Roberto Duran's in-fighting - technique breakdown

[Buka]

Superman is going to be in trouble.

That made me laugh. Thanks, I needed a nice laugh this morning.

 

[Buka]

What happened with Duran happens to a lot of long career, high earning, talented fighters. That get lazy and complacent.
Ray told me this story himself.

Roberto, in the latter part of his career, ballooned up in between fights, upwards of thirty five pounds over his weight class. Then had to go crazy to get it off.

Remember his first fight against Sugar Ray Leonard? He chumped Ray good. Ray was walking between casinos in Vegas with his first wife. Duran was waiting for him, hiding behind a curtain. He showed himself as he was peeing on the curtain and making kissing noises and faces at Ray's wife at the time, Juanita.

Ray reacted, charging at Duran, security jumping in to stop it. Which is just what Duran wanted Ray to do, lose his temper.
Ray couldn't wait to get into the ring with him. Pretty much stood toe to toe with Robert Duran. You never want to stand toe to toe with Duran, especially if you're a better boxer. It wasn't until hours after the fight that Ray realized he took that bait, hook, line and sinker.

Ray would lie in bed at night for several days, realizing how foolishly he handled that whole affair. Then came the talk of the rematch and the rematch itself. Ray knew at the time how much weight Duran put on between fights. So what he did, right in the middle of the negotiations, was offer Duran much more money to schedule the fight sooner. Roberto said yes.

Ray knew how quickly Roberto would have to lose weight. Knew it would weaken him. And Ray knew how much quicker he was than Roberto. That "No Mas" fight was an example of both boxing intelligence and showmanship genius. Poor Roberto, he never stood a chance.

 

[isshinryuronin]

That "No Mas" fight was an example of both boxing intelligence and showmanship genius. Poor Roberto, he never stood a chance.

Sugar Ray also showed his physical toughness and power in that fight as well. His boxing skills and speed often overshadowed these aspects of him as a fighter. I think Ali was also often thought of this way - and I think his early opponents underestimated his power and grit, much to their misfortune.

But to give Duran his due, he had a lot of matches and they do take a toll over time. I think he was past his prime some as well. Still, Leonard showed himself the premier fighter of his time.

 

[Buka]

Sugar Ray also showed his physical toughness and power in that fight as well. His boxing skills and speed often overshadowed these aspects of him as a fighter. I think Ali was also often thought of this way - and I think his early opponents underestimated his power and grit, much to their misfortune.

But to give Duran his due, he had a lot of matches and they do take a toll over time. I think he was past his prime some as well. Still, Leonard showed himself the premier fighter of his time.

Yes, he was a hell of a fighter. Really smart, too. So was Ali.

Sugar Ray also showed his physical toughness and power in that fight as well. His boxing skills and speed often overshadowed these aspects of him as a fighter. I think Ali was also often thought of this way - and I think his early opponents underestimated his power and grit, much to their misfortune.

But to give Duran his due, he had a lot of matches and they do take a toll over time. I think he was past his prime some as well. Still, Leonard showed himself the premier fighter of his time.

Ray was one hell of a fighter. Really smart, too.

Back in those days I bought a movie camera. The film for the camera was eight millimeter and each spool was three minutes long. Perfect to film rounds off the tv, then send the film away to get developed, then set up a projector in the dojo and hang a white sheet on the wall to study technique. (YouTube is a little easier)

Ray Leonard fought a guy on TV, Andy Price. Got him against the ropes and hit him with (I think) a fourteen punch combination to put a stop to the fight. I practiced that combo until the cows came home. Years later in my buddy's gym in L.A. (still way before YouTube) we met Ray.
He was talking with some guys about combinations and I interrupted and told him my favorite combo of his was this one - and I threw it. He said "Against Andy Price! How do you know that?" So I told him. Got to train with him after that.

And, damn, could that man throw punches.

 

[Taiji Rebel]

Yes, he was a hell of a fighter. Really smart, too. So was Ali.

Ray was one hell of a fighter. Really smart, too.

Back in those days I bought a movie camera. The film for the camera was eight millimeter and each spool was three minutes long. Perfect to film rounds off the tv, then send the film away to get developed, then set up a projector in the dojo and hang a white sheet on the wall to study technique. (YouTube is a little easier)

Ray Leonard fought a guy on TV, Andy Price. Got him against the ropes and hit him with (I think) a fourteen punch combination to put a stop to the fight. I practiced that combo until the cows came home. Years later in my buddy's gym in L.A. (still way before YouTube) we met Ray.
He was talking with some guys about combinations and I interrupted and told him my favorite combo of his was this one - and I threw it. He said "Against Andy Price! How do you know that?" So I told him. Got to train with him after that.

And, damn, could that man throw punches.

Leonard had no infighting skills though. The OP's video is a breakdown of the infighting skills of Roberto Duran. The techniques he developed relate very closely to trapping methods used in the Eastern martial arts. Boxing is a superb martial art, and a tough one too. It cuts through the nonsense which you see in most dojos and schools and gets people sparring and fighting much quicker too 🥊