Happy 58th Bday Sugar Ray Leonard!

[Stickgrappler]

Happy 58th Birthday Sugar Ray Leonard!!

Posted some vids in recognition

Happy 58th Birthday Sugar Ray Leonard!! ~ Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillion Steps

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Also made some GIFs of Sugar Ray Leonard Vs Roberto Duran II Round 7

Had a good copy of fight that I misplaced. Used my old copy and resulted in crappy looking GIFs

4 more GIFs here

GIFs of Sugar Ray Leonard Vs Roberto Duran II Round 7 ~ Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillion Steps



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Buka]

Stickgrappler,
Do you know the story behind why Ray so wanted to embarrass Duran in that second fight? It's a cool story.

 

[Stickgrappler]

Stickgrappler,
Do you know the story behind why Ray so wanted to embarrass Duran in that second fight? It's a cool story.

I read Sugar Ray's The Big Fight, but for the life of me, I don't recall the story. Only recall it as mental warfare.

If you can, please share ... TIA.

 

[Buka]

Ray Leonard told me this story.

Ray, Juanita (his wife at the time) and Ray Jr were leaving the weigh-in. Duran suddenly stepped out from behind one of those big velvet drapes popular in Vegas hotels at the time. He had been taking a pee. Still exposed, he made a kissing motion at Juanita. Ray went nuts and charged at him, only to be intercepted by several shocked security guys from the hotel. As they tried to keep Leonard and Duran apart, Duran (who didn't speak English very well and had obviously been coached) said to Ray, "When I'm done -----you in the ring I'm going to -----your pretty wife and ---- your little boy."

Ray went crazy and tried to fight off the security guys to get to him. Duran laughed. (Try to picture the poor security guys, this was no publicity stunt, there weren't any reporters near by)

Ray couldn't sleep that night, he wanted to kill Duran. He couldn't believe what happened, how Duran insulted his wife and child. When they fought that next night anger still permeated every pore in Ray's body. So he stood toe to toe with Duran. And lost. It wasn't until the middle of the next afternoon when he realized what had happened. Ray told me he actually slapped his own forehead and said aloud, "Holy -----, he played me like a fish." Ray had never planned to fight toe to toe, he was going to box him

A rematch was part of the fight contract. It would take place eight or nine months later. But Ray knew Duran often ballooned upwards of 180 pounds after fights. So Ray's people contacted Duran's people and said they give him X amount of extra dollars if they moved the fight up. They took the deal. This meant Duran would have to stop eating and hurry his normal training time

Ray told me it taught him a valuable lesson about getting into a fighter's head. He had thought he was immune to it. Until that incident at the weigh in. In that second fight - the showboating that Ray did, the shuffle, the bolo punch, were meant to make Duran lose his temper, which is death for a fighter. But Duran didn't lose his temper, instead, it embarrassed him and deflated his will.

 

[Stickgrappler]

Ray Leonard told me this story.

Ray, Juanita (his wife at the time) and Ray Jr were leaving the weigh-in. Duran suddenly stepped out from behind one of those big velvet drapes popular in Vegas hotels at the time. He had been taking a pee. Still exposed, he made a kissing motion at Juanita. Ray went nuts and charged at him, only to be intercepted by several shocked security guys from the hotel. As they tried to keep Leonard and Duran apart, Duran (who didn't speak English very well and had obviously been coached) said to Ray, "When I'm done -----you in the ring I'm going to -----your pretty wife and ---- your little boy."

Ray went crazy and tried to fight off the security guys to get to him. Duran laughed. (Try to picture the poor security guys, this was no publicity stunt, there weren't any reporters near by)

Ray couldn't sleep that night, he wanted to kill Duran. He couldn't believe what happened, how Duran insulted his wife and child. When they fought that next night anger still permeated every pore in Ray's body. So he stood toe to toe with Duran. And lost. It wasn't until the middle of the next afternoon when he realized what had happened. Ray told me he actually slapped his own forehead and said aloud, "Holy -----, he played me like a fish." Ray had never planned to fight toe to toe, he was going to box him

A rematch was part of the fight contract. It would take place eight or nine months later. But Ray knew Duran often ballooned upwards of 180 pounds after fights. So Ray's people contacted Duran's people and said they give him X amount of extra dollars if they moved the fight up. They took the deal. This meant Duran would have to stop eating and hurry his normal training time

Ray told me it taught him a valuable lesson about getting into a fighter's head. He had thought he was immune to it. Until that incident at the weigh in. In that second fight - the showboating that Ray did, the shuffle, the bolo punch, were meant to make Duran lose his temper, which is death for a fighter. But Duran didn't lose his temper, instead, it embarrassed him and deflated his will.

dayum, UDM Buka!

Megaprops! i'm going to update my site with your story crediting you with your permission.

 

[Buka]

I think you would need Ray's permission instead of mine. But - have you ever read "My View from the corner" by Angelo Dundee? It's a great read for a boxing fan. In it, Dundee gives a little more user friendly version of that incident. You might want to check it out and post that version.

And in the world of coincidences - this pic was taken on the morning of Ray's 40th birthday outside of Billy Blanks World Training center in L.A. That's me with him. We had finished working out for the day. Kind of odd seeing a payphone in a pic. Makes me feel older than dirt.

 

[Stickgrappler]

nice pic! you ain't that old, better than the alternative ;-)

I have both Dundee's book and Ray's The Big Fight at home, will check them.

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[twins-mt]

He's the MAN !