Leonard/Duran: Who beat the better fighters?

[Anthony342]

The Donny LaLonde fight.....I honestly though Leonard bit off more than he could chew in that fight. The weight killed Donny. I use to have the cardboard cutout poster for the fight from my father's bar. I remember it well. Coors extra gold was the sponsor

I believe Vince McMahon and the WWF co-promoted the fight as well. I remember seeing ads for it during the first Summerslam PPV in 1988.

[JAB5239]

I believe Vince McMahon and the WWF co-promoted the fight as well. I remember seeing ads for it during the first Summerslam PPV in 1988.

That would be new and interesting information for me that I either didn't know or don't remember. I do remember I had started fighting a few months earlier and as we watched we watched the fight a few of the bartenders we're goofing on me because I was bobbing and weaving the whole time not even realizing it.

[Anthony342]

That would be new and interesting information for me that I either didn't know or don't remember. I do remember I had started fighting a few months earlier and as we watched we watched the fight a few of the bartenders we're goofing on me because I was bobbing and weaving the whole time not even realizing it.

Yep. Leonard even mentioned it in the episode of ESPN Ringside they did on him when the Lalonde fight came up. Any idea who the main promoters were though?

[JAB5239]

Yep. Leonard even mentioned it in the episode of ESPN Ringside they did on him when the Lalonde fight came up. Any idea who the main promoters were though?

According to wikipedia, and I don't know this is factual, Leonard and LaLonde copromoted it with Coors brewing company.

[Anthony342]

According to wikipedia, and I don't know this is factual, Leonard and LaLonde copromoted it with Coors brewing company.

That's pretty cool. I remember their slogan was "It's the right beer now", I guess it was the right beer company then too.

[them_apples]

Both Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran are all time greats and are widely respected. But which beat the greater fighters? Duran's career is exceptional and lasted 33 years. Leonard's career wasn't nearly as long in number of fights but was certainly just as exceptional. Which great beat the better fighters?

Duran's 5 best wins: Leonard, DeJesus, Buchanan, Cuevas and Barkley.

Leonard's 5 best wins: Hearns, Duran, Hagler, Benitez and Kalule.

Vote and discuss.

Duran jumping up and schooling palomino was a pretty good win

[them_apples]

I would favor Pryor over Floyd. But Aaron was never in Leonard's leave in my opinion. To small.

Aaron would outwork Mayweather in my opinion because Floyd couldn't hurt him. Leonard could hurt him without a doubt in my opinion.

there was an old sparring article on the 2 and apparently Leonard did hurt him

[The Old LefHook]

Most of Leonard's top wins were controversial, most of Duran's were not. Even the Benitez fight should not have been stopped. The Duran win was over a fat, hurried Duran who wasn't even in shape. Leonard has got the names all right. But when you inspect close, he did the minimum necessary to be classed with ATGs. He made it, but the man was not exactly6 eager to fight other greats more than once, unless it was to avenge a loss.

[shza]

Duran by the narrowest of margins... Both of them have a top-10 ATG victory (Duran-SRL I and SRL-Hearns I) and Ray has the better scalps (Duran, Benitez, Hagler, Hearns), but as others have noted, the Hagler and Duran II wins were hardly definitive. Duran doesn't have the names, but he has more quality wins because had the longer, more active career. Easy to forget, but Buchanan, Cuevas, and Palomino are HOF guys... Marcel, De Jesus & Barkley are a notch below but were still A level fighters in their day.

Had the technology existed to repair Ray's detached retina back in the 80s, it would probably be Leonard by a mile though.

[QueensburyRules]

Duran by the narrowest of margins... Both of them have a top-10 ATG victory (Duran-SRL I and SRL-Hearns I) and Ray has the better scalps (Duran, Benitez, Hagler, Hearns), but as others have noted, the Hagler and Duran II wins were hardly definitive. Duran doesn't have the names, but he has more quality wins because had the longer, more active career. Easy to forget, but Buchanan, Cuevas, and Palomino are HOF guys... Marcel, De Jesus & Barkley are a notch below but were still A level fighters in their day.

Had the technology existed to repair Ray's detached retina back in the 80s, it would probably be Leonard by a mile though.

- -Was it Duran or Hearns who detached the infamous Ray retina?