BoxRec

From the moment Leonard-Duran III was announced it was always a mismatch in my opinion. Ray still had speed and Duran simply didn’t. And Roberto’s physical talents had depleted to the point he could no longer compensate.

To me it was 2 great fighters…Ray over the hill but not finished…and Duran washed up. I know Leonard fans go on about the win over Barkley as proof that Duran was just a hair’s breadth below his Montreal incarnation but I’ve never bought into any of that.

BUT

Had they re-matched a 4th time in say 1996…taking into account Leonard getting wiped out by Hector…and Duran deserving a close points win over Macho (but not getting it)… I’d back Duran to have won the 4th fight. Which sort of means…perhaps…Ray’s fans are right to celebrate the 3rd fight.

Duran and Barkley looked very good against each other

Leonard would not have had a fight in 5 years in 1996, just one fight in the last 7. He would have been very rusty (and much older). Can't see him looking that much better than he did against Camacho. Had he been fighting regularly since 1989, then it would be a different story.

Third fight was something that it had to happen, but it was almost ten years later. Fight #4 nobody would have cared really.