Leonard, Duran: They’ll Fight, but When? Where?

It finally became official today: The tour guides for boxing’s latest stroll down memory lane will be Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran.

The two legendary fighters will meet in November for the third time, nine years after Duran quit against Leonard in the eighth round.

Promoter Bob Arum promised that Duran would “fight to the last breath” to make up for the infamous “No Mas” fight in New Orleans on Nov. 25, 1980, when he waved his hands and said: “No mas, no mas (no more, no more).”

The Panamanian, nicknamed “Hands of Stone,” never fully explained why he had a heart of mush that night when Leonard took back the World Boxing Council welterweight title he had lost to Duran five months earlier.

At the news conference today to announce the fight, Duran said he was tired of being asked what happened in New Orleans. “I’ll explain to the world after I beat Sugar Ray Leonard why I quit,” he said through an interpreter.

Duran, flashing gold bracelets, a silver medallion around his neck and a dangling diamond earring, said: “Every day it’s ‘no mas, no mas. ‘ Let’s talk about this fight.”

The exact date and site of the fight--naturally dubbed by Arum “Uno Mas,” (one more) have not yet been set as promoters are still listening to offers from casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas to hold the fight, which will take place either on Nov. 2 or on Nov. 30.