keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑04 Sep 2025, 16:54
elmersalsa wrote: ↑04 Sep 2025, 14:43
keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑04 Sep 2025, 13:49
So if Eleta forged Duran's signature on the contract, why did Roberto go through with the fight?
You got to understand that it wasn't about sportsmanship but a dirty business deed. It was all designed for Sugar Ray Leonard to win: (ring enlarged, bait Roberto Duran's manager for $8 million, get him out of shape as most as possible and embarrass him just like he did to me and my wife and the whole American boxing media propaganda).
Duran had to fight or get sued by his own promoter, Don King. So, even King turned his back on him. How in the world, your own promoter since 1975, didn't give you a break to train at least one more month? Doesn't this alone ring your bell as a red flag?
Because money and greed was the issue here. Duran got to lose to make a third fight that would pay $20 million! Duran screwed it up by quitting. The plan didn't work for them. But, as long as Leonard got the title back, we are back in big business.
Another loss for Leonard against Duran in the rematch, and Leonard's career would be quite possibly over in a short time. So, the issue was that Sugar Ray got to win with the advantages given to him above.
Sugar Ray didn't need his manager to pay another $8 million dollars. It tainted his win because he knew that he didn't beat Duran. Duran beat himself by quitting. He quit not because he saw that Leonard was better. He quit because he couldn't keep up in an OFF NIGHT out of shape and his manager blatantly betrayed him when he could have gotten more of Duran was involved in the negotiating table.
The whole thing was WICKED and suspicious. It was dirty as fuuck.
Why did Roberto go through with the fight if Eleta forged his signature on the contract? Why didn't Duran go to the police?
He was about to get sued. He had to honor the contract. This was one of the greatest hoodwinks in the history of boxing. Never in the history of boxing, another manager has paid that amount of money ($8 million dollars) to another management team.
It hasn't happened before, nor since.
The facts are:
Don King and Mike Trainer went to Panama City to Carlos Eleta's office. It was hush-hush
They paid $8 million dollars and the greedy old bastard took it.
It was done behind Roberto Duran's back.
Sugar Ray Leonard was already in training at least a month before Eleta signed the dotted line of betrayal.
Duran didn't get enough time. And when he asked for time, being the champion nevertheless, he can't get an extension.
This has never happened in the history of boxing. Give me another story line like this one. You're not going to find it folks.
America The Greatest got to be! End of story!