Leonard dances to victory

Press, 9 December 1989, Page 96

Leonard dances to victory

NZPA-Reuter Las Vegas Mr Sugar Ray Leonard danced and Roberto Duran mostly watched as Leonard retained his World Boxing Council super middleweight title with a unanimous points decision yesterday. The rubber match between the two fighters, anticipated for nine years, was loudly booed by many in the crowd of 16,000 in the outdoor stadium at the new Mirage hotel, in Las Vegas. Duran failed to pressure the American, allowing him to hit and run throughout the 12-round fight. Duran was seeking to avenge the shame of the infamous “no mas” fight in 1980 when he quit in the eighth round against Leonard. Duran did not quit this time, but he did not fight either. The only visible damage inflicted by the Panamanian was a cut alongside Leonard’s right eye, which appeared to have

been caused by a right hand from Duran in the eleventh round. Blood oozed out almost immediately and continued again in the final round.

But Duran, aged 38, inexplicably, did not pursue Leonard even though he had to know he was far behind on points. Leonard, aged 33, said the cut was caused by a head butt. “My legs were in great shape. I did not let the crowd sway me,” said Leonard, apparently referring to the chants of the crowd for Duran in the second and fifth rounds. There was no “no mas" this time around for Duran. But the refrain afterward from the four-time champion was familiar. “Leonard didn’t come to fight, he came to run,” he said. “He was just running around out there.” Unlike nine years ago in New Orleans, Duran stayed until the end of the fight. But just like the bout in New Orleans, Duran came out on the losing end against a boxer who would not do what Duran wanted to do: stand and fight.