Leonard showed his greatness in that fight, there's no doubt. He showed tremendous resolve in enduring the beating Duran was giving him over the first 10 rounds, and did his best work in the championship rounds when Duran had started to coast a bit, knowing the fight was in the bag. Those latter rounds are what could've closed up the distance in the scoring, IMO. However, when looking at the fight as a whole, I think Duran won pretty emphatically. He dominated those first 10 rounds in as impressive a fashion as it gets. Again, Leonard was game and did some pretty good work throughout himself, but he was just so out-gunned in those rounds. His work in the last 5 rounds (though he probably took the majority of them, 3-2 or so) doesn't come close to cancelling out the first 2/3 of the fight, where Duran won at least 7 rounds, nor does it come close to the level of superiority Duran showed in those rounds. A closer fight on the cards than in reality, in my opinion.
You did a good job Pea, but let's all be frank here, it wasn't an ass-whooping. To Rooster and Duranimal it was, but they can't be taken seriously on this subject. Not to worry, nobody's disputing the decision, god forbid, but it wasn't an ass whooping. A great fight has to be competitive, a two sided affair, and Duran/Leonard I is the greatest fight of all time in your view...is it not? It certainly is according to many respected posters, Popkins for example. ...Just wasn't an ass whooping, a conclusive victory...indeed.
1. As I do and anyone should. 2. Disagreed, but fair enough. Not a slight on Leonard even if Duran was superior. Very few aren't inferior to Duran.
Yep, it was not a landslide by any means. I know a guy from poker (he's in his 50s or 60s) who was at the fight in Montreal live. He said he was cheering for Duran.
for the THIRD fight, Duran had to come down from 800 lbs, and he was in the emergency room just two nights before with a gunshot wound. It's a miracle he was even able to make it to the ring, what a heroic struggle it was on his part not to have to quit in the middle of the fight. Against Benitez, he actually got hit by a truck right outside Caesar's Palace, but fought his way off the stretcher, knocking out three paramedics, and limped up to the ring to take his loss. Against Hearns, someone put something in his eyes that blinded him and he couldn't possibly see that right hand coming. Against Laing, he got SHOT IN THE HEAD the night before, was seeing double, and kept punching the wrong Kirkland. It was a 50/50 shot, had he chose the right Laing he would surely have brutally knocked him out. I dunno what the hell happened with Robbie Sims and Pat Lawlor, I guess I'll have to go get his book off the shelf to refresh my memory.
Ray beat 4 ATG fighters in his career. It is hard to match that. I think Ray comes out ahead in the ATG ranking against all the ATG guys he beat.
in your dreams napoles wins. Napoles could have beaten over rated Roberto Duran, but not a Sugar Ray quality fighter!!!!!:deal
I know right? He got one-punched by Hearns, totally outskilled by Benitez, humiliated by Leonard twice, but he's gonna walk right through Sugar Ray Robinson :nut
SRL is great but SRR would pummel that ass. He would have a very good fight with PBF but he should win. He would outbox SSM.