How big of a deal was Leonard-Duran III?

After Leonard fought Hearns and they both look washed-up I didn't have much patience for the Duran-Leonard III, I thought these long-overdue matches were past their sell-by-date. I have very little interest.

People talk about Duran-Barkley now, and it was a classic then too, but no one in their right mind thought Duran was anything like being the best middlweight in the world. And the way people talk about the significance of Duran beating Barkley now on this forum is laughable. It's a hugely significant fight to Duran's career story, maybe, but it wasn't a huge world-shaking fight at the time. It was pure entertainment, but no battle for major status. At best it decided the 3rd best middleweight in the world.

But Leonard was still being sold as something special going in, and the Duran-Leonard fight was hyped enough to have its own special issue KO magazine program and all that. And the "revenge"/"redemption" angle concerning Duran was brought into play.
I didn't find any of it convincing though. I was getting sick of Leonard.

 

Duran fans want to pretend this fight doesnt count, it was only several months after the Barkley win and Leonard was coming off taking a beating from Hearns. Both were past prime but top level MWs and in shae at the time. Both the same age as both FMJ/SSM and they and thats a super fight too

Duran fans want to excuse both of his Leonard losses 'he had problems making weight' 'he was past prime', well thats just excuses, he got well and truely schooled and Leonard would do that to any version of Duran

 

You know ****-all about the 3rd fight, as per usual Leonard made this a catchweight at 163 & weighed in himself at 160, Duran who was fat as a pig when the fight was signed weighed in at a wrecked 158.5 & this was meant to be for Leonards 168 title so neither were within the weight which got Duran stripped of his WBC 160 title into the bargain which was'nt on the line + Duran never even knew about the contracted weight.

The only comparison between SSM/FM & Leonard/Duran is 3 of them have been on the ped's.

 

Yea Duran only ever got our of shape and didnt train before fighting the best skilled boxers like Leonard, Hearns and Benitez. Duran must have really been struggling to make the 163lb limit by weighing 158lbs

Keep them coming Cap Excuses.

BTW 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1

 

I think the only punch Duran landed was that right hand in round 11 that split Leonards eyebrow. Duran finished unmarked and Leonard looked like he had been thru a threshing machine. Awful fight...

 

Everyone was getting sick of leonard & his primodonna circus antics in expecting everything to be what he wanted, ringsize/gloves/catchweights. It blew up in his ego tripping face that night at the mirage when the whole crowd turned on him for ripping them off after all the bull**** he came out with before about how he was going to KO Duran & dish out a beating for cheating him of his KO in New Orleans.

I was so hyped up for it, i thought come on you ****, lets see yer toe 2 toe it yer ******* & you'll get spread all over the canvas, but true to form he just cruised to the obvious points shutout. Leonards the one who was gobbing off about how he had unfinished biz with Duran & would sort him out proper. As the crowd screamed BULL**** BULL**** just about sums up the Leonard Circus act for me.

I would'nt buy a new car off the ****!! never mind a 2nd hand one.

 

He was on a massive financial penalty of $1million for every ounce over 160, you know ****-all bum. I was in the media room the whole week & that was all everyone talked about, 163 or 160 & the $$$$$ hammering Duran would have got.

The only fight that matters is MONTREAL & thats when leonard had his arse handed to him:deal

He'd had his visa revoked & could'nt leave the states until he'd paid a massive tax bill, so leonard jumped on him & offered the way out & Duran took it by not rocking the boat & thank you very much for the $$$$$ Ray.

As i said you know ****-all, Son of MAG

 

Yea there was a 1million per pound penalty clause but Duran didnt know the contracted weight And yes Im sure the contract stipulated 160lbs for Duran and 163lbs for himself

The contradiction in your obvious lies are hilarious

Oh yes in case you forgot Leonard won the series 2-1

 

Your to dumb to read between the lines here as to the chinanigans that went on behind the scenes & yer never even knew about the contracted weights did you!!!! you explain why Duran starved himself down to below 160 when he's meant to be fighting for leonards title & his was not on the line.

I was at the weigh-in when uproar ensued when Bob Arum said "well Durans inside the Midleweight limit & so i suppose both title's are on the line" Massive row broke out with the Duran camp saying **** off it's for Leonards title, But Arum got his way & had Duran stripped straight after the fight.....As i said you know **** all about ****-all.

Who gives a **** about the series, Montreal is all that matters when both were at their peaks:deal