Is it just me or was Sugar Ray Leonard scared to fight Roberto Duran in their second fight?

Question

I mean the first fight was a real war and Duran was simply too hard and rugged and Leonard proved himself to be a weak inneffective puncher.
But the second fight I feel Leonard was hitting and running all the time. I like to see boxing skills which Leonard undoubtedly had but I believe Leonard was scared to fight because of the mauling he got in the first fight, so he just ran all through the fight. I mean if I wanted to see a ballet dancer I would go to the ballet, not a boxing match!
Basically the boxing fans across the world were denied a proper fight because of Leonards fear of his opponent.

Answer 1

Yes, thats why Duran said"no mas!" because he was tired of chasing around a chicken Sugar Ray Leonard who was just dancing around and trying to get a decision victory.

Answer 2

In the first fight Duran imposed his will on Leonard and was in good condition. He also got into Leonard's head saying things about his wife and being mean and intimidating which was always his style. Leonard fought the wrong kind of fight the first time trying to slug it out with him. In the second fight Leonard just boxed him and frustrated the out of shape Duran forcing him to quit because he knew he was going to lose that night. I'm not a big Leonard fan but he was better than Duran that night and better prepared the second time.

Answer 3

Leonard did what was necessary in the second fight to beat Duran. If he stood toe to toe and fought on the inside with Duran as he did during the first fight he would have lost the second fight. He frustrated Duran so much with his hit and run tactics that Duran quit. "No mas". If you're able to watch tape of that fight you'll see that Leonard did more punching than you're giving him credit for. Hey I'm not a Leonard fan either, but you got to give the man his due.

Answer 4

No, he wasn't scared. Sugar Ray Leonard wasn't scared of anyone. Hey, he fought all the best during his career and ducked no one. It's just that Leonard was a boxer in the mold of Ali who loved to move around the ring, sticking jabs and firing combinations while constantly dancing around. That's his style. But I tell you, he could slug it out with anyone when necessary. He did that in both his first bouts against Duran and Hearns. Contrary to your assessment, in the first Duran fight, Leonard didn't get mauled. Duran simply outpunched Leonard to a unanimous but close decision. In the second fight, I think Sugar Ray just had to change strategy and do what he does best, that is, box from the distance, in order to reclaim his title. I don't think that's fear but rather smartness.

Answer 5

I have to agree with the others in this and I don't know what your talking about. He changed his tactics somewhat and gave Roberto a sound thrashing and boxing lesson. It was one of the better turn around matches that I ever saw compared to the first fight. He was in Durans face most the night and made him quit because Roberto didn't want to get smacked around any more. I really don't think you know a good boxing match if you saw it. Sugar Ray is a master at boxing. You are not.

Answer 6

You got it all wrong. The first fight Duran pyched Leonard into a slug fest macho type fight inwhich Ray lost. The second fight Ray made Duran look stupid by boxing him and causing to quit. Think about it if he was truly scared he would not have taken the rematch. Sugar Ray was one of the smartest boxers of all time and had one of the biggest hearts. He used brains and strategy in the second fight.

Answer 7

Lets not forget that Duran did not come into the fight in fighting shape. He quit in the middle of the fight (this was the "no mas" fight). I think Leonard simply changed his strategy to one that would be more beneficial to him. It happens in rematches all the time, the second fight usually doesn't live up to the first fight (if the first fight was a war) because both fighters know each other better and have made changes in strategy.

Answer 8

The reason Leonard lost the first fight was because he DIDN'T stick and move. The 2nd fight wasn't a case of fear, but Leonard sticking to his fight plan. It worked because Duran got so frustrated by it he just up and quit.

Answer 9

You got in all wrong my man. Leonard was not afraid of Duran in their second fight, actually it was quite the opposite he knew exactly how to beat Duran and he played one of my all time favorites like a fiddle.

You might not be able to remember but one of Roberto's biggest advantages was he could get in the other fighters head and intimidate them and Leonard himself has admitted that Duran got in his head in their first fight. Duran talked about Leonard's wife. He questioned Leonard's manhood. He spit on Leonard at a press conference. He would be at a interview for the fight with Leonard and he would just stare at Leonard with those piercing eyes. It was a head game and Duran clearly won.

Duran turned the first fight into a street fight. He made Leonard fight a fight he could never win. Roberto took Leonard completely out of his style and made him fight like he never fought before and Leonard was out of his comfort zone the whole fight.

Leonard did run and run a lot in their second fight, stick and move, frustrating a mad and very slow Duran. Leonard fought the perfect fight against Duran. In Roberto's mind he thought he could just beat Leonard up like he did the first time. Leonard had other plans.

Thanks for the question.

Answer 10

Sugar Ray wasn't scared. He knew that Duran would come into that fight overweight and it would work to his advantage. Duran had a history of going into rematch fights overweight.