LEONARD-DURAN LET HOWARD COSELL BUILD THE FIGHT
San Francisco, CA– Still only 24, Ray Leonard was 27-0, with 18 KOs. Fast and flashy, the African American Leonard, the Olympic champion would prove that he wasn’t afraid of a motivated and 100% in shape Roberto Duran who was now 29 years of age with a record of 72-1, 55 KOs. ABC and Howard Cosell, the network and commentator being the true catalysts of boxing at this time, Howard visited both fighters prior to the fight and it was televised the weekend prior. The fight would be shown live on Closed Circuit TV in movie houses and auditoriums around the country and world. This was pay per view 1980s style. ABC did buy rights to the replay that same weekend on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
REFEREE PADILLA LET GUYS FIGHT
This was a cold night in Montreal as Duran came to the ring with Ray Arcel, Freddie Brown and the infamous Panama Lewis in tow. A few minutes later, Leonard came to the ring in front of 46,300+ fans. Pre fight instructions were intense as Duran was trying to break Leonard down emotionally before the opening bell. Ray, after looking at Duran once simply would not make eye contact with Roberto as referee Carlos Padilla explained the rules.
STADIUM ALMOST SILENT FOR OPENING BELL
The first round was what the fight would be, Duran stalking and Leonard trying to get enough room to punch as Roberto was on him and hurling bombs. In round two, Duran set a tone that I don’t think Leonard, although fighting valiantly, ever imagined as he was all but dropped by a left hook in the center of the ring. Ray retreated to the ropes as Duran was both out punching and out boxing the boxer.
DURAN STAYED IN GROOVE FOR MOST PART
Roberto hurt Ray in round three and four, this time with right hand leads. With Duran rolling on all eight cylinders, Leonard had to make a statement or he was going to crumble as Robert was landing blows that lumped up both Ray’s face and torso. A mid-rounds rally of sorts kept Leonard in the fight. But down the stretch, that timed right hand lead would time and again land cleanly.
ITALIAN JUDGE VOTES TEN ROUNDS EVEN!
Not looking for a KO, Duran was looking to humiliate Leonard and win on points. Down the stretch, knowing he was ahead, way ahead I thought, Duran mocked Leonard at will. This almost cost Duran the fight as one judge had it 3-2, yes three rounds to two for Duran with ten rounds even made Angelo Poletti’s card read 148-147 after 15 rounds. Ray Baldeyrou and Harry Gibbs scored the fight 146-144 and 145-144 for Duran.
POST FIGHT IN RING RAMPAGE
After Duran won the fight, he went nuts. Running over to Bob Arum and Wilfred Benitez who were seated in the first row together, he grabbed his groin area and called Wilfred a punk. Already a hero in Panama, Duran was to his country what the mighty Manny Pacquiao today is to the Philippines.
FIGHT DIVIDED ON RACIAL LINES
When it came to whom the fans wanted to win. In the United States the fight was split in that Blacks were backing “Sugar Ray” and Hispanics/Latinos were betting Roberto. White guys were split. Of all the closed circuit fights I attended, there was never one where betting in the crowd was so previlent. As for the people in Canada, Duran had won them over pre-fight and that continued throught the 15 rounds. It was without question Duran’s finest moment, and in a strange way, it may have been Ray’s as well.
Pedro Fernandez