Fight of the Week #1: Roberto Duran - Ray Leonard I

I've watched the first 4, I'd have Duran ahead 3-1, but wouldn't argue with anybody who had it even. Good fight, Duran is making Leonard fight inside. I haven't seen this fight in a long time. I'll watch more later.

One thing interesting is that the boxing commission lets Ray Arcel get a start up the ring steps about 30 seconds before the round ends. When the action moves to Duran's corner he is standing at the top of the steps holding the stool. I guess Arcel had slowed to the point where he needed the head start? He wouldn't be allowed to do that today. Arcel also does the "old school" lifting of Duran off of the stool at the beginning of most rounds. Some, particularly the old school corner men, like higher stools for their fighters and they assist them getting up because they believe(d) that having to stand from a squat weakens the legs.

 

Hey bud, I like the thread idea and hope it catches on.

Some quick points building on your comments. I really don't think SRL was firing back at the end of the second round much at all. After he was hurt, he threw only a handful of punches thereafter. Most of the times he was holding on for dear life or being cautious. Him throwing a 3 punch combo towards the end isn't really indicative of him fighting back as if he was recovered. We likely knew he wasn't because of his own words saying he was in a fog, but also, look how SRL comes out in round 3. He literally threw a half punch for the first 30 seconds of the 3rd round and generally just sits on the ropes taking punishment. Certainly doesn't seem like he had recovered from round 2 and firing back, with what we see in the 3rd round and his own words. So slightly disagree there.

I also noticed that you mention how SRL boxed well in the first round and "mostly kept his distance". Seems like a different take on it than the usual one I've heard from you which is SRL came out and tried to go toe to toe with Duran. My assertion has always been that he tried to be the boxer puncher like he always was, with maybe a little more taking the center of the ring... but he usually always fought how he looked in round 1. He came out in round 2 and tried to keep his distance but control the center of the ring as Angelo instructed. Then he gets hurt and holds on and goes into a shell for a few rounds. Mostly against the ropes and not really firing back much and holding. Then after a few rounds like that, he recovers, and starts firing back more knowing he's in a dog fight. Just didn't seem like your usual take on things is all.

 

Just watched rounds 5-8. I could give all of them to Duran but I wouldn't argue with somebody who gave 2 or 3 to SRL...I wouldn't want to be a fight judge. I like Duran's aggression and watching this fight for the first time in years, it looks like SRL is fighting his normal fight, but Duran is just applying more pressure than he likes - no fighter likes pressure. This is an example of a smaller fighter fighting over his head against a bigger opponent, in hindsight it's no surprise that Duran couldn't duplicate this effort.

Just watched 9-15, SRL had his best rounds in 10, and 13 IMO. Excellent action fight between two good, skilled fighters. To me Duran won, he had more rounds that he clearly won than SRL had. But, SRL was just bigger, stronger, and equally skilled. Duran did everything he could possibly do in this one, it'd be almost impossible for him to do it twice.

I had to turn the sound off because of Ferdie Pacheco. Too bad Al Bernstein didn't announce this one with either Jerry Quarry or Ken Norton (the two best boxers I've heard). That would have been some good insight from ringside where the perspective is often different than what is seen on video. With Pacheco, there was no information that was useful.

 

I loved seeing the greatest Panamanian Lightweight Ismael Laguna in the ring prior to the start.
Round 1 even 10-10 not much separating them. Duran seems a little wild on some early lunges but nothing that Leonard capitalizes on. Leonard seems to want to exchange in the middle...still not sure after all these years, why he/they used this strategy, seems to play to Duran’s strength.


Round 2 Duran (Duran 20-19)

Round 3 Duran (Duran 30-28)

Round 4 Duran (Duran 40-37) SRL starting to do some nice work in the last minute but not enough to take the round.

 

My article on it https://imgur.com/gallery/oNyqG

 

"Shut the **** up Donny."

 

Am I the only one around here who gives a **** about the rules

 

Round 5 SRL (Duran 49-47) The best round of the fight so far. Leonard starts with a nice left that catches Duran off guard. Leonard lands a few soft quick flurries that judges like but seldom are strong punches...but mid round Leonard is digging deeper and harder on the body shots than earlier in the fight. These have something on them. Both guys miss a power shot towards the end, SRL finishes strong and takes it on my card.

Round 6 SRL (Duran 58-57) I saw a couple of guys give this round to Duran? Not sure how. Durans feint jab is a thing of beauty though, but it does not seem to be affecting Leonard as much as in the first 5. Ray opens with a nice left again, this time to the body. Both guys working the body good but Ray gets the better of these exchanges and lands the more telling blows. Duran tried to laugh off the impact but now we have a fight.

Round 7 SRL (67-67) very close fight, and a close round. I think Leonard’s work in the first 90 gives him a round that is back and forth over the 2nd 90. Close round but SRL on my card. Deadlocked after 7.

 

Round 8 Duran ( Duran 77-76) Duran tries to get flashy and his feints seem to freeze Ray, but not elicit a reaction. Doesn’t score points but makes me smile anyway. Not as action packed and Duran nips it on my card.

Round 9 Duran (Duran 87-85) not quite as wide as rounds 2-3 but another clear Duran round. An inadvertent (to me) head butted leads to SRL being bothered and maybe cut? Can’t tell yet? Not sure if it is strategic but Leonard seems to be conserving energy in rounds 8-9, almost like it seemd Duran was in rounds 6-7. The last 25 seconds are back and forth but Duran takes this round for me.

Round 10 Duran (Duran 97-94) Close round and I feel like Leonard is trying to do more in the final 30 seconds than the first 150, and he finishes well enough that he might take thison some cards? But I feel like Duran took it...hard to block out the announcers, uuuggghhh.

 

Does anyone know what the betting odds on this fight were?

Or who experts/boxers were picking...any links to anything like that?

I remember watching this live and was a huge SRL fan at the time, but what hot blooded American youth wasn’t? I was only 11 at the time but even then I knew who won lol.

 

11 Duran (Duran 107-103) 10-11 are both competitive enough that scoring for either guy might be common? I felt like Roberto edged landing the heavier and more consistent shots.

12 Duran (Duran 117-112) another close round but I liked Duran’s work a little better. 10-12 are so close that they are likely to be the difference on most cards.

 

that's how it looked to me too. I was favoring Duran a little because of aggression, but I couldn't argue with anybody who scored it for SRL. I wouldn't make a good boxing judge. I watched the GGG - Canelo fight recently and it looked the same, a bunch of close rounds that could go either way. The only clear round I think was the 10th for GGG.

In the Duran - SRL fight I had the feeling that Duran was fighting at 100% of his ability and there was nothing more there. He was giving up a lot in size, strength, etc. Also, I turned Pacheco off completely, he reminded me of Mean Gene on the WWF, except he wasn't trying to be funny, he was just incompetent as an analyst.

 

Championship rounds-

13 SRL (Duran 126-122) close round that I was leaning towards Duran on but Leonard finishes strong...not with flurries but swinging away. Close but Ray gets the nod on mine.

14 SRL (Duran 135-132) both guys on fumes throwing hard but lacking the pop of early exchanges. Ray comes out solid and looks good for 45 Duran retaliates and leads the next 45...close the rest of the way but I feel Ray locks the round down on the last 30.

15 SRL (Duran 144-142) not much excitement for the first 90, both guys are drained. Ray takes a little less, Duran’s clowning makes me smile again, but not enough to give him the round.

Duran 144-142 for me.

Post fight thoughts- Duran won 4 rounds wide...the other 11 close despite who got the nod, giving the illusion of a Duran domination...in reality a close fight...that Duran won!

Rounds 1 & 10-12 could go either way and make some cards wide and others favor SRL...but to me Duran took this close but comfortable contrary to the announce team and The NY Times