Leonard–Durán II

Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán II, also known as the No Más Fight, is one of the most famous fights in boxing history. Taking place on November 25, 1980 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, United States it was the second of three bouts between the pair. It gained its famous appellation in the end of the eighth round when Durán turned away from Leonard, towards the referee and quit by saying "No más" (Spanish for "No more").

Pre-Fight

Their first fight took place on June 20, 1980 in Montreal. Leonard was defending the WBC Welterweight Championship for the second time. Durán was the WBC #1 welterweight contender.

Leonard abandoned his usual slick boxing style and stood flat-footed with Durán. Leonard, angry with Durán over his numerous insults, wanted to beat Durán at his own game. The tactic resulted in a great fight but a losing effort. Durán won by decision. The scores were 147-147, 145-144, and 146-144. The bitter words between the two fighters, coupled with the close result, virtually guaranteed a rematch.

The Fight

The rematch took place November 25, 1980 at the Superdome in New Orleans. Leonard used his superior speed and movement to outbox and befuddle Durán. "The whole fight, I was moving, I was moving," Leonard said. "And Voom! I snapped his head back with a jab. Voom! I snapped it back again. He tried to get me against the ropes, I'd pivot, spin off and Pow! Come under with a punch."

In Round 7, Leonard started to taunt Durán. Leonard's most memorable punch came late in the round. Winding up his right hand, as if to throw a bolo punch, Leonard snapped out a left jab and caught Durán flush in the face.

In the closing seconds of the eighth round, Durán turned his back to Leonard and quit, waving his glove and saying to referee Octavio Meyran, "No Más" ("no more" in Spanish). Leonard was the winner by a technical knockout at 2:44 of Round 8, regaining the WBC Welterweight Championship. Leonard led by a small margin of 68-66, 68-66 and 67-66 on the judges scorecards at the time of the TKO.^[1]

Post-Fight

Durán claimed that he quit because of stomach cramps, which started to bother him in the fifth round. He said the cramps occurred because he took off weight too quickly, then ate too much after the morning weigh-in, but his manager, Carlos Eleta, said Durán always ate that way before a fight. "Durán didn't quit because of stomach cramps," Eleta said. "He quit because he was embarrassed."

Durán's stature in his home country, Panama, took a dramatic dive after the fight. The immediate reaction was shock, followed by anger. Within hours, commercials featuring Durán (in both Panama and the United States) were ordered off the air.^[2] It took almost three years before people started to forgive him.

On June 16, 1983, Durán's 32nd birthday, he knocked out undefeated Davey Moore in the eighth round to win the WBA Junior Middleweight Championship. In Panama, there was rejoicing in the streets.^[3]

Leonard and Durán fought a third and final time on December 7, 1989 in Las Vegas, with Leonard retaining the WBC Super Middleweight Championship in a lopsided twelve-round unanimous decision.^[4]

References