Duran’s share of purse held up

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 38

Duran’s share of purse held up

NZPA-Reuter New Orleans After a 25-minute closed-door meeting, the Louisiana State Athletic Commission voted unanimously last night to hold up Roberto Duran’s share of the purse in the world welterweight championship rematch at New Orleans with Sugar Ray Leonard.

The commission’s chairman Mr Emile Bruneau, ordered that Duran be examined by a physician today. “We have a duty to protect the public. The fight ended with a lot of questions,” Mr Bruneau said.

Leonard reclaimed the World Boxing Council

welterweight championship when Duran asked that the fight be stopped at 2.44 into the eighth round. Asked why the investigation was ordered, Mr Bruneau replied: “You saw what happened out there. We just wan t to know why it happened.”

Mr Bruneau said in the post-fight news conference that Duran said he asked for the fight to be stopped because of cramps. But Mr Bruneau said that Mr Arcel, Duran’s trainer, had mentioned an arm problem suffered by the champion. There were also unconfirmed reports that Duran had suffered a dislocated

shoulder during the right. The commissioner, Mr Jerry White, said he had had some complaints immediately after the fight. “We have to have some kind of explanation,” Mr White said. “Some people paid $lOOO to watch this and don’t know what happened.”