossing fight ever down too punters like me getting fleeced for $800.00:yikes:yikes:|:|:|:fire:barf:barf:smoke Oh my god i'd forgotton it was 8 ****in hundred $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$:dead

    At least i got duran to auto it but then smudged it while drunk:-(

    Leonard was even trying to get a 4th fight with Duran in 94, he just could'nt leave it alone & jealous of Duran still getting good ink after he fought Paz at the MGM.

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  10. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    That, and Norris wasn't all that well-known yet at the time.
     
  11. MAG1965

    MAG1965 Loyal Member banned

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    Ray at that point was handpicking his opponents and people were getting a little tired of it. He had handpicked his old buddies Hearns and Duran instead of fighting the top middleweight at the time Michael Nunn, and then he took a year off and came back at 154 to fight Norris. I think people were tired of Ray's games. I am not sure why Ray was beaten so badly against Norris. Maybe the weight loss.
     
  12. duranimal

    duranimal Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Handpicking for sure!! But it's what the world wanted to see:deal as these 3 were still the stella names that commanded & generated massive revenue streams as the Duran/Leonard & Hearns/Leonard alone got over 500+ from the UK to fly over the pond & from around the globe as well to fill the vegas coffers & always premium ticket prices/massive CC sales & high roller participation on the casino floor.

    If the Leonard/Duran 3 fight had been remotly competitive then there would have been a Leonard/Hearns 3 at the Mirage or Caesars & big $$$$$$$$ all round again for the seniors tour.

    But the Leonard/Hearns 3 was doomed after that con job at the Mirage as no Vegas casino was prepared to risk another uno-mas debacle & thats why Leonard had to opt for Norris at MSG & the year off was down to the fact no Vegas or atlantic city casino's were prepared to pony up the sort of $$$$$ Leonard wanted & risk the above.

    Leonard killed his own golden goose & what with the press turning against him for the 1st time in his life & the boo's still ringing in his ears from dec89 his ego would'nt allow him too walk away so he opted to chance it against a young talented champion in Norris & got himself humiliated in the process.

    I've never thought americans are dumb when it comes to the almighty $$$$$ so the paying crowd of no more than 3K (the rest were comp's) just about sums up the New York paying publics opinion of a man who stayed to long & got too greedy for the glory of payment & limelight which equates to this: SRL= Bad value for money & the New Yorker's let him know it too:smoke
     
  13. BENNY BLANCO

    BENNY BLANCO R.I.P. Brooklyn1550 Full Member

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    Yup and Norris is a California based fighter so the fight could have done better attendance numbers had it been held in Las Vegas but overall Norris was an unknown so it still might not have mattered had the fight been held in Las Vegas.
     
  14. HomicideHenry

    HomicideHenry Many Talents, No Successes Full Member

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    Umm...because everyone knew it wasnt going to be ****ing competitive?:huh
     
  15. Gesta

    Gesta Well-Known Member Full Member

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    :good:good:good

    It is good to have you here.