It's possible. There has always been a lot of speculation as to why Duran really quit. However, I don't see Leonard knocking Duran out, myself. I've always believed that Duran simply got frustrated with Leonard's showboating and his own inability to fight Leonard on his own terms. He just couldn't face it. Who knows?
Had it 9-6 Duran myself. Leonard was coming on late, but he ran out of time. Shockingly, Duran did the outboxing, Leonard got the better of it when Duran finally slowed down enough to trade with. Then the rematch completely reversed those trends, as Duran spent the last several rounds in New Orleans getting stood on his head, instead of ground out in the trenches giving plenty himself.
and I think one thing which backfired on Duran was he thought Ray was weaker mentally than he was just by the first fight where he fought Duran's style. When the second fight occured I think Duran thought Ray would fight his fight again and he would win, and he found out Ray outboxed him and stuck to it and started to land and do the bolo punching and showboat and try to make Duran look foolish. Duran then found out Ray was a guy who could be just as cocky as he was and I think it stunned him a little to the point where he was intimidated. Then he started feeling his power and he didn't want to deal with it. I just think he found out how great Ray was and it sort of shocked him.
I believe the stomach cramps story. Could you imagine trying to win a fight at that level with stomach cramps, ready to **** you're pants? I think that truly is the one thing to make Duran of that timeframe quit.
This is true . This is how all of Leonard's big wins were , even if in d other cases fat was not d reason but rather just a man outgrowing his division (Hearns #1 & Benitez) or being drained by a catchweight contract (Hearns #2 & Lalonde)
It was very competitive and full of thrills and spills,but Duran definitely deserved the decision. One of the three greatest fights of the eighties,imo. Along with Hagler-Hearns and Leonard-Hearns I. In no particular order.
Sometimes you just put on your dunce cap for the day... BEFORE the fight Leonard and Dundee made it VERY CLEAR what their plan was.. They said SRL was the Bigger Guy.. The Stronger guy... and they were going to impose themselves on the Smaller Duran and KO him... It had NOTHING to do with fighting DURAN's fight.. and everything to do with THAT was their plan from the opening bell. Which is usually correct.. If you're the bigger.. stronger.. taller and younger guy... you should impose yourself on the smaller man... Take your dunce cap off and continue please.
To say Duran won by 10 rounds to 5 is as stupid as saying Leonard won.....To say thats being generous is damn outright laughable.
great post the rounds were close, the fight wasn't. i had it clear for duran and duranimal's 10-5 score, to me, is reasonable
Freddie Brown, who was Duran's trainer (along with Ray Arcel who usually came into camp late), stated that Duran was in just as good shape for the second fight as he was for the first. Brown and Arcel had a bit of a falling out over the post fight handling of Duran's quitting. Source: Corner Men: The Great Boxing Trainers by Ronald Fried. That's a more reliable source than any post fight spin that he had to take a crap or that he was conned in to fighting in November and out of shape. Duran got out of shape between fights his whole career. As for the fight, I had it close but clear for Duran. No, I do not buy the "Leonard fought the wrong fight" theory. He fought the fight he thought he could win, and Duran seized the momentum. From the 2nd round on, it was trench warfare survival of the fittest. Duran imposed his will. Second fight, Leonard was coming on, and starting to land effectively to the body. I believe Duran had the resourcefullness to last, but he was going to get his ass kicked that night. Leonard was frustrating him and he just quit out of frustration.