According to that bio on Duran, Duran's cornerman made that excuse up for him. Duran was just mentally beat.
Like Hatton, Duran was demolished and blown up in one-sided brutal fashion. This doesn't mean that Duran and Hatton are scrubs and not even close. It happens to the best.
I got the fight on DVD and a ton of interview goodies afterwards. I watched the fight..no way did Leonard land any meaningful shots that would have warranted a "No Mas".
Then you're thinking of the first fight. The second fight he was jabbing him in the stomach and running and countering well. He quit because he was losing and getting tired.
Yeah, he wasn't taking a bad beating, nor was it a total domination either. Leonard was simply winning and outboxing him, and also taunting him. Which is why I think it was more a mental thing. Plus, Duran wasn't in the best of shape either. For someone with supposed stomach cramps who needed to take a crap, he seemed to take that right hand to body alright after he said No Mas, or more appropriately, that he didn't want to fight "with that clown".
The whole Hearns-Barkey-Duran-Haglar series is a beautiful example of how and why styles make fights.
I never really thought Duran recovered mentally from "No Mas". Who was his manager back then that was so stupid to have Duran rematch SRL so soon after Duran has the greatest victory of his career and months long celebrations afterwards? However who knows how Duran's career might have turned out if say SRL had been hit by a bus after their first fight. I think after being the dominant LW champ for so long and destroying DeJesus in their rubber match, that the only realistic mountain left for Duran to climb was to become the WW champion, but after he does that, then what? So I doubt he ever had the same burning intensity again after the first Leonard fight and really went off the rails after the 2nd fight. It probably didn't help him that SRL went into retirement, because if Leonard was active, there was the possibility of a rematch. Duran kind of got back on track when he fought Davey Moore and I think Duran and many others felt this was a redemption for "No Mas" and if SRL was around, they could have had a rematch and no doubt Duran would have been incredibly motivated for that, but alas Duran is left with few reasons(and opponents) to fight other than for money. So after a credible performance against Hagler, what would have been Duran's motivation against Hearns? Even if Duran had won, what then? So whilst I don't dispute that Hearns was a stylistic nightmare for Duran, if they had fought on the night of the "Brawl in Montreal", then the outcome may have been completely different.
If Hearns comes in aggressively, then there's a good chance Duran can make him miss and take the fight to the inside, where Hearns' frame starts to count against him. Hagler/Hearns style match-up. If Hearns elects to box and move and just pop his jab all night then I don't see how Roberto would be able to cut the ring down and get in the fight at all considering Hearns' length and speed. So I would favour Duran against certain versions of Hearns at 147.
Durans best chance is obviously at 147. However, even if Duran comes in 100% motivated and in peak condition, Hearns probably wins by KO. 95 times out of 100 Hearns wins this fight. Durans biggest hope is timing Tommy early and forcing a stoppage or getting inside early and raping him with thumbs, low blows and headbutts.
Ive actually heard some very compelling arguments for Duran beating Hearns...I just dont particularly agree with them. I think Hearns wins 78 times out of a 100.
Hearns spanks that ass any day of the week. Stylistic nightmare for him. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-Ipn_Y3iNM&feature=related[/ame]
I think Duran was fairly happy to take the rematch because they offered him a huge amount of money for it. Duran always said he fought for the money.