What do you personally make of the No Mas fight?

So Duran quit in order to punish Leonard for clowning, is that what you're saying?

 

Not at all. I'm saying (right or wrong) that in Duran's mind, a fighter gets in the ring to fight, he doesn't get into the ring to mock another fighter. He didn't quite to punish Leonard, he quite because he didn't want to be in that particular situation any long. He wanted to fight and instead he was taunted. I'm not saying what he did was right, I'm just speculating on what might have been going through his mind.

But do you know of anyone else who throws bolo punches during a fight? (perhaps another question might be do you know what a bolo punch is?)

 

Then Duran should've stepped it up a notch and tried even harder to stop Leonard from clowning. The fight was closer than many remember. It wasn't as if Leonard was beating Duran up or even decking him. If Duran believed in the warrior code then he understood that a fighter, especially a champion goes out on his shield. He doesn't take his ball and go home because the other guy isn't following the script. Duran wasn't in good shape for that fight but that wasn't Leonard's fault. He should've prepared properly not gaining 50 lbs after his great win in Montreal. For the record I wanted Duran to win again and was bull- - -t when he quit. Duran quit? Wtf!

 

No argument from me. I'm just speculating what he might of thought, I'm not justifying his actions. Like I said on a prior post, I think the best way to knock a guy of his game plan is to hit him. I would have thought Duran knew that better than anybody.

I think Duran would have preferred to get KO'd rather than clowned.

 

Duran's defeat of Leonard earlier that year was a monumental effort, of the Joe Frazier W15 Muhammad Ali variety. It took so much mentally and physically to accomplish it, and I think it was too soon for Roberto to try and repeat the feat. Christ, the guy deserved an easy defense in there, something to stay active and close out a big year with, then come back the next summer and fight Ray again. Duran wasn't really up for the fight mentally, had been partying and celebrating his victory.
Leonard on the other hand was pumped, fiendishly focused on trying to win back the title and reestablish his reputation. And he would do whatever it took. Just like Ali held all night in the Frazier rematch, Leonard was looking to move and clown and not go toe to toe. And it worked.
I think Duran just didn't have what it took mentally to carry on in the fight. Rather than end up losing 117-113 with a swollen face, having been teased and taunted for twelve rounds, he just called it off.
I still shudder when I recall the next morning....I got up early, turned on the radio, flipped around to find a sports report....and heard this. I was devastated. I hated Leonard and wanting Duran to maul him again.

 

Ive always felt Duran felt like Leonard's taunting was sort of beneath him and felt like "to hell with this" turned and quit. I think in the split second after that he realized he had just made a monumental mistake but by then it was too late. Ive never really bought the argument that he was just getting beaten so bad or humiliated so bad that he quit like a coward. Maybe there is more to the story than all that but thats what Ive always felt. Definately one of the stranger boxer occurences in my lifetime, until the 90s rolled around and then they seemed to happen every week.

 

:good

 

"But do you know of anyone else who throws bolo punches during a fight?"


Ever heard of Kid Gavilan, goofball?

 

You nailed it. :good

 

Had he known there was no trilogy to complete, I'm not so sure it would've happened that way.

 

We'll never know for sure.

It is not unbelievable that something was physically wrong with Duran, even the rather embarrassing need for a bowel movement.

 

Did anyone watch the first fight?

I'm a huge Duran fan: was then, am now, will be forever, He's probably my favorite fighter to watch, ever.

But this "warrior's code" and "Duran thought taunting was cowardly" or "beneath him" ... watch the 15th round of the first fight. Duran taunted Leonard several times in several ways (and he also disengaged and walked away - literally turning his back once), including pointing at his chin and then shooting a jab (similar to Ray's fake bolo taunt).

Duran got payback. He tried to make a mockery of Leonard in that 15th round and I think Ray mentally ice-picked him for revenge.

 

Hmm l was going to reply then realized l was talking to an a$$hole.

 

I was thinking the same thing.