What 'No Mas' didn't tell you

The problem with this argument is this: Was he fighting a certifiable ATG in a back to back fight in those other instances? The blame is on Duran for his habits, I agree with you, but a habit is a habit. The affects of such behavior would not be as obvious when he takes a step down in competition the following fight.

So the fact that it didn't "seem" to affect him in other fights, doesn't mean that it did not affect him. The competition just wasn't on that SRL level, so Duran could coast on his natural ability, which would give the perception that his training habits were not a problem.

 

Yes he was doing it at lightweight but was he fighting a top 15 ATG at lightweight? He could probably beat many other fighters being at 70% but against leonard being at 99% of his capabilities might not have been enough

 

your argument falls apart from the simple fact that Sugar Ray Leonard clearly said that he wanted to rematch Duran at the right strategic time when Duran was overweight and out of shape, and he had planned this all along. Leonard (many years later in interviews) said that he sought this edge and it was documented coming from his mouth.

 

According to Hands of Stone, Eleta wanted the rematch right awa because he thought Duran was gonna party away millions so they made the rematch in fear Duran would implode before raking in several mil

 

:deal :good

 

yes everyone knows that...we get it you have watched the documentary
just because that was his plan, doesnt mean that duran was doomed from the start. there was no guarantee that duran was gonna be said over weight and not be able to perform. duran was 74-1 at the time and knows how to train and take off weight....this is old hat to him. just an excuse. he got clowned and quit because he had 7 rounds to go and was starting to get his ass handed to him.
this takes away nothing from Leonards victory :-(

 

The entire episode was a waste of time. They had a third fight in 89. Ridiculous how that is not mentioned. Seems like any demons or unfinished business would have been handled then.
Seems like nothing more than a money grab.

 

Just finished that book. Great read.

Seems like everybody was counting on Duran to **** up big right after his biggest victory.

Nothing but good strategy on Ray's part, but a bad call by Eleta in retrospect.

 

Dont know what the hell you're debating about when Leonard himself admits to hurrying up and getting the fight signed as soon as he could, knowing during that time that Duran had balooned up in weight and was still in party mode with the million he made fighting him.

It was a situation where Duran had allready gained weight and still had plenty of money in his pocket to party.

Leaonard himself has admitted it plenty of times, he made Duran an offer financially he could not refuse and he had to sign it now or the offer would be withdrawn.

I have no idea why Leonard would put it in those terms and admit to making that type of offer simply because they knew Duran was way out of shape. It certainly takes away from his victory by him saying that.


......and yes, Duran started training camp out of shape many times before the Leonard rematch, the difference is that he was'nt facing elite type opposition. He was'nt facing Leonard, Hagler, Hearns......he was'nt facing any top dog where he'd have to be an absolute supreme shape.


Duran never climbed a ring in better shape more than he was for that first Leonard fight.
Duran admits it in the 30:30, he hated Leonard with such a passion going into that fight that his mission was'nt to beat him but to break him in pieces.

Thats the type of hunger and hate Duran admits he had to beat Leonard that first time out and thats the type of training camp he put himself under for that fight, knowing that he wanted to destroy Leonard.

To think of beating a Leonard, you need to be in supreme shape. Cant go about it half ass and just get into appropriate shape.
Leonard certainly was in as good a shape for New Orleans that he was for Montrel. Duran simply was'nt.

 

:deal One thing that always got my attention was how Duran, a fighter that despised a goody goody like Leonard, reaches out to touch gloves with SRL in the rematch. Once he did that, you knew you weren't getting the same animal.

 

The third fight was meaningless. Neither fighter was prime.
Duran was 38 years old and Leonard was 5 years younger still with spring in his step.

Leonard still athletic, circled and ran from Duran the whole fight.
Leonard fought a cautious uneventful fight boring fight all the way through against a 38 year old way past his prime.

Duran in his mid to late 30's could'nt cut a ring off to save his life.
He was to slow with his feet and needed a fighter in front of him that wanted to fight.

Nobody mentions the 3rd fight, not even Leonard himself because outside that both got a good payday, legacy wise the fight means nothing.

 

Exactly! Duran came out for the first Leonard fight to destory.
He was a fighter possesed to dismantle Leonard at any cost.
When the final bell rang in Montreal Duran was still angry that Leonard was still vertical.

There was a rage in Duran that night in Montreal that no verson of Leonard would have beaten.

Imo, Leonard had to have been in the best shape he's ever been ever to survive vertical against Duran that night.

Duran was a demon quite possibly no welter in history may have contended with him that night. Leonard did great just to compete.
Signals to me just how good and tough Leonard really was.

 

Exactly my point. This documentary can be viewed the same way. meaningless.