The action from the rematch at the Superdome in New Orleans, began with both fighters entering the ring at the same time. I was admittedly nervous as round 1 began. True to his word, Ray began boxing Duran from the opening bell. Duran was constantly moving forward aggressively, but Leonard was not allowing himself to be forced on the ropes. Leonard was landing crisp shots, and he appeared stronger and more muscular than in the first bout. I was encouraged to see him start off so well, and hoped he could continue the pace.
The action was back and forth through the first 6 rounds, and I saw Leonard slightly ahead on the cards. Feeling very confident and self assured, Sugar Ray began to taunt Duran in the seventh round. He did his version of the Ali shuffle, feinted but when he faked a bolo punch with his right and stuck a hard left jab to Roberto’s face instead, the Panamanian seethed in anger. Ray continued to feint the remainder of the round, but his clowning had not been in the place of consistent hard punches he had landed all night.
After a minute or so of action in round 8, Duran put his hand up to referee Octavio Meyran and signaled “No Mas” , I’m done. Ray hit him with a punch to his side as he walked away, but again he signaled he was through, and the fight was unbelievably over. I and millions sat stunned at the shocking turn of events. Of all the possible outcomes, no one in their right mind could have ever predict that the man known as the “Hands of Stone” would quit. But incredibly, he had!
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