What if: Duran .Vs. Leonard II Continued?

I AGREE TOTALLY WITH THAT statement

all leonard was doing for the most part was moving and clowning around. he wasn't hitting roberto duran at will. I reckon the duran of montreal would of nicked a decision against the leonard of new orleans. Leonard was showboating too much.

 

No. Leonard was ahead on all three. One judge only had Leonard one point ahead, the others had bigger margins, but I don't know exactly by how much.

 

Well, he was only showboating during the 7th and 8th rounds. Moving, fienting, and keeping your distance isn't showboating. Thats defensive awareness. But Leonard wasn't busy enough. I'm not saying he should have threw 60-70 punches a round, but his workrate and overall effort was mainly done with his feet rather than his hands.

Apart from the flurries off the ropes and the ocassional jab, the only power punch Leonard landed was a lead right hand during the 2nd round. Apart from that the only power punches he landed was the body assualt when Duran turned away during the 8th.

 

But don't forget that Duran wasn't too active either.

 

Leonard was never going to lose this fight.

 

Yeah, but Leonard had the ideal plan to catch Duran as he was coming towards him, but never done it enough IMO. Duran never put anywhere near the same amount of pressure on as he had done in Montreal. Leonard's strategy obviously offset Duran's aggression and at the same time made him more cautious. It takes two to tangle as they say.

All I'm saying is that Leonard's movement and ring generalship were the perfect platform to showcase his skills to an even higher degree than he showed. But he decided to play defense for the vast majority of the fight. I'm not saying Leonard should have simply stood flat-footed more often, but he should have been a bit more authoritive and busier with his hands.

He could have and should have dominated Duran beyond any doubt, not just by winning the rounds, but how much he dominated them. He made some rounds close as he wasn't busy enough as Duran's half hearted attacks and aggression made the rounds closer than they should have been.

 

There's two contrasting mythologies that have sprung up around No Mas. On the one hand, you have the Duran apologists making excuses for Duran's surrender. There is none. He disgraced himself, his country, the sport, and his opponent.

The other mythology began in the mind of Dundee and spread to the ends of the earth by a supportive media. The "Ray Leonard Public Relations Team" is a good one. Let's not forget that Leonard was America's Darling -the golden child who was given the sacred mantle of Muhammad (Ali). That mythology is that the Ray Leonard of New Orleans would humiliate and defeat any version of Duran. But it is just too simple. And I would argue that it is downright naive.

Here are facts:
1. Leonard and Mike Trainer schemed to get Duran in the ring 5 months after Montreal knowing well that Duran was a glutton who would not be in the shape he was.

2. Leonard's strategy simply made it easy to cope with an out-of-shape Duran -stay away, jab, and pot shot. Duran was about 40% of what he was 5 months earlier. It was like someone bumrushed him off of the dinner table, fed him diarretics, and threw him glassy eyed into the ring. Duran was a fool. And I'll say that his manager is also culpable for getting green-eyed and not stalling Leonard for another 2 months. Duran could not beat Leonard unless he was absolutely at his very best -and then barely.

3. Arcel and Brown were prepared for Leonard's mobile strategy in the first bout. That was the expectation.

Here's what I find clear:
Leonard's decision to set down on his shots was a surprise and I would assert that it was an unexpected surprise, Duran's calling Ms. Leonard a "puta" notwithstanding.

Ironically enough, Leonard's decision to set down more and use his arms more than his legs made it harder for Duran -Leonard can hit and he can hit fast. Duran was rushing Leonard in Montreal and was able to get in whether or not Leonard was moving. Leonard was simply not as dangerous or as offensively effective in the rematch -Duran made him look like Rembrandt because he was about as simple and stationary as a canvas.

 

Acording to boxrec for what it is worth Leonard was up 68-66, 68-66 , 67-66. It is possible that Duran could have won but I think it is unlikely.

 

If Duran hadn't quit, I'm certain the bout would have gone 15 rounds and Leonard would have won comfortably. Unanimous decision for Leonard. It just wasn't destined to be one of Roberto's better nights.

 

i think it was pretty clear that leonard was gonna win going away... i don't think i've ever seen a fighter just be plain more ANNOYING than leonard was in that fight... (i think it's safe to say that when he wanted to be, leonard could be the most annoying fighter in the history of the sport)
i take duran's quitting at face value, i just think he was so annoyed he couldn't take it anymore... remember in the interviews immediately after the fight, he said he was done

 

I agree with all of this.

Boxing was in trouble after this fight and the media had to scratch around to find a way to sell the fight and the fighters. Leonard was the hero of the nation and the boxing world. The myth that this proves Leonard would always win was put together to cover up the shame of the whole spectacle.

Sometimes people think of leonard as some kind of welterweight Ali or even a Whittaker. But he was always an aggressive fighter. He could fight in many different styles but his favourite was to set his fight and fire his combinations.

In the second fight and in the Hagler fight, Leonard often just circles and circles without doing anything

 

Hamed!

Very good post, Stonehands. I both agree and disagree with the points you make, but either way, interesting take.

 

Duran was sloppy but it was close. He had a chance to pull out a decision if they were going to give him credit for agression.

 

For aggression that didn't do anything at all. No way the fight deserved to be close on the cards. Leonard was in complete control and lost only a few rounds.