Duran-Leonard I: Devil's Advocate

Good post.

I've never believed that Leonard was 'lured' into a fight like is generally accepted.

He was FORCED to fight because, on the night, Duran fought as good as he did at LW. His movement, slipping, feints, combinations were fantastic, and there is a few points where he genuinely wobbled Leonard.

It's Duran's movement that force the fight to be close-up, and his subtle feints and movements that stopped Leonard being effective. Leonard tried to tie Duran up and push him away, but was not strong enough.

 

I hear you SH, but I'm not a lemming...it's my own opinion based on having watched both fights several times, and the careers of both boxers.

 

Stonehands. Just to simplify things on my thoughts about the fight. I don't neccassirly think Leonard would have beaten Duran that night in Montreal had he moved more than he did. IMO, his chances do become better with increased movement though. Another thing, I don't even think he needed to move constantly like he did in the rematch to somewhat negate Duran's work. He stayed put way too often, and had the ability to box and keep his distance, even if he wan't a pure boxer at long range for sustained periods of fights prior to his affair with Duran.

Just because Leonard fought close to his normal style in Montreal, it doesn't support the claims of yourself and Sweetpea that it wasn't bad strategy on the night. In my opinion anyway. Leonard clearly had the speed and athleticism to fight differently. If every journalist was asked before the fight about Leonard having the ability to box at long range, I would put my house on every single one of them giving a resounding "yes".

I do give Duran credit. He's my personal fav of all-time. I'm hardly going to knock the biggest win of his career. And Duran never won the fight just because Leonard fought the way he did. I happen to come to the conlusion that it was a bit of both. Leonard doing things wrong, and Duran doing things right.

If Leonard moved more, would he have won? It would have been a tall order, put it that way.

 

IMO, the most overlooked part of Duran's good work that night was his outside ability. He never really scored regularly at long range with "scoring" type punches so to speak, but when he countered, fully committed over Leonard's punches, he did very well indeed.

It's a myth that Duran was running in 5th gear throughout the fight like he was against Palomino a year earlier, even during the moments when he had success. Watch the fight for about 15-20 seconds prior to left hook he rocked Leonard backwards with during the 2nd round. That particular punch was set up from long range territory. Duran actually circled around with Leonard, both centre right, jabbed to the body, slipped, and countered by fully committing with an overhand right, followed by a left hook.

If Duran was constantly storming forward as much as Leonard was constantly moving during the rematch, he would have been one dimensional by his own high stanards. He wasn't that way at all. He brought his gearbox with him that night.

 

And just a quick follow up on my last post. I gave Duran credit for showing good outside ability. However, I'm not contradicting my thoughts on "Leonard should have boxed him more than he did". When Duran did fully committ from long range with hooks and straight right hands, Leonard was flat-footed during those moments, and never really tried moving to the side or back to avoid them. He allowed Duran to gain momentum by dropping inside off the type of punches I have stated by standing his ground. Leonard should have brought more mobility to the table and looked to increase his distance, no matter if Duran was feinting him or not.

 

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One quick note:

Leonard actually did employ more side-to-side movement, and didn't engage quite as much in the trenches throughout the latter third of the fight, and did enjoy greater success as a result. (he sweeps the last three rounds on my card and makes it a closer fight to score on my personal scorecard than the consensus on this site generally has it). Part of this can be attributed to the fact that Duran clearly took the petal off the metal because he correctly figured that he had won the fight on the cards, and part of it can be attributed to the fact that it took Leonard that long to get a sense of Duran's rythm, and engage him in a suitable fashion.

But those final three rounds indicate the strategy that Leonard might have, and to an exaggerated extant did use during a rematch against any version of Duran, and I think he might have enjoyed a much greater degree of success as a result, regardless of which Duran showed u[p at New Orleans.

 

I like both a lot & genuinely feel that they both were on the recieving ends of each others best performances, or at least top 3 performances.

Duran MIGHT have looked better vs Palomino or Dejesus III & Leonard MIGHT have looked better vs Benitez or Hagler (given the circumstances + opponent) but I personally think that Duran of the 1st SRL fight was the best ever, likewise with the SRL of the 2nd fight.

Now - Duran of Montreal vs Leonard of New Orleans ?????

Leonard UD15 Duran

Superb fight tho.

 

Leonard's fight in the first fight was much closer to his "normal fight" than the rematch. Leonard was normally a flat-footed boxer who used lateral movement, boxing behind the jab, relaxed style, and then opening up with vicious combos.

But unlike Leonard's previous opponents, Duran was all over him like Evander Holyfield on a fertile woman.

Leonard fought the wrong fight by NOT CHANGING UP in Montreal and CHANGING UP in the rematch, not the other way round.

 

Agreed on the highlighted part. :good

Just because Leonard fought close to his normal fight with regards to movement in Montreal doesn't support the claims that his tactics were spot on and he just got beaten by Duran's strength's. He had the ability to box and move but never. He was athletic enough to accomplish such fleet-footed tactics. The press expected him to box Duran. Just watch parts of the fight and you'll hardly ever see him moving to the side to avoid Duran's charges. He stands his ground. While hindsight showed us that he should have moved like he did in the rematch for the Montreal fight, even 50% of that movement would have served him well that night.

 

To the big Leonard supporters on this thread......
.....does it not bother you that Leonard himself brags of his wisdom to instruct his manager Mike Trainer to do what ever it takes get Duran in the ring for a rematch as soon as possible, because he knew that Duran could'nt possibly get himself into proper shape as much as he partied?

Leonard brags about it, but his own words really take away from his accomplishment in the 'no mas" fight.


Just my opinion, but the Duran of Montreal was physically peaked, and mentally possesed.......that Duran would have beat any version of Ray Leonard!

 

Janks Morton actually asked Leonard to get back into the gym fast.