leanords thoughts on duran

[shortright]

Got this from a boxing site thats is in the east

Jim Rome conducted a 30 minute interview segment with Leonard on his radio interview a few years back......they talked mainly on Leonard's career......The question was posed by Rome of who was the best fighter that he ever fought......Leonard did'nt hesitate, he anwered "Manos de Piedra", the Hands of Stone, Roberto Duran.....Leonard answered exactly as I just printed it.

Hearns was the most difficult style matchup for me, but Duran was the best!

Leonard talked fondly of Roberto Duran in that interview....as Leonard was describing the things Duran did to him in that fight in Montreal, (legal or otherwise ).....Leonard said, something to the effect of knowing what I know, I dont know that I would pick anybody in history to beat that Duran.

Rome then posed this question, The best ever Ray Leonard against the same Roberto Duran that beat you in Montreal???
There was a long pause by Leonard before he answered......Leonard finally said, "I'd like to think that I could have beat him. I think I could have had I fought a perfect game plan, but it would'nt have been easy.
Duran was just an unbelievable figher that night, it's just undescribeable....he was in a zone that few fighters in history ever get a chance to experience."
Any fighter is beatable, continued Leonard, but to beat Duran that night would have taken the perfect style and the execution of a perfect game plan!

[shortright]

danm only one veiw nobodys interested in the two best fighters of the past 30 years

[Left2body]

Its interesting, I didn't think he would say Duran for some reason. Its nice to see fighters give each other some respect after they have had tough battles. Frazier and Ali never can be quite coaxed into giving each other respect there seems to be a lot of animosity that still lingers there.

Glad to see these guys recognize that Duran and Leonard will always be connected.

[Not Monty]

Great fighter aside, Leonard, I think, did a good job selling himself as a nice guy when really he's always struck me as a huge, egotistical, manipulative *******. So, its nice to hear him give Duran some props, especially since their meetings caused such a cloud (a far too dark one in my opinion) on Duran's record. Definitely earns him more respect, as a man, in my eyes.

[shortright]

he shoul just be outright all the time though duran was in the michael jordan kind of zone that night only the best can do it, if hewas honest about the second fight all the time it would be better, in his heart he basically beleives that durans the best fighter that ever lived he jut said,knowng what i know, i think he beats anybody that ever lived, thats what he said

[Animal Squabbs]

good, what do all you Hagler fanatics say now?

[tito yuca]

Frazier and Ali never can be quite coaxed into giving each other respect there seems to be a lot of animosity that still lingers there.

Dude, right after the Thrilla in Manilla Ali said the biggest overstatement evr in regards to boxing (apart from some I've read here about Tony) "He's the greatest of all times right next to me" or some ****. But then again, he had just been given a terrible beating, so he was definitely not thinking right.

He also said that he was mad tough and ****. Whatever.

[Tha Greatest]

good, what do all you Hagler fanatics say now?

Hagler was way over the hill when he fought Leonard, ****tard.

[joeytrimble]

duran was something special ..a one of a kind ..the joe louis of the lightweights ..the total package of brutality defense offense with just the right mix of class not to much not to little

[Shanus]

Hagler was way over the hill when he fought Leonard, ****tard.

That's pushing it a bit too far, he wasn't the same as he was in the late 70's/early 80's, but he was still a terrific fighter.. similar to how Hopkins is now, he's not the fighter he was 5 years ago, but still one of the best.