The Duran that beat Leonard and Palimino

[them_apples]

srl was a boxer puncher. He destroyed benitez this way and everyone else up until that point. A better point is duran was so fast that night he was able to fight his fight. Ray didn't plod around flat footed.

Ray did fight his fight, and got wooped. He then realized you can't out fight everyone, and started learning to stay away from the most dangerous foes. That being said, he wouldn't have beat the best duran. Not all of the work duran did was inside, he was countering him at range and had ray scared to throw, in fact most of the shots ray landed that night were inside shots.

In the second fight it was clear roberto didn't bring the same engine and ray was able to do his thing, but realistically, prime for prime duran got the win.

[f15bone]

You go too far as well...

Leonard v Benitez hardly qualifies as a destruction....

Leonard got "whooped" in the first fight with Duran but Roberto can get smacked around & quit & thats cool?

So in the first fight Duran was in his prime with a huge motor....but a few months ( at the ripe old age of 29 ) later he's over the hill with no energy....LOL

Ok....

[bklynboy]

The truth of the matter is that Leonard could have fought any way he liked. Duran had the skills and determination to adapt and win.

They forget that against any other opponent Leonard would have won by KO or convincing points margin. He fought like a tiger and silenced those doubters who considered him all "showbiz" and no substance.

I don't know how many times he ratcheted up the pressure on Duran thinking he would crack. He was still doing it at the end of the fight but no matter how high he pushed his performance Duran just kept on stepping higher.

THAT is the truth about the first fight. Not this pro-Leonard mythology which has Ray foolishly gifting Duran victory.

I was a big Duran fan going into that fight. In fact I literally bet my last dollars on him. But SRL made a believer of me after that fight.

[rightsideup]

You go too far as well...

Leonard v Benitez hardly qualifies as a destruction....

Leonard got "whooped" in the first fight with Duran but Roberto can get smacked around & quit & thats cool?

So in the first fight Duran was in his prime with a huge motor....but a few months ( at the ripe old age of 29 ) later he's over the hill with no energy....LOL

Ok....

The second fight saw a fighter going in to an elite level fight without doing the proper preparation while the other did both physically, tactically and mentally. The result of the second fight forever hurt the legacy of Duran although some latter wins went towards rebuilding it. Ray Leonard's legacy is enhanced by both fights.

[billeau2]

You go too far as well...

Leonard v Benitez hardly qualifies as a destruction....

Leonard got "whooped" in the first fight with Duran but Roberto can get smacked around & quit & thats cool?

So in the first fight Duran was in his prime with a huge motor....but a few months ( at the ripe old age of 29 ) later he's over the hill with no energy....LOL

Ok....

That second fight was close when Duran quit, I actually seem to remember some had him leading. So we know that for whatever reason Duran did what he did, it was not because he was unable. If you are implying that Duran was getting whooped, you have your own deep end. Yes on the Leonard benitez fight. As a matter of fact a trained and ready benitez would have most certainly fought better.

[Mugwump]

I was a big Duran fan going into that fight. In fact I literally bet my last dollars on him. But SRL made a believer of me after that fight.

What surprised me in the first fight was just how NASTY Leonard could crank it up to. Considering he was always regarded as a "pretty boy" it came as a shock to recognise he possessed a real streak of sadism.

Unluckily for Leonard, that evening he was facing the Marquis de Sart of Boxing.

[them_apples]

You go too far as well...

Leonard v Benitez hardly qualifies as a destruction....

Leonard got "whooped" in the first fight with Duran but Roberto can get smacked around & quit & thats cool?

So in the first fight Duran was in his prime with a huge motor....but a few months ( at the ripe old age of 29 ) later he's over the hill with no energy....LOL

Ok....

Stopping someone via beat down is destruction in my book.

Duran saying no Mas in a fight that was even? He wasn't in shape. Srl even said he would make the fight asap because he knew duran blew up in between fights.

Doesnt change the fact that prime for prime duran beat him.

[Mugwump]

I think it's fair to say that whilst Duran's actions in the second fight reflected incredibly badly on him - his Herculean achievement in the former has largely been de-emphasized in favour of a narrative which asserts Leonard "threw it away".

Of course, I doubt whether this story holds throughout the boxing world. It would be interesting to know how both fights are perceived outside the Anglo-Saxon/English speaking nations.

[billeau2]

I agree that Duran's accomplishment is minimized while Sugar Ray gets an "excuse card" for when Duran beat him....Anyone who knows Sugar Ray Leonard's character and ways would instantly laugh at how ridiculous the notion is that he decided to fight Duran's fight because it was "sporting." Leonard wanted to win fights so much it was palpable and he was a competitor who would use any advantage to do so! If somebody had told Leonard the night before the Duran fight the only way he could beat hands of stone was to cut his balls off we would have castrato recordings of his great opera voice!!!! if you catch my drift....

It was ironickly enough much more in Duran's character, steeped in the proud hispanic machismo tradition to try to psychologiclly own an opponent by beating the opponent at his own game....and Duran knew better than to try that stunt on Leonard because like Leonard Duran liked most to have his hand raised.

[GOD-FR33]

I agree that Duran's accomplishment is minimized while Sugar Ray gets an "excuse card" for when Duran beat him....Anyone who knows Sugar Ray Leonard's character and ways would instantly laugh at how ridiculous the notion is that he decided to fight Duran's fight because it was "sporting." Leonard wanted to win fights so much it was palpable and he was a competitor who would use any advantage to do so! If somebody had told Leonard the night before the Duran fight the only way he could beat hands of stone was to cut his balls off we would have castrato recordings of his great opera voice!!!! if you catch my drift....

It was ironickly enough much more in Duran's character, steeped in the proud hispanic machismo tradition to try to psychologiclly own an opponent by beating the opponent at his own game....and Duran knew better than to try that stunt on Leonard because like Leonard Duran liked most to have his hand raised.

SRL was a winner. PERIOD. That's what "sports" are all about. How you win, doesn't matter; just win. People can make excuses and ponder why Duran said no mas but he had never said no mas before. If he didn't take Ray seriously, that's his own fault. He said immediately after the first fight that he knew a rematch would happen. So, why didn't he watch his weight in between fights? Discipline, that's why. SRL was a SERIOUS fighter who you didn't have to tell this to. He knew to stay in shape in between fights and not blow up. It's common sense for a fighter to do that, if they want to maintain their level. Nomatter what Duran showed up in the rematch, he wasn't beating Ray. Ray was a better overall fighter than Duran ever was. He could do more in the ring.