By Mark Vester
In a recent interview with Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, hall of fame boxer Roberto Duran denied ever using the words "no mas" in his famous rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard on November 25, 1980, in the Louisiana Superdome.
Duran, who won 103 bouts and stopped 70 opponents while winning four major world titles, still has the rematch with Leonard - labeled by boxing historians and writers as the "No Mas fight," hanging over his head.
"There are a lot of things that happened in that fight. After that, I won two world titles, and that's what I should be known for," Duran said.
After Duran handed Leonard the first loss of his pro career, the two fighters would met five months later. In the rematch, Leonard dominated Duran with rapid punches and quick movement. During the domination, Leonard was taunting Duran and toying with him in the ring. In the eight round, Duran turned to referee Octavio Meyran, said something, turned back to his corner and Leonard won the contest by TKO.
While Duran would not reveal the words he used, he said they were not "no mas." Duran said that he was having bad stomach cramps immediatley following the fight. Duran said that it was Howard Cosell, who was calling the action of the bout, that used the words "no mas," and the words seemed to stick.
Boxing historian Bert Sugar said that Sugar Ray Leonard told him during a phone interview that he never heard Duran use the words "no mas."
"Leonard went out there to psychologically fight him, and it worked," Sugar said. "Duran had a clown in the ring with him. He came there to fight, and he was like, 'What the hell is this? I came here to fight, and if you're not fighting, I'm not fighting.' Duran wasn't giving up. What he was doing was telling Leonard, 'Go away – you're bothering me.' It's really unfair to Duran. It's just one point in his career. Forever, it will be known as the 'No Mas' fight, no matter how many times he says he never said it."