SRR, Hearns, and Terrell scored Leonard-Duran I for Leonard

Fair call. It's great that this fight was so damn AMAZING that we can still harp on about it passionately so many years later. Duran and SRL gave us something truly special that night, both of them.

 

Not a robbery giving this fight to Leonard by any means. But it would feel a bit unfair since Roberto had the more dominant roundsand and landet the more hurtful punches.

I`d say Duran had as much to with Leonard being stationary in the first fight as Leonard had with Duran quitting in the second. Psychological reasons in both cases is my best bet.

 

I think it absolutely would be a robbery if that fight was given to SRL. I would love to see a scorecard that has SRL coming out ahead, and show me which rounds do so. As Bokaj said previously, just ask yourself, who would have rather been after that fight... It's certainly not SRL.

 

Absolutely agree it's hard to score for SRL but from memory top posters such as McGrain and Drew101 may have scored it his way or thereabouts at some point.

I think the thing is Duran won his rounds much more clearly but this doesn't show on the cards so you can score a very close fight even if you feel Duran won comfortably. Hope this makes sense.

 

Makes total sense bud and with your phrasing of things. I guess I see it as more competitive than close, but those lines can be often blurred between those two words. Yeah, I think McGrain said he could see it being a draw, or something of the like.

 

Yeah, I thought Leonard got into a bit of a groove in the last three rounds and swept them on the my card. I agree that Duran controlled and at points dominated Leonard whereas SRL's margin of victory in his rounds were much closer...But Leonard's sweep of those final three and the fact that he usually winds up with another 4 rounds on my card is enough to make this closely contested.

 

Would you say you mostly score it then 8-7 Duran?

 

These days, yeah.

I think you can get to 8-7 Leonard (and I have in the past), or call it a draw...But the last couple of times I've watched it Duran still has banked enough rounds over the first 12 to secure the win on my card.

Part of the reason why I like this fight now more than I did at the time is that Leonard does a really good job, imo, of working his way back into the fight after taking an unexpected hiding through much of the first half of the fight.

 

Totally right. People don't give SRL enough credit for working his way back into the fight after getting his bell rung a few times and taking some brutal body shots. It showed his character and will to win. Not front runner material at all from SRL

 

Let’s suppose they had given Leonard a split decision. How would that affect the outcome of the rematch?
Would Leonard feel the need to fight ‘his’ fight?
Would Duran be more highly motivated seeking revenge?

 

Duran was already out spending the money for the rematch and partying ... don't think he really gave a shi* about it. I know people say he always did that and ballooned up ... but imo Ray wouldn't have sought a rematch ASAP , as he did after the loss because he knew Duran was out having a blast ... If he won, Ray wouldn't need to fight Duran again at least for a long time .. That was Ray's MO ....

 

I think you really have to stretch your bias to take that fight from Duran but I have seen it many times in other fights....opinions are opinions