Leonard-Duran 2 and 3 are incredibly underrated wins

Oh yeah, when Duran quit it didn't "count"


Duran, pound 4 pound king of excuses.......




I agree with most of the initial post. Some say Duran was slower during the rematch, but it's not like Duran was a speed demon in their first fight. And Leonard didn't back off back then.

Leonard lost the first (close) fight in a respectable manner, Duran did one of the most blatant quit jobs in boxing history's big fights. Leonard won the third. He definitely got the better of Duran. To say otherwise is ridiculous.

 

Correct:good According 2 Bert Sugar, Leonard's responsible for making a mockery out of the sport, Bert said he allways wanted the headlines without the risks & that he just could'nt handle anyone getting more press ink than him. It was Bert that coined the phrase describing Leonard as "The ego maniac's ego maniac"

He was finished in Vegas after the con-job he pulled in the 3rd Duran fight, the furore all around the Mirage was ear splitting after the fight, all of Leonards showbiz style fan base blew him out, all yer could here at the bars was **** LEONARD **** HIM, i came 2 see a fight & i paid 2 see that **** ect.

So what does Leonard do???? He thought he'd take his Circus 2 New York & all that crap about wanting 2 fight at the mecca of boxing bull****, WOW did the boxing world celebrate the hammering Norris dished out, Norris descibed Leonard as a Virus, allways coming back when least wanted, but we've got Hector 2 thank for finally eradicating it in style:smoke

Leonard never ever gave anyone a re-match or an opportunity if he thought it was any way of a risk or 50/50, he had 2 have all the limelight 2 himself, it allways had 2 be his show. No way in a MILLION years would Leonard go anywhere near NUNN or any genuine champ or contender, he obviously new he'd never make it too the 6th round:smoke

 

Duran was a speed demon in their first fight, although a hair slower than Leonard. His hands were noticeably quicker than in the rematch. Without question.

Close, but clear.

 

His hands were fast, no doubt, but to be honest, i've never been very much impressed by his footspeed at 147 or up. At middleweight he was close to immobile and completely dependent on his great skills.

 

I'm a massive Duran fan. But must admit that he does get a serious amount of ground given on him within the classic. I like to think as myself as sensible with my views on him. I also admire Leonard as a fighter.

 

Well, in a way it's also a compliment to Duran. It still amazes me how he managed to beat Leonard despite being not only smaller, but also slower. Normally, the guy stepping up in weight at least holds the speed advantage..

 

There really isn't more to it. And if it hadn't been for the idolizing of Duran's "machismo", not many would disagree.

 

Indeed it was a super human performence from Duran, everything he had ever learnt before this fight was applied that night & it had 2 be as he was up against proberbly one of the best Welterweight Champions of the modern era. It had everything, Leonard has only know let his true feelings out with regard 2 the shock of his defeat (Close as it was)

Leonard has said he never for one single second thought that Duran could beat him,I was younger than him, I was bigger than him, I was quicker than him & I was a better boxer than him, but i soon found out i was'nt smarter than him.

Whether Duran could have ever produced another night like Montreal i'am not sure, that was Duran at his apogee, I've never seen Duran in such magnifient shape at WW as he was in Montreal, but as i said earlier HE HAD 2 BE, anything less against Leonard & it was certain defeat.

I think without doubt that this fight was the making of Leonard into the complete boxer & more than preped him 4 the Hearns showdown, he now knew he could fight as well as box:smoke

The bookmakers had Duran as a 50/1 dog, so it goes 2 show what an upset it was:smoke

 

Good post.

But Duran such big an underdog? Really? 50/1 sounds a bit much.

 

No way man, that's just bull****.

I mean, a 71-1 fighter 50/1 underdog? Ruled the lightweight division for six years? C'mon man. . . .:roll:

 

First of all...I'm not nit-picking or looking for an argument...but I'd like you to corroborate this. Norris was very respectful of Leonard and admitted Leonard was his idol.
If he had said it before the fight, then I can understand it. It just seems a bit out of character considering how he admired Leonard.

 

Duran was just as quick as Leonard in their first fight, the second is a different story.

IMO Leonard never showed he was a better boxer than Duran, just craftier.

 

Leonard Duran 2 is a top class win.

 

Yeah I never had any faith him and I was justified by the way he kept wiggling out of the kind of fights you mentioned. I just knew he wouldnt take them.

As for Uno Mas, it was just the curiosity factor but I wasnt going to give a dime of my money to that scumbag. I'd be ashmed to admit I was his fan. But besides that, I didnt bother showing for Uno mas because I knew what kind of contest it was going to turn out to be. The next morning I heard reports on it so of course, I was right.

Jay Thomas from Power 106 briefly mentioned it was a track meet, asking his partner "wasn't that a terrible fight?"

I think the fans finally came to their senses and had enough of him. I mean, smart fans that use their eyes. Others tho, like ESB classic posters can't get enough of him and INSIST how great a fighter he must have been and that if I don't place him in my top 50 they will continue to ridicule and ignore me.

They think I should be grateful that he gave us as much as he did.

But that's not my way of thinking. I lower the bar for NO ONE! Once he was back in action I thought "Good, now he can prove himself with some defenses" But when being interviewed I once again saw the same yellow streak I first noticed 5 years before when Marvin asked him politely for a fight.

It's like Leonard didnt have any courage for the kind of fighters I liked. Fighting Nunn was the logical choice for Leonard. But his fans couldnt bear the thought of him facing Mike, athough they will tell you differently or else say something like "Mike was an insignificant title holder'

So what happened was that another insignificant title holder got ahold of him. When Ray signed to meet with Norris two months earlier I knew that he finally signed his death warrant and it was a beautiful thing to watch. I had always felt that Ray could not take a sharp jolt to the chin as you could expect from someone who could be sharp who put some snap at the end of their punches. And it was exactly this that which enabled Terry to quickly put Leonard in his place.

My point is that there was good reason he stayed out as long as he had; he could not compete with the younger breed of athlete

 

just watched the fight now, number 2 that is. Haven't seen it for a LONG time, the fight was competetive more or less all the way. Duran dealt with the movement better than history has told. But what this means is that, in a competetive natured bout, Duran simply quit because he was losing.

I'm clearly a massive Duran fan.