elmersalsa wrote:Ambling Alp. Sugar Ray was busy fighting, according to the reports. I was not around in 1951, so I don't know what really happened. He was making an European tour, in which he fought several fights.
Manos de Piedra was having a party at the Animal House, at least, for 3 months. The fight was 2 months later. I didn't do the documentary. ESPN 30 for 30, did.
I don't know how we ended talking about Robinson, when we started talking about a possible fight of Pryor vs Leonard in '82 or '83.
Robinson was barnstorming around Europe starting in May of 1951 about 3 months after his last fight (of 6) against Jake LaMotta. I don't believe that Ray was training very much and was mostly partying with his friends (entourage). I think that he felt that he could keep in shape by fighting often. This probably worked because he was so much better than his opponents (right up to Turpin). After 6 fights in Europe (two in Belgium, Paris, Berlin, Switzerland, and Italy) Robinson fought Randy Turpin on July 10 in London. Turpin was strong, had kind of an awkward style, and was difficult to fight. He was also the number 1 ranked contender at the time. Robinson had trouble handling the young Turpin.
In the rematch, it was Robinson who was cut, and threw everything but the kitchen sink at Turpin in the 10th round before the referee wisely stopped the fight (the fight is on You Tube).
As for Duran, I read that he blew up to over 200 lbs. after the 1st Duran/Leonard fight. He was taking drugs to get his weight down (diuretics, etc.) and some of his "friends" were smuggling food into him when he was in "training" (Not a Duran excuse; I have read this many places Not to take away from Leonard, who was a great fighter).
BTW, Robinson's no contest fight was actually a knockout. In Berlin Robinson punched Gerhard Hecht in what looked to me like the stomach and Hecht went down for the count. The German referee DQ'd Robinson for what he called a kidney punch. The German Boxing Commission later changed the fight to a NC(no contest).