BoxRec

My brother told me that the reason Duran quit in the Leonard fight was because he had to take a crap. Seems he was listening to the radio the other day and the story was told by the then boxing commissioner who was supposedly in the dressing room after the fight.

Any truth to this?

If he had to take a crap it was because Leonard was beating the crap out of him. Duran knew he couldn't beat Leonard again and didn't feel like being humiliated for the rest of the fight.

Sounds like a lot of crap

Then again, a lot of people thought Duran was a bit of a shit

Decagon wrote:That story's been around for a while. Heck, Duran claims that he never actually said the words "no mas." Leonard-Duran was one of the greatest rivalries in the history of sports. It's too bad that the rubber match had to take place half a dozen years late.

Duran never did say those exact words at that time. An announcer (maybe Howard C?) actually made the statement at the end of the fight.
Gut trouble of some kind has always been rumored.....and I mean that with all possilbe inuendos.

I'm pretty sure I remember watching something where Duran said that he had cramps during the fight, and that he decided to stop, figuring Leonard would give him a rematch. I suppose it might have been that, combined with what Leonard was doing.

Leonard would have won the fight anyway, and in my mind he would have won the first fight if he had boxed rather than fought Duran.

And yes, Cosell was the one who said "no mas". whether Duran said the words himself I don't know, though Bert Sugar has said repeatedly that Duran didn't. Not really that important in my mind, point is he quit.

I remember a year or so ago Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis said he quit a fight because he had to go to the bathroom.

I Feel Fine wrote:I'm pretty sure I remember watching something where Duran said that he had cramps during the fight, and that he decided to stop, figuring Leonard would give him a rematch. I suppose it might have been that, combined with what Leonard was doing.

I'd take it a step further and say that Duran quit because

1) he had taken the laxatives so he probably did need a dump
2) he was being ridiculed in the ring
3) he was unprepared and deep down he knew it

Duran's arrogance was such that he thought he would get an immediate rematch. I don't think he quit because he was scared. He quit because he didn't want to be taunted in a fight he was not in shape for.

Holding the welterweight belt was always going to be much tougher for him than holding the lightweight belt. I think he got high on his own legend and neglected to prepare himself as he had done previously in any of his subsequent fights.

He quit on the stool, sounds right to me.

According to referee Octavio Meyran, Duran did say "No Mas" several times. Ray Arcel and Freddy Brown always maintained that Duran just quit because he was being humiliated.

Ezzard wrote:

I Feel Fine wrote:I'm pretty sure I remember watching something where Duran said that he had cramps during the fight, and that he decided to stop, figuring Leonard would give him a rematch. I suppose it might have been that, combined with what Leonard was doing.

I'd take it a step further and say that Duran quit because

1) he had taken the laxatives so he probably did need a dump
2) he was being ridiculed in the ring
3) he was unprepared and deep down he knew it

Duran's arrogance was such that he thought he would get an immediate rematch. I don't think he quit because he was scared. He quit because he didn't want to be taunted in a fight he was not in shape for.

Holding the welterweight belt was always going to be much tougher for him than holding the lightweight belt. I think he got high on his own legend and neglected to prepare himself as he had done previously in any of his subsequent fights.

Yeah, I agree.

Interesting Seamus. Meyran had an interesting career as a referee, between this fight and Tyson-Douglas.

Leonard had no choice but to brawl in the first fight. Duran's pressure was too immense for sticking and moving.

Leonard would have won a close decision in the rematch if Duran didn't quit. I actually just watched this for the first time in years.

Duran was clearly winning the 8th round. Having to take a shit is bullshit.

Though the diuretic's theory could be true. Either way it was Duran's darkest hour.