Duran v Hearns: Fucking around with those women. I didn’t train. I didn’t do shit. I got fat. It was a nightmare making the weight. Bearing in mind it was Tommy Hearns. I was just drinking and fucking … He hit me so hard I thought, I’m going down. ibid.
It was the closing of a show. It was the closing of an era. These fighters made the world come out and watch. The Kings IV: A Champion Never Quits
And then the IRS comes along and fucks me. ibid.
Leonard v Duran III 7th December 1989: But also they’re addicted. Every one of them is addicted. To his love of attention and that’s why they fight. ibid. Charles Farrell
Those great fighters’ reputation last for eternity. ibid. Teddy Atlas
29) Ken Buchanan TKO13: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Ken Buchanan 26th June 1972 WBA Lightweight New York [r1] ... Now Duran the challenger is just dynamite with his right hand. Buchanan’s the boxer. It was almost Buchanan who scored a knock-down ... Duran has scored heavily in the last exchange ... Buchanan has all the guns in the arsenal ... [r2] ... Buchanan is fighting him off with the jabs ... Duran is certainly a hard man to discourage ... [r4] ... He absolutely gives Buchanan no rest ... [r5] ... Again the inevitable rush by Duran. He is keeping that pressure on ... Oh, he really hurt him that time! ... Buchanan is in trouble ... Buchanan is cut under the eye ... All I can say about Buchanan is that he can take it, and he has. He is game too. This has been some round and some fight ... [r6] ... So far it’s been all Duran [r7] ... How many left jabs equal one solid right? That is the question ... It’s pretty hard to jab a man who’s on top of you all the time ... [r8] ... Duran flew out of his corner ... Buchanan’s face is showing signs of the battering [r9] ... There’s that right hand again! ... [r10] ... The champion is putting more power in his punches ... [r11] ... Buchanan in trouble again ... [r12] ... Duran almost as fresh as when he started ... He teed off that time on the champion ... [r13] ... The referee tells Duran to keep his punches up; the only warning in the fight ... Buchanan went down after the bell claiming a low blow ... He is in severe pain ... What’s going to happen here? ... The fight has been stopped! The fight has been stopped! And the new lightweight champion of the world is Roberto Duran from Panama. US fight commentary
73) Sugar Ray Leonard I ***** Points 15: US Fight Commentary TV - Sports Illustrated -
v Sugar Ray Leonard I 20th June 1980 WBC Welterweight Montreal [r1] ... The moment is here. Roberto Duran challenging Sugar Ray Leonard ... Leonard is not backing off ... Duran goes for the body ... Leonard is throwing everything he’s got ... [r2] ... He’s got Duran backing up ... He hurt Leonard [inaudible ...] He hurt Leonard with a left hook ... He’s got him on the ropes again ... The right hand hurt Leonard again ... What a fight! ... [r3] ... Leonard in trouble again ... Duran getting under Leonard’s shots ... Leonard coming on with a combination but it doesn’t seem to hurt Roberto ... [r4] ... He got here by being a beautiful boxer with a great jab ... Roberto is standing right in front of him ... He hurt Leonard. A tremendous right hand by Duran drove Leonard back into the ropes. And now he is holding on ... I don’t think Duran’s given him much choice ... Leonard answers back! Uppercut by Leonard ... [r5] ... The champion has been fighting his heart out. Duran has been calling the shots ... A lot of in-fighting here ... He got Duran hurt! ... He’s trading punch for punch with Duran ... He’s got guts. What an incredible fight ... [r6] ... Beautiful shot by Leonard ... Beautiful body shot by Leonard ... That hand speed. Amazing hand speed by the champion Sugar Ray Leonard but Duran hangs in there ... Leonard varies his attack – body and head ... And now a hook by Leonard! What a fighter Sugar Ray Leonard is ... [r7] ... This time Duran puts in a hard right hand to the body ... Leonard fighting very well off the ropes now ... A beautiful hook by Duran ... [r8] ... Another right uppercut by Leonard ... A great shot from Duran ... A great right hand by Duran ... [r9] ... Duran charging with the jab ... What a fight! ... [r10] ... Good right hand by Duran ... He hurt Duran with the left hook! ... Duran chasing him back to the ropes ... [r11] ... Duran doesn’t look tired at all ... Now they both exchange furious volleys ... Leonard coming back with a flurry and Duran answers ... [r12] ... Duran getting his second wind ... [r13] ... Oh a left hook by Duran! ... One fighter lands one thing and the other lands exactly the same ... Duran is hurt ... [r14] ... Leonard has come out smoking ... What a hook by Duran ... [r15] ... Here they go again ... Leonard bombing away ... [146-144 Duran; 148-147 Duran declared in ring as 147-147; 145-144 Duran] Fight commentary
It was, from almost the opening salvo, a fight that belonged to Duran. The Panamanian seized the evening and gave it what shape and momentum it had. He took control, attacking and driving Leonard against the ropes, bulling him back, hitting him with lefts and rights to the body as he manoeuvred the champion against the ropes from corner to corner. Always moving forward, he mauled and wrestled Leonard, scoring inside with hooks and rights. For three rounds Duran drove at Sugar Ray with a fury, and there were moments when it seemed the fight could not last five. Unable to get away, unable to counter and unable to slide away to open up the ring, Leonard seemed almost helpless under the assault. Now and then he got loose and countered – left-right-left to Duran's bobbing head – but he missed punches and could not work inside, could not jab, could not mount an offense to keep Duran at bay. Bill Nack, Sports Illustrated 30th June 1980
74) Sugar Ray Leonard II Lost TKO8: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Sugar Ray Leonard II 25 November 1980 WBC Welterweight New Orleans [r1] … Already he’s [Leonard] showing more movement … dancing … covering … [r2] … Duran got in a good quick right lead … Good right by Leonard … Duran in a fury … The Leonard right uppercut … [r3] … Good right lead by Leonard and away from the ropes … Duran got in a good right … Two brave athletes … Toe to toe … [r4] … A blow to the midsection by Leonard and that stunned Duran … Leonard with the uppercut … Good quick shot by Leonard … [r5] … Leonard shot a right … good left that hurt Duran … Duran got in a good shot hurt Leonard … [r6] … Quick left jab by Leonard … good left … good left … [r7] … Leonard is showing his confidence … He is taunting Duran … Leonard scored with a chopping right … caught him with the left … [r8] … What a fight … Good right [Leonard] … What! Roberto Duran has quit! Roberto Duran has quit! US fight commentary
78) Kirkland Laing Lost SD10: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Kirkland Laing 4 September 1982 Michigan [r1] … He’ll be too quick for Duran … Laing will need to use that jab … Countering right by Duran … Left hook … [r2] … At some point Laing has to stop running … right hand by Duran … Laing forces Duran on to the ropes … [r3] … Duran with a right hand; Laing with a right uppercut … now we will have a fight … good left hook by Laing … left hook by Duran … [r4] … Right hand by Duran … left hook … Good right hand by Kirkland Laing … left hand … right hand … [r5] … Right hand by Duran … Hard jab there by Laing and another one … scores again with a right hand … Duran came back with his own right hand … Right hand by Laing … left hook … short right hand … [r6] … Right hand to the head of Duran … He’s [Duran] got to take the fight to Laing … good right by Laing … good right hand by Duran … [r7] … Triple jab by Laing … a right hand … a hard jab … big uppercut … [r8] … Duran with a thunderous right … Crowd here in Detroit sensing an upset … His [Duran’s] timing is just so far wrong … Left hand by Laing … He [Duran] just caught Laing with a right hand … Duran swimming in a tide of trouble … [r9] … Right hand [Laing] … double jab … Right hand by Duran … no effect … Right hand by Laing … [r10] … Laing looked especially fresh … takes a big right hand … Big right by Kirkland Laing … right hand … all Laing here … [96-95 Duran, 94-96 Laing, 94-96 Laing] US fight commentary
82) Marvin Hagler Lost Points 15: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Marvin Hagler 10 November 1983 WBC WBA IBF Middleweight Nevada [r1] … There’s the jab from Hagler … Duran working the body … Duran gets in a right hand … A quiet opening round … [r2] … Hagler there showing a good jab and a left cross … Hagler is working harder on the inside … Hagler with a left hand … Duran waiting to drop the right hand … [r3] … Left to the stomach by Duran … Right uppercut [Hagler] … Hagler with a right to the head … Duran with a short right hand … Hagler with a big left hand … [r4] … Duran has closed the distance … Right hand by Duran … A big swot of a left hand by Hagler … Right hand by Duran … [r5] … Left hook to the head [Hagler] … good uppercut … Hagler with a right hand, Duran with a right hand … They trade body shots … Right hand by Duran … [r6] … This is a tactical fight … Left hand by Hagler … Duran with a right hand … We’re getting some toe to toe stuff … Good jab by Hagler … Hagler with a left hook to the head … Good uppercut by Hagler … Big right hand by Hagler … The strength of Hagler … [r7] … Right hand lead by Duran … Good lead right by Hagler … Hagler’s got Duran against the ropes … Right hand by Duran at the bell and they stare at each other … [r8] … [Hagler] Left hook to the head … Marvin wants to fight on the inside … hard jab there by Hagler … [r9] … Duran here wants to really rumble … Hagler with a three-punch combination … Right hook by Hagler … Duran with a right … [r10] … Here on the inside … Hagler pressing the attack … Another low blow by Roberto Duran … A right hand by Duran … [r11] … Hagler now dances … A quiet eleventh round … [r12] … Right hand by Duran … uppercut … Duran with a lead right … Two champions going toe to toe … [r13] … Right hand by Duran … Duran has fooled the experts again … Duran with two right hands … [r14] … Good uppercuts by Hagler … It’s been Hagler on the inside … Hagler is cut … [r15] … Hagler ripping shots … Big left … It’s all Hagler down the stretch. [Lost 142-144, 145-146, 143-144] US fight commentary
83) Thomas Hearns Lost TKO2: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Thomas Hearns 15 June 1984 WBC Light-Middleweight Nevada [r1] … 90 degrees … Good right hand to the ear of Duran … left jab of Hearns … Hearns is backing Duran up at will … A solid right and down goes Duran … down he goes again … [r2] … Good right and a left [Hearns] … Another solid right hand … and a combination … Big right hand … The fight’s over. US fight commentary