What Could Have Duran Done To Beat Leonard?

[iamboxing]

I was watching a documentary recently about Duran's second fight with Leonard in which he says that by the 8th round he knew he'd never catch him.

Does this mean SRL's style always beats Duran's 9/10 and Duran was just lucky in the first fight? How do you immobilise someone like Leonard...what if Duran had not quit, what if he'd stopped chasing Leonard and fought more tactically?

[Ray Corso]

Duran got the deal far sooner than he thought and was far over weight by then. He spent the majority of his camp concerned with making 147 instead of training for Leonard's style.
Duran ballooned at that time and went up in weight far to much.
Duran as a lightweight could blow up to 175-80 if he had a chance to. Arcel and management tried to keep dates in front of him as a lightweight so his time spent on stripping pounds was limited.
After Durans loss to Leonard his team was disassembled and a big part of any successful fighters career is his personal trainers and spar partners!
Duran was like any other poor kid who earned millions, he was a jackazz! I can't recall any champion other than Archie Moore who knew how to save a buck.

Ray

[The Old LefHook]

He could have asked for an 8x8 ring.

[rightsideup]

Duran got the deal far sooner than he thought and was far over weight by then. He spent the majority of his camp concerned with making 147 instead of training for Leonard's style.
Duran ballooned at that time and went up in weight far to much.
Duran as a lightweight could blow up to 175-80 if he had a chance to. Arcel and management tried to keep dates in front of him as a lightweight so his time spent on stripping pounds was limited.
After Durans loss to Leonard his team was disassembled and a big part of any successful fighters career is his personal trainers and spar partners!
Duran was like any other poor kid who earned millions, he was a jackazz! I can't recall any champion other than Archie Moore who knew how to save a buck.

Ray

I wonder if because success coming latter financially in Archie's career he had more of an appreciation for the value of a dollar

[ruedboy]

Leonard was flying in the 2nd fight. There was no way he was engaging with Duran so he made the fight a track meet.
Duran had no respect for Ray and thought he was being a clown.
Instead of letting Leonard psych him out , Duran could have been more patient, cut off the ring and gone to the body.
I think Duran felt people would agree that Ray's tactics weren't "macho" and so it was ok for him to refuse to continue.
Duran was wrong about that, but Ray did look more terrified than terrible. lol

[Joe Beamish]

The Duran of the second fight was substandard. That's his own fault. Even so, he was doing respectably well against one of the greatest welterweights in history.

Luck had nothing whatsoever to do with Duran's victory in the first fight. That was sheer boxing genius, experience and tons of heart. He was an extremely talented dude.

[Dc9140]

He could of never beaten SRL on that night because SRL was just running around the ring.You cant really beat a guy that who doesnt want to fight.

[iamboxing]

He could of never beaten SRL on that night because SRL was just running around the ring.You cant really beat a guy that who doesnt want to fight.

This is what I thought. As much as I respect SRL, it was clear he was just relying on running and frustrating Duran which isn't honourable in my book unless you're hurting the guy or at least firing and outboxing him. It looked pot shotting and weak. I don't know...I like them both..just wish SRL brought it more than night

[billeau2]

Leonard was flying in the 2nd fight. There was no way he was engaging with Duran so he made the fight a track meet.
Duran had no respect for Ray and thought he was being a clown.
Instead of letting Leonard psych him out , Duran could have been more patient, cut off the ring and gone to the body.
I think Duran felt people would agree that Ray's tactics weren't "macho" and so it was ok for him to refuse to continue.
Duran was wrong about that, but Ray did look more terrified than terrible. lol

Wow! that is quite an interesting idea. Very creative and distinctly possible. I never thought of it that way...Duran thinking "ahh ya know, man its getting hard to chase this guy and the fans will see that he is running and not hold it against me."

Certainly Duran. being fatigued and run down didn't have another voice saying "are you sure of this Roberto?" lol. Or as Patton said "fatigue makes cowards of us all."

[ShoulderRoll]

Leonard was flying in the 2nd fight. There was no way he was engaging with Duran so he made the fight a track meet.
Duran had no respect for Ray and thought he was being a clown.
Instead of letting Leonard psych him out , Duran could have been more patient, cut off the ring and gone to the body.
I think Duran felt people would agree that Ray's tactics weren't "macho" and so it was ok for him to refuse to continue.
Duran was wrong about that, but Ray did look more terrified than terrible. lol

I'm not buying it. In the Latino machismo culture quitting is the ultimate sin.

Duran knew that as well as anyone.