When Sugar Ray Leonard won the WBC Welterweight Championship by stopping Wilfred Benitez in the 15th round on November 30, 1979, he was now professional boxing’s ‘Star’. After an easy title defense in March, a 4th round knockout of Davey ‘Boy’ Green in Landover, Maryland, a ‘Super-Fight’ was agreed for June 20. Roberto Duran, the long-time lightweight champion, had moved up to welterweight, and defeated a list of fighters, including ex-champ Carlos Palomino. Don King and Bob Arum worked together to promote the bout, and Montreal, Canada was chosen as the host city, with Olympic Stadium the arena.
I was in Dallas, Texas at the time in residence training for an airline job, and bought a $20 ticket to see the card at the Tarrant County Coliseum in Fort Worth that Friday night. It was my first closed-circuit show, and I was pulling hard for Ray when the opening bell rang. Strangely, I noticed that Leonard stood toe to toe with Duran, and didn’t box at all. Later I realized that Duran had angered him so much in the pre-fight promotion, that he wanted to beat him at his own game. Unfortunately, Duran was forcing Ray to the ropes for long stretches, and hurting him to the body. In the second round, a straight left hand wobbled Leonard, and it appeared Ray’s strategy had backfired. As the fight progressed, Ray rebounded and landed his shots as well, putting himself back in the bout. Duran fought extremely dirty the whole night, and referee Carlos Padilla did a horrible job, allowing Roberto to do whatever he wanted. Leonard showed courage and grit, and gave as good as he took as the action reached the championship rounds. In fact, he started boxing and using lateral movement to close the bout, and when the 15th round bell rang, I knew it was close. When Duran was given the decision, I didn’t get too upset, because I figured he had won slightly with his aggression. On the way back to my hotel that Friday night in Texas, any doubts that I was a boxing fan for life, disappeared for good.
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