What If.. Duran Beat Leonard In The Rematch?

Leonard would probably retire and come back for some time later,maybe for the third match or whatsoever.

Duran would have to face in many different contenders,and I actually think his Montreal form could beat welterweight Hearns style wise,but considering his laziness at times,I'm not sure he'll defend the title for so long,and if he did so I doubt he'll have an amazing longetivity up there.

 

If Duran could have willed himself into the same shape and mental state he was for the first fight, won the second fight (or even just got a draw), fought a few more times and retired undefeated, then many would be now considering him the greatest fighter of all time.

 

He still loses to Hearns and Benitez, he’d have still been the same man and he was prone to giving flat performances and he would have been even more so if he beat Leonard in the rematch, because he’d have underestimated guys even more, I know he would’ve done because he did this anyway at times.

 

Goes up to heavyweight and beats holmes

 

His career would go very differently, maybe he then loses to Benitez or something or some other guy he should’ve beaten.

I’d guess he’d probably move up to 154lbs immediately if he lost to Duran in the rematch because it’s what guys often do when they lose, often to convince themselves it was the weight rather than coming to terms that their opponent was just better.

He’d probably still win a world title again, but probably wouldn’t do anything massive because it would’ve taken confidence from him.

It’s hard to predict for definite because Leonard was never in that situation where he lost to the same guy twice and had to come to terms that he wasn’t the best, so not sure how it’d affect him.

 

Leonard literally thought of retiring when Duran defeated him, Duran might actually retire him for some time after that 2nd fight imo

 

But he didn't, and he wasn't going to, and he knew it, which is why he checked out.

 

Even the 1980 "Brawl in Montreal" version of Duran would lose to Hearns. Duran would not be able to get past Hearns's jab--and eventually the "Hit Man" lands a kill-shot right hand (like he did in the 84' fight) that sends Roberto to dreamland!

 

One of his trainers Freddie Brown said, the only reason Duran moved to 154 lbs was he didn't want to train and lose the weight. Once he beat Leonard , became rich and the talk of the town in New York the fire which burned hot went out. He occasionally fanned the embers and burned some opponents but the last time the real Duran was seen was in Montreal.

 

Correct, Duran was just wasn't the same. The dedication of the 70s was long gone. Freddie Brown also stated in the lead up to the Hearns fight in 84 that if Duran wanted to win he will, if he doesn't he wont. Ray Arcel had planned on unifying the title against Hearns after the rematch with Leonard, this would have been great for Duran as Hearns wasn't quite the beast then he became by '84.

 

I like to think El Cholo took over at some points in the Davey Moore fight, specifically when he literally grabbed Moore's head in a white collar and blasted him with a right hand that sent him flying to the ropes (not the knockdown)