Is Leonard Vs Duran I one of the best fights ever, or atleast your top 5?

I will make one comment. Ray should have fought his fight. This was the biggest lesson to him.

 

IMO its the best win in the sports history, but for me its a toss up between itself and ali-frazier 1, for who takes the number 1 spot. Holyfield bowe 1 is my personal fave so i could possibly have that in my top 10 unlike othrr people

 

No, I don't rate it that high.
It is a classic fight though.

 

He fought his fight he stood his ground and fought Duran thats how he fought in his previous fights, the way he fought in the second fight was a different approach and a different style compared to how he fought previously in his career.

To answer the thread Question:

Yes Duran-Leonard is one of the best fights ever, Top Five in my list.

 

Great fight! Not a top 5 imo though.

 

Duran didn't outbox Leonard; Duran outfought Leonard.

It's a dogfight that the casual observer doesn't appreciate as much as they should. It's like an organized street fight.

 

Definitely a contender for a top 5 place on my list. The eighties were only six months old when this fight took place. I recall thinking,at the time,that come the end of the decade,there would n't be that many fights that would better it. I still thought the same on 31/12/89.

 

It was one of the top 5 best performances ever by Duran.

Not one of the top 5 best fights ever. It was a good fast paced fight but it didn't have as much clean punching as many expected and most of real clean solid shots were landed by Roberto Duran.

It was a one of the biggest fights/events as a landmark in boxing history no question.

Great victory by Duran.

 

Officially it was close. The judges had it close. They scored a ton of even rounds that night. Problem is it doesn't pass the eye test.

Just like Hagler/Duran wasn't really as close as the judges had it neither was the Montreal fight. It was Duran`s night.

Duran was superior offensively and he had the superior defense. Leonard had trouble nailing Duran with clean shots. Even the ones that did land Duran was rolling with.

On the other hand Leonard`s head was snapping back from the force of Hands of Stone. Sugar Ray Leonard certainly deserves credit for standing in there and taking a beating and fighting back as best he could. He proved his heart and that he was a genuine champion himself.

The fight being "close" probably had as much to do with Leonard`s star status and name recognition as much as anything.

 

I don't really rank fights, but if I did It would be up there.

 

GREAT fight but not that close...9-5-1 is the best i can give to leonard