The Battle of Montreal

An artist loses his title to a brawler in a thriller

It was billed, in French-speaking Montreal, as le face a face historique: the historic confrontation, a pairing mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn, Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake La-Motta. In one corner, Sugar Ray Leonard, 24, the World Boxing Council welterweight champion, a virtuoso boxer with stunningly swift hands and a made-for-television smile. In the other corner, Roberto Duran, 29, the former lightweight titlist, a Panama City ruffian with manos de piedra (hands of stone) and a menacing countenance.

And a marvelous slugfest it was. Duran swarmed all over the champion, landing solid rights and bottling Leonard up against the ropes. Leonard flurried out of clinches and boldly traded punches at center ring. In the cool night air of Montreal's Olympic Stadium, steam began to rise from the fighters' backs. At the end of 15 unrelenting rounds, Duran had a unanimous decision, his 70th victory in 71 professional fights, and a paycheck estimated at $1.65 million. The personable Leonard, who won an Olympic gold medal in Montreal four years ago, suffered his first loss in 28 professional fights. But his purse should provide some consolation: it is expected to be upwards of $10 million. (Each fighter's cut was agreed upon in advance, win or lose.)

The 46,317 spectators at Olympic Stadium (capacity: 77,269) and the million or so others at some 400 closed-circuit television locations in North America were expecting a classic confrontation between an artist and a brawler. But from the start, Leonard fought out of character. Instead of dancing and circling on his toes, taking advantage of his longer reach, he tried to punch it out with the challenger. Unfortunately for Sugar Ray, however, he seemed to have left his jackhammer left jab back home in Palmer Park, Md. Explained Leonard: "I felt I could hit him with my best shots flatfooted and I did. The only trouble was that he connected too."

Duran, whose cinder-block style has earned him nicknames like "the Animal," was delighted with Leonard's tactics. With the champ always in range, the fierce Panamanian gladly accepted Leonard's lighter blows so he could get in some harder licks of his own. He staggered Leonard with an overhand right in the second round and landed a series of punishing shots in the third and fourth. Feinting and crouching to avoid Leonard's left, Duran muscled his opponent around the ring, charging like a bull at times.

In the fifth round, Leonard began scoring with combinations and occasional left hooks. But almost every time he landed, Duran came up with a return salvo. Leonard rallied gamely in the final rounds and easily won the 15th. But afterward Duran said he never had any doubts. "I knew I had won the fight," he declared. "I was more of a man." He certainly was on Friday night, but for thousands of fans the verdict is not yet final. They can hardly wait for a rematch.

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