In what retrospect, OBVIOUSLY the 1st fight was an all time classic and the best... The 2nd fight NO MAS overshadowed Leonards win... The 3rd fight was for the most part forgotten, both guy's were over the hill.. The 2nd fight still tears at Leonards heart to this day, after nearly 35 years the guy can't let it go, he went all the way to Panama to find Duran in NO MAS, and Duran didn't offer much at all except a handshake and a smile...
Seems like they met three times in the ring, but the one time they actually fought, Duran kicked his ass. I think the second fight, Duran had to crap, or had diarea or stomach cramps. I know all the stories that he ate this or ate that, but I think he had bad cramps and was afraid he'd **** in the ring. He was beaten by Dejesus before and I don't think Ray made him quit. Ray's a ***** for making him wait so long for number three.
Sadly the most memorable part of the trilogy apart from Leonard winning it 2-1, is Duran quitting in the 2nd fight.
I wanted Duran to win all three fights. Sadly, if we're to define it, I think Leonard proved he could adjust and Duran couldn't. Yes, Roberto mauled Ray in the first fight -and I loved it- but I don't think he could sustain this. It was like Frazier in the FOTC...a special night of intensity, never to be duplicated. And then Leonard I think proved he was -if not the better fighter- then certainly the more serious and dedicated one.
I think your wrong Vince, Duran could have duplicated Montreal, he was still a young guy, and had a huge psychological edge having already beaten Leonard, but the problem is he screwed himself by over indulgence of partying boozing, and gluttony the next 4 months, and it came back to bite him in the ass... He took Leonard too lightly in the rematch, and paid a heavy price he will never forget, i think he sould have waited a year to fight Leonard in a rematch in the summer of 1981, he was the champ and should have called all the shots...
The thing that's all but forgotten with that third fight is how busted up Leonard was at the end of it. That took a lot of stitches to close and was a real bad cut. If that cut happens earlier in the fight, instead of so late, Roberto would have got the TKO win. He was too much of an opportunist to have an opponent badly cut like that and still having another 6 rounds to go.
