Defining Fights: Part 2- Duran, Leonard, Hearns
May 9th, 2010
By Klaas Mabetlela: Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns form part of the ‘fab’ four (fabulous four) that also included Marvelous Marvin Hagler. The four were responsible for the richest boxing era of the recent memory.
For most people, the issue of defining fights will be easy for these three because they fought each other and their defining fights were against each other. It is not as clear-cut and easy as that because sometimes, a loss gains more for a boxer than a win would ever manage. There are fights where there are no losers and I am not talking about drawn fights.
Duran was already great when he met Leonard having cleaned the lightweight division to such an extent that some consider him as the best lightweight of all-times. He entered the ring with a single loss in over 70 fights. However, he was jumping the Jr. Welterweight division to meet an unbeaten darling of the boxing world in Sugar Ray. Duran fought the fight of his life and won the fight. In the process, the fight defined Duran’s status as we know it today and even an ugly ‘no mas’ behavior in a return fight 5 months later would not tarnish that.
Sugar Ray lost the fight against Duran, but the manner in which he lost earned him more kudos that a win would have done. Firstly, Leonard was seen as a media creation by some, handsome, articulate and he transcended boxing even before he turned professional due to his gold medal performances during 1976 Olympics. He was also a slick boxer who used speed and prowess to win fights. To most, he was untested and too handsome to trade with the toughest boxers. That is exactly what he did in his fight with Duran.
Leonard abandoned his usual style and showed guts and determination of the highest order in the fight. He was rocked to his wits in the second round (remember Mosley/Mayweather) but his conditioning enabled him to recover and matched Duran in his own game. Leonard won more in that fight than all his fights before that. He showed that he was more than a pretty face and earned a respect of friends and foes alike.
Some people will rate Leonard’s come from behind stoppage of Thomas Hearns during their first fight in 1981 as his defining fight. Point taken, but everything Leonard showed in his fight with Hearns was first showcased in his first fight with Duran. He already passed the test when it comes to guts, willpower and determination of the highest order. In my book, Leonard’s fight with Thomas Hearns was the most impressive of his career but it is Duran’s fight that set a blueprint.
The same argument goes to Thomas Hearns who had many exciting fights especially against Pipino Cuevas and Roberto Duran both of whom were slaughtered in 2 rounds apiece. Most will rank his performance against Roberto Duran as his defining fight. I beg to differ. Yes, he bombarded Duran in 2 terrifying rounds in the best performance of his life. But that took place in 1994. His loss to Sugar Ray Leonard in 1981 defined what was to come and it built a blueprint of his ability in his game. The fight was of such magnitude that both earned over $17m, the largest purse of all sports at the time. Hearns was unbeaten at 32-0 with 30 knockouts and Leonard’s sole loss was against Duran.
The fight was billed a ‘Showdown’. Amazingly, the taller Hearns reverted to boxing and outboxed Leonard for 12 rounds before a combination of fatigue, inexperience and Leonard’s prowess caught up. Leonard was able to stop Hearns in the 14th round and won undisputed title. To me this fight was defining for Hearns because in a loss Hearns did something the world did not know, he altered his style and beat the master-boxer in his own game. He showed the side we did not know and in the process came out of Leonard’s fight with more respect and pedigree a win would arguably not garnered.
Tags: 12 Responses to “Defining Fights: Part 2- Duran, Leonard, Hearns”
Leave a Reply
please use above banner to link back to us!
Yeah please do. Pryor was not in the limelight because he was a bad man. Totally disrespected his opponents. He had something like 26 consectutive knockouts. He was a real champion in the respect that he had so many game plans to win a fight and a spirit and determination that has never been matched since.
iv not seen any of aron pryer al need to get a look
I love Sugar Ray but can never forgive him for ducking Aaron Pryor. We all know who the winner would have been!
iv read a fair bit about these guys and watched a fair bit of footage aswell even though they wer all great i think that hagler was the best of them all ,he won that sugar ray fight in a lot of people eyes aswell ,as for duran duran was amazing also ,but everyone knows how much he liked to party and eat and was a wild man so he just wasnt prepared mentally and physically some of the time ,,prob the best era in boxin im sure most would agree
Wow, an article about boxing not steroids?!
Duran is my all time favorite. His boxing ability is overlooked because he was so ferocious & hit so hard. But make no mistake, Duran was a master boxer. And Leonard showed he had a pair when he chose to go to war with Duran.
The 2nd fight, I really don’t give Sugar Ray a lot of credit (I know I’m looking to get flamed here)
There are interviews with Sugar Ray Leonard on YouTube discussing their strategy to get a rematch FAST. They knew Duran was a party animal & reports were Duran had blown up to over 200 pounds when he started training camp. Duran’s camp had to give him uppers for energy to train & downers so he could sleep. He simply was not ready, but that ain’t Leonard’s fault. However IMHO he didn’t really out box Duran, he ran around & acted goofy.
I also give a lot of credit to Angelo Dundee. He handled Ali so he not only knew how to handle a supremely talented boxer, he learned how to handle a STAR.
Hearn’s was from another planet. Like today’s Paul William’s physically but only…. Good? More than good, he was a KO machine. Yes, he KO’ed my guy Duran (a really ugly KO too) But it was 1994, Duran turned pro in 1968!
Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Duran and Benitez were not scared to face each other to prove who was the best of their era. How about today’s era? Sorry, they are arguing rather than actually fighting to see who is the best. But wait, they are not all facing each other either.
Let’s face it. Way back in the early days there was only one champ so to be the champ you had to beat the champ. In the late 60′s there were two titles but usually, after pressure the two guys would eventually meet to settle things.
In the mid 80′s they were three titles making it tough to see who was No 1. This became more muddled in the 90′s when WBO was finally accepted.
What makes it even more stupid is the fact that there is no consistency in the ratings. So guys who would not have been ranked in the top ten before the 60′s now gets to fight for a title. With the extra divisions this means there are more ex champs out there. Guys can claim they beat 20 world champs who in my opinion could not carry the jock straps of former contenders who never had a chance to fight in the waterdown world of today’s excess titles.
That is what further excacerbates the frustration of today’s fans. So many titles, so many meaningless defennces, greed, reluctance to face the best and costly supposedly mega fights that are really not mega fights. Gawd, I long for the old days when guys actually fought and did less talking.
Sure Ali talked but look at his resume!He faced every top ten fighter in his division. He would never accept that anyone was his equal nor would he allow tem to even say anything to that effect. he would do everything and anything to get them in the ring. Can you imagine him finding a dumb excuse not to face Frazier, Foreman or Liston? Can you imagine Sugar Ray finding a dumb excuse not to face Hearns, Hagler or Duran?
For you young people who love boxing, I say there are and will always be great fighters but today they are more in it for themselves and do not care if boxing dies when they are gone. If they cared about boxing and really wanted to see it better, they would be petitioning the commisions and world bodies to institute safety rules rather than trying to start their own. They would be asking for better pay, benefits and pesnions for the small pugs who do not make it big.
I know I have gone astray but I love boxing and really can’t stand what these young punks are doing to it. Without new fans it will go the way of the dinosaur and doo-doo bird! Duran, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler & Benitez were probably the last of the great multiple rivalries in a talented division. Due to the multiple titles and divisions today’s fighters can avoid facing the best while beating the same retreads while claiming to beat him worse than the other guy, like that means anything. Ali had a rough time with Norton, who was brutalized by Foreman who was ko-ed by Ali and whipped by Jimmy Young, who in turn was whipped by Norton. The key was they had losses because they fought each other rather than have fans debate who could win in an actual fight like we see each day on these sites. Who cares who wins? As fans we want to see great fights for our money!!!!
im a fm follower still waiting for his carrer defining fights since he has 3 or 4 fights left.
Or Joe Louis vs V.klichko, or R. Leonard vs. F. Mayweather, even Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson. I would have Love to see those!!!!!!!
D.ROTe
Comparing past and present fighters isniether here nor there.there is no way to tell who would have beaten who in thiere prime. biorythyms,daily complications can change things on the spot. A mental lapse etc etc.We will neverknow It is all contraversial hype.How about Tyson vs Klitschco in his prime? ask larry Holmes. Larry was not in his prime. Ali Holmes.,Ali not in his prime.Who thought BHop would lose to bad intentions.In his prime foreman,Hollyfield.Evander is seeing that he was or is a G. foreman.or is it the competition? Who knows?
what about Haglar vs hearns? now that was a real slugfest while it lasted.
I watched alot of Sugar Ray Leonard’s Boxing matches. He is def, 1 Boxer that I can say was 1 of the best in the sport…
He boxed anybody in he wt to prove he was the Best. There would be no dipn and dodgen fighter in his Suger’s time. Not like today boxer’s, who are scared to come in the squared ring like real champions……
Some of the most classic fights were produced by: Sugar Ray Leonard
Thanks 4 reading
D.ROTe
Really insightful article. Great read. I agree totally.