Roberto Durán

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Roberto Durán
Vinny Pazienza
Born
Roberto Durán Samaniego

(1951-06-16) June 16, 1951 (age 72)
Other names
  • Manos de Piedra
    ("Hands of Stone")
  • El Cholo
  • Rocky
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[1]
Reach66 in (168 cm)[1]
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights119
Wins103
Wins by KO70
Losses16

Roberto Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former

pressure fighter, which earned him the nickname "Manos de Piedra" ("Hands of Stone") for his formidable punching power and excellent defense.[3]

In 2002, Durán was voted by The Ring magazine as the fifth greatest fighter of the last 80 years,[4] while boxing historian Bert Sugar rated him as the eighth greatest fighter of all time. The Associated Press voted him as the best lightweight of the 20th century,[5] with many considering him the greatest lightweight of all time. Durán retired for good in January 2002 at age 50, following a car crash in Argentina in October 2001, after which he had required life saving surgery. He had previously retired in November 1980, June 1984 and August 1998, only to change his mind. Durán ended his career with a professional record of 119 fights, 103 wins, and 70 knockouts. From May 1971 up until his second fight against Sugar Ray Leonard in November 1980, as well as in his fight against Wilfred Benítez in January 1982, Durán was trained by legendary boxing trainer Ray Arcel.

Early life

Roberto Durán was born on June 16, 1951, in Guararé, Panama. His mother, Clara Samaniego, was a native of Guararé and his father, Margarito Duran, an American of Mexican heritage was stationed in Panama for the U.S. Army at the time of Roberto’s birth.[6] He was raised in the slums of El Chorrillo in the district "La Casa de Piedra" (The House of Stone), in Panama City. He began sparring with experienced boxers at the Neco de La Guardia gymnasium when he was only eight years old.[7]

Amateur career

Durán competed as an amateur, compiling a record of 29–3[8] (other sources say 18–3 or 13–3[8][9]), with all 3 losses coming in Durán's first 3 amateur fights. Following his amateur career, Durán made his professional debut in February 1968 at the age of 16.[10]

Professional career

Lightweight

Durán won his first 31 consecutive professional fights, and scored knockout victories over future

Super Featherweight Champion Hiroshi Kobayashi, culminating in his first title bout in June 1972, where he defeated Ken Buchanan in Madison Square Garden for the WBA Lightweight Championship. Durán, as a 2-to-1 underdog, scored a knockdown against the defending champion just fifteen seconds into the opening round and battered him throughout the bout.[11] He was well ahead on all three cards as the bell rang to end the 13th round, at which time Durán (apparently not hearing the bell) continued to throw a couple of extra punches as Buchanan lay on the ropes. As Durán continued punching, the referee, Johnny LoBianco, grabbed him to pull him away. He pulled down on Durán's arms, which led to a seemingly accidental low blow. Buchanan dropped to the canvas in pain. His trainer Gil Clancy later said he had believed the blow to have been caused by a knee. Durán was not disqualified from the bout; instead, he was deemed as winner by thirteenth-round technical knockout.[12] Columnist Red Smith of The New York Times wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as "anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently" in American boxing.[13] Buchanan said he left the fight "with sore balls".[14]

Durán followed up on his title winning performance with several non-title matches. Later that year, in another non-title bout, he lost a ten-round decision to

Undisputed Lightweight Championship in February 1979.[citation needed
]

Welterweight and The Brawl in Montreal

Leonard and Durán posing with oversized boxing gloves before June 20, 1980, fight

Vacating the Lightweight title was a buildup for an attempt at the

Welterweight Champion Sugar Ray Leonard. The venue chosen was the Olympic Stadium in Montreal (the same location where Leonard won an Olympic gold medal during the 1976 Summer Olympics). Durán resented the fact that he was getting only one-fifth of the money that Leonard was getting, despite the fact that Durán was entering the bout with an incredible 71–1 record and seen by many as the best boxer of the decade of the 1970s. To the surprise of Leonard and his camp, who had expected a warm homecoming from the place where Leonard had won Olympic gold, Leonard only got a mixed reception in Montreal, while Durán was incredibly popular with the crowd, with Leonard later admitting that Durán's popularity in Canada "threw me for a loop". On June 20, 1980, Durán captured the WBC Welterweight title by defeating Leonard via a 15-round unanimous decision (145–144, 148–147, 146–144), although it was incorrectly announced as a majority decision in the ring with the 148–147 scorecard being incorrectly announced as 147–147.[15]
The fight became known as "The Brawl in Montreal".

"No Más" in New Orleans

After defeating Leonard in Montreal, Durán gained iconic status in his home country, Panama. Leonard initiated the rematch clause and asked for the fight to be the following November. In their second fight, Leonard successfully changed his tactics, using more footwork and movement than he had in their first fight, and Durán was unable to get Leonard against the ropes. During the seventh round, after Leonard had gained a slight lead on the scorecards, he began taunting and mocking Durán. Towards the end of the eighth round, Durán suddenly stopped fighting, and according to referee Octavio Meyran and ABC commentator Howard Cosell, Durán repeatedly said "No más" ("no more"), which was denied by Durán, his cornermen Ray Arcel and Freddie Brown, and his manager Carlos Eleta, with Durán claiming he had said "No quiero pelear con el payaso" ("I do not want to fight with this clown [Leonard]"). According to Meyran, in addition to saying "No más", Durán also said in broken English "I don't box anymore".[16][17] In a 2016 interview, Durán claimed that what he actually said was, "No sigo" ("I won't go on"). For a brief time after the "No más" debacle, Durán retired from boxing, but soon changed his mind, not wanting to end his career on such a bad note.[18]

Light middleweight and middleweight

He took some time to recover from that fight and gained even more weight to contend for the

Davey Moore
.

The WBA title bout took place at Madison Square Garden on June 16, 1983, which also happened to be Durán's 32nd birthday. The still inexperienced Moore (12–0) was game through the first three rounds, but by the 4th, Durán said he knew Moore couldn't hurt him, and an onslaught began.[19] The pro-Durán crowd at ringside cheered as Durán relentlessly punished Moore. By the end of the sixth round, Moore's eye had swollen shut and he was floored near the end of the seventh. Finally the fight was stopped in the eighth round as Moore was taking a horrific beating and Durán won his third world title. After the victory, Durán was hoisted up in the air as the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to a sobbing Durán.[20]

Durán later fought for the World Middleweight Championship, meeting Marvelous Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas on November 10, 1983. During the fight, Duran broke his hand and lost in a very competitive fight that went the full fifteen rounds. After 13 rounds, two of the judges had Durán one point ahead, and the other judge had it even. Hagler fought tenaciously to win the final two rounds and get a unanimous decision victory. The judges' scores were 144–142, 144–143, and 146–145. Despite the loss, Durán became the second man to take Hagler to a fifteen-round decision (Vito Antuofermo was the other) and the only one to do so while Hagler was the world champion.

In June 1984, Durán was stripped of his Light Middleweight title when the WBA did not approve of his fight with WBC Champion Thomas "Hitman" Hearns and took away recognition of Durán as world champion the moment Durán stepped into the ring to box Hearns. Durán again made history in the fight, but this time it was the wrong kind. Hearns dropped Durán twice in the first round and as he rose to his feet after the second knockdown, which ended the round, the former champion did not know where his corner was. Hearns went on to knock Durán down a third time in the second round and the fight was stopped, marking the first time in his career that Durán had been knocked out in a fight (the "No Más" fight was officially recorded as a technical knockout, because Durán quit). Durán then retired for a second time, but changed his mind over a year later, and was back fighting in early 1986.

Durán did not contend another title fight until 1989, but made the shot count when he won the WBC Middleweight title from Iran Barkley in February. The fight is considered one of Durán's greatest achievements, as the 37-year-old former lightweight champion took the middleweight crown, his fourth title. In a tough, back-and-forth fight, Durán knocked Barkley down in the eleventh round and Durán won a split decision (118–112, 116–112, 113–116). The bout was named the 1989 "Fight of the Year" by The Ring.

Super middleweight

Duran moved up to super middleweight for a third fight with Sugar Ray Leonard in December 1989 (a fight dubbed Uno Más — One More — by promoters), where Leonard's WBC super-middleweight title was on the line, although Leonard's camp insisted that the fight with Durán be at a 162lbs catchweight instead of the 168lbs super-middleweight limit that Durán favoured. In the end, both weighed in below the 160lbs middleweight limit. Durán was uncharacteristically flat for most of what was a strange fight. Although Leonard won the fight by a wide unanimous decision (120–110, 119–109, 116–111), by the end of the fight Leonard looked the worse for wear as he had suffered several bad cuts. Leonard's lip was busted by a headbutt in the fourth round, his left eye was cut in the eleventh round and his right eye was cut in the twelfth round. The cuts required more than 60 stitches. Durán didn't fight again until 1991, so had given up his WBC middleweight crown that he had won against Barkley. Durán seemed to be in decline after the third fight against Leonard, but he persisted and worked his way into title shots for the lesser IBC super-middleweight and middleweight titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

Durán fought

Vinny Pazienza
twice, in June 1994 and January 1995, for the IBC Super Middleweight Championship, with Pazienza winning both times by unanimous decision. In the first fight, Durán put Pazienza down in Rounds 2 and 5, but referee Joe Cortez controversially ruled the Round 2 knockdown to be a slip. The first fight divided the people watching as some felt that Durán had won a close fight, but others felt that Pazienza had won either narrowly or widely after finishing strongly in the last five rounds. The second fight was more lopsided in Pazienza's favour, as despite the official judges giving Pazienza the win by scores of 116–112, 117–111 and 118–110, the TV commentators expressed puzzlement at the closeness of the official scoring as they thought that Pazienza had won every round in a 120–108 shutout.

In 1996, Durán fought Héctor Camacho for the vacant IBC Middleweight Championship. At the end of the fight, fans and TV commentators seemed in complete agreement that Durán had won the fight in an excellent performance, but the three judges saw the fight very differently and awarded Camacho the victory by a very controversial unanimous decision. Durán's old rival, Sugar Ray Leonard, commentating at ringside, was baffled at the scoring and called it an early Christmas gift for Camacho, with the result motivating Leonard enough to come out of a 6-year boxing retirement to face Camacho himself in 1997. In 1997, Durán was defeated by former champion Jorge Castro in Argentina. Durán then fought Castro in a rematch bout in Panama and won via unanimous decision, maintaining his unbeaten record in Panama.

In 1998, at the age of 47, he challenged 28-year-old WBA Middleweight Champion William Joppy. Joppy, a trim, quick-fisted fighter, battered Durán to defeat in just 3 rounds. It was Durán's most emphatic loss since the Hearns fight, over a decade earlier. Durán then announced his retirement for the third time in August 1998, but soon changed his mind and was back fighting in March 1999.

In June 2000, Durán avenged a previous loss to Pat Lawlor from 9 years before and won the NBA Super Middleweight Championship on his 49th birthday. He lost the title a year later to Héctor Camacho in a rematch bout and in what would be Durán's final fight.

Retirement

Durán signs autographs at a Houston sports collectors show in January 2014.
Durán training Shane Mosley for his fight against David Avanesyan, 2016

In October 2001, Durán traveled to Argentina to promote a salsa music CD that he had just released. While there, he was involved in a car crash and required life-saving surgery. After that incident, he announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 50.[21]

Announcing his retirement, Durán cited the weight issues of his friend, Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, as motivation for getting back in shape, stating "as of now, I am exercising so that when the [retirement] honors arrive the people will see me in shape. I don't want to [look] like Maradona did, all fat."[21]

Durán's five world title belts, which he won in four different divisions, were stolen from his house in Panama in 1993 during a robbery allegedly staged by his brother-in-law, who gave them to memorabilia seller Luis González Báez, who stood trial for trying to sell stolen goods. González Báez allegedly sold the belts to undercover

FBI agents. He alleged that Durán authorized the sale of the five belts to him during a time that Durán was facing financial trouble. On September 23, 2003, a federal judge in Florida
ordered the five belts returned to Durán.

His 70 wins by knockout place him in an exclusive group of boxers who have won 50 or more fights by knockout. He is ranked number 28 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

On October 14, 2006, Durán was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Riverside, California,[22] and on June 10, 2007, into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.

In June 2020, Durán was diagnosed with

Covid-19 after going to hospital with common cold symptoms. Durán underwent treatment for the disease.[23] Coincidentally, the diagnosis came on the 48th anniversary of Durán's first world title victory against Ken Buchanan, which took place on June 26, 1972. He was released from the hospital weeks later.[24]

Today he is the brand ambassador of Panama Blue, Panama's premium bottled water.[25]

Durán is a licensed ultralight aircraft pilot in Panama. He flew a Quick Silver MX model.[26]

Durán's daughter, Irichelle Durán, was a professional boxer herself who garnered a record of one win and two losses in three bouts, with one win by knockout. She is a resident of Puerto Rico.[27]

In March 2024, it was revealed that Durán suffers a heart problem known as atrioventricular blockage, He had surgery on Monday 18 March in Panama to have a pacemaker placed in his chest.[28]

Appearances in film/music

Film

Durán (right) with writer Prvoslav Vujcic (left)
Durán (right) attending the screening of Hands of Stone at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, with director Jonathan Jakubowicz, actor Robert De Niro and De Niro's wife Grace Hightower.

Durán's first appearance in a movie was in the 1979 film

Rocky Balboa. Outside of this, Durán had minor roles in Harlem Nights
.

Durán's life and boxing career are told in the documentary Los puños de una nación ("The Fists of a Nation") by Panamanian filmmaker Pituka Ortega-Heilbron. Durán also appears very briefly during an interview for the documentary The Panama Deception (1992), in which he recounts his experience during the United States invasion of Panama.

The biopic

Usher as Sugar Ray Leonard, and was released on August 26, 2016.[29][30]

Television

Durán played the drug lord Jesús Maroto in Miami Vice season two, episode 19.

In "Corporate Warriors", the fourth episode of the second season of the hit American crime drama CSI: NY, Durán is mentioned by the medical examiner while discussing a dead man found to have bone grafts put in his hands to boost his punching power.

Music

The song "The Eyes of Roberto Durán" by Tom Russell, from the album The Long Way Around, contains the lyric, "Panama City – it's three in the morning; they're talking 'bout the Hands of Stone."

Durán is mentioned in the third verse of Nas' original demo for It Ain't Hard to Tell in the line: "Metaphors of murder man, hittin' like Roberto Durán, hold the mic in my hand, my lifespan."[31]

The musician Jackie Leven recorded a song ("Museum of Childhood") that explores the events of the second world title fight between Durán and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Jazz musician Miles Davis, an avid boxing fan, recorded a tribute to Roberto Durán titled "Duran".

Durán is also mentioned in the third verse of Paul Thorn's "Hammer and Nail," based on Thorn's nationally televised fight with Durán:

I climbed in the ring with Roberto Durán and the punches began to rain down
He hit me with a dozen hard uppercuts and my corner threw in the towel
I asked him why he had to knock me out and he summed it up real well
He said, 'I'd rather be a hammer than a nail'

Texas rockabilly band

Reverend Horton Heat
mentions Durán in their song "Eat Steak," off of their album Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em.

Durán is mentioned in the salsa song "Pa'l Bailador" by Colombian singer Joe Arroyo in 1989, "A Roberto Duran, Aya en Panama, Mano de Piedra!" (To Roberto Duran, in Panama, Hands of Stones!)

Durán is referenced multiple times in the song "Uno Mas" by Alex Soria's band Chino.

Durán's 1983 fight with Davey Moore is referenced in the 2014 single, "The Possum," by American songwriter, Sun Kil Moon (i.e. Mark Kozelek), who often writes about boxers. Kozelek sings: "They threw hard vicious guttural B-flats that shook their opponent / Like a tough Roberto "Hands of Stone" Durán, in the seventh round / Davey Moore, June 16, 1983..." [32]

Durán himself was a Salsa singer once, leading an orchestra named "Felicidad" after his wife. They recorded albums and frequented television shows in Latin America.[33]

Durán is also mentioned by former rap duo Max and Sam (consisting of sports analyst Max Kellerman and his brother Sam) in their song 'Young Man Rumble' with the line "Got skills got stamina got Hands of Stone like the champ from Panama."

Durán is indirectly referred to in Kevin Morby's song "This Is a Photograph", in which Morby's father's struggle with aging is likened to Durán's career, from his early bravado to the "No Más" fight against Sugar Ray Leonard.[34]

Now time's the undefeated
The heavyweight champ
Laughing in his face
As it dances like Sugar Ray
Used to be, "C'mon, c'mon"
But now, "No mas, no mas"

Professional boxing record

119 fights 103 wins 16 losses
By knockout 70 4
By decision 33 12
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Age Location Notes
119 Loss 103–16 Héctor Camacho UD 12 Jul 14, 2001 50 years, 15 days
Denver, Colorado
, U.S.
Lost NBA super middleweight title
118 Win 103–15 Patrick Goossen UD 10 Aug 12, 2000 49 years, 57 days Yakama Legends Casino, Toppenish, Washington, U.S.
117 Win 102–15 Pat Lawlor UD 12 Jun 16, 2000 49 years, 0 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Juan Díaz, Panama Won NBA super middleweight title
116 Loss 101–15 Omar Gonzalez UD 10 Mar 6, 1999 47 years, 263 days Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
115 Loss 101–14 William Joppy TKO 3 (12), 2:54 Aug 28, 1998 47 years, 73 days
Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada
, U.S.
For WBA middleweight title
114 Win 101–13 Felix Jose Hernandez UD 10 Jan 31, 1998 46 years, 229 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
113 Win 100–13 David Radford UD 8 Nov 15, 1997 46 years, 152 days Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
112 Win 99–13 Jorge Castro UD 10 Jun 14, 1997 45 years, 363 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
111 Loss 98–13 Jorge Castro UD 10 Feb 15, 1997 45 years, 244 days Mar del Plata, Argentina
110 Win 98–12 Mike Culbert TKO 6 (10), 2:24 Sep 27, 1996 45 years, 103 days
Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, Chester, West Virginia
, U.S.
109 Win 97–12 Ariel Cruz KO 1 (10) Aug 31, 1996 45 years, 76 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
108 Loss 96–12 Héctor Camacho UD 12 Jun 22, 1996 45 years, 6 days
Etess Arena
, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
For vacant IBC middleweight title
107 Win 96–11 Ray Domenge UD 10 Feb 20, 1996 44 years, 249 days Mahi Shrine Auditorium, Miami, Florida, U.S.
106 Win 95–11 Wilbur Garst TKO 4 (10), 2:14 Dec 21, 1995 44 years, 188 days War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
105 Win 94–11 Roni Martinez TKO 7 (10), 2:59 Jun 10, 1995 43 years, 359 days
Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri
, U.S.
104 Loss 93–11
Vinny Pazienza
UD 12 Jan 14, 1995 43 years, 212 days Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. For IBC super middleweight title
103 Win 93–10 Heath Todd TKO 6 (10), 3:00 Oct 18, 1994 43 years, 124 days Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S.
102 Loss 92–10
Vinny Pazienza
UD 12 Jun 25, 1994 43 years, 9 days MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For vacant
IBC
super middleweight title
101 Win 92–9 Terry Thomas TKO 4 (10), 1:02 Mar 29, 1994 42 years, 286 days Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S.
100 Win 91–9 Carlos Montero UD 10 Feb 22, 1994 42 years, 251 days Marseille, France
99 Win 90–9 Tony Menefee TKO 8 (10) Dec 14, 1993 42 years, 181 days Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S.
98 Win 89–9 Sean Fitzgerald KO 6 (10), 1:43 Aug 17, 1993 42 years, 62 days Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S.
97 Win 88–9 Jacques LeBlanc UD 10 Jun 29, 1993 42 years, 13 days , U.S.
96 Win 87–9 Ken Hulsey KO 2 (10), 2:45 Dec 17, 1992 41 years, 184 days
CSU Convocation Center
, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
95 Win 86–9 Tony Biglen UD 10 Sep 30, 1992 41 years, 106 days Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, U.S.
94 Loss 85–9 Pat Lawlor TKO 6 (10), 1:50 Mar 18, 1991 39 years, 275 days The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
93 Loss 85–8 Sugar Ray Leonard UD 12 Dec 7, 1989 38 years, 174 days The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC super middleweight title
92 Win 85–7 Iran Barkley SD 12 Feb 24, 1989 37 years, 253 days Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Won WBC middleweight title
91 Win 84–7 Jeff Lanas SD 10 Oct 1, 1988 37 years, 107 days
Chicago, Illinois
, U.S.
90 Win 83–7 Paul Thorn RTD 6 (10), 3:00 Apr 14, 1988 36 years, 303 days
Tropicana
, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
89 Win 82–7 Ricky Stackhouse UD 10 Feb 5, 1988 36 years, 234 days Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
88 Win 81–7 Juan Carlos Giménez UD 10 Sep 12, 1987 36 years, 88 days
James L. Knight Convention Center
, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
87 Win 80–7
Victor Claudio
UD 10 May 16, 1987 35 years, 334 days Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
86 Loss 79–7 Robbie Sims SD 10 Jun 23, 1986 35 years, 7 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
85 Win 79–6 Jorge Suero KO 2 (10), 1:45 Apr 18, 1986 34 years, 306 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
84 Win 78–6 Manuel Zambrano KO 2 (10), 2:57 Jan 31, 1986 34 years, 229 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
83 Loss 77–6 Thomas Hearns KO 2 (12), 1:05 Jun 15, 1984 32 years, 365 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC super welterweight title
82 Loss 77–5
Marvin Hagler
UD 15 Nov 10, 1983 32 years, 147 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
81 Win 77–4 Davey Moore TKO 8 (15), 2:02 Jun 16, 1983 32 years, 0 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Won WBA super welterweight title
80 Win 76–4 José Cuevas TKO 4 (12), 2:26 Jan 29, 1983 31 years, 227 days Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
79 Win 75–4 Jimmy Batten UD 10 Nov 12, 1982 31 years, 149 days Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida, U.S.
78 Loss 74–4 Kirkland Laing SD 10 Sep 4, 1982 31 years, 80 days , U.S.
77 Loss 74–3 Wilfred Benítez UD 15 Jan 30, 1982 30 years, 228 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC super welterweight title
76 Win 74–2 Luigi Minchillo UD 10 Sep 26, 1981 30 years, 102 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
75 Win 73–2 Nino Gonzalez UD 10 Aug 9, 1981 30 years, 54 days
Cleveland, Ohio
, U.S.
74 Loss 72–2 Sugar Ray Leonard TKO 8 (15), 2:44 Nov 25, 1980 29 years, 162 days
New Orleans, Louisiana
, U.S.
Lost WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
73 Win 72–1 Sugar Ray Leonard UD 15 Jun 20, 1980 29 years, 4 days
Montreal, Quebec
, Canada
Won WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
72 Win 71–1 Wellington Wheatley TKO 6 (10) Feb 24, 1980 28 years, 253 days Tropicana Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
71 Win 70–1 Joseph Nsubuga RTD 4 (10), 3:00 Jan 13, 1980 28 years, 211 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
70 Win 69–1 Zeferino Gonzalez UD 10 Sep 28, 1979 28 years, 104 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
69 Win 68–1 Carlos Palomino UD 10 Jun 22, 1979 28 years, 6 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
68 Win 67–1 Jimmy Heair UD 10 Apr 8, 1979 28 years, 53 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
67 Win 66–1 Monroe Brooks KO 8 (12), 1:59 Dec 8, 1978 27 years, 175 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
66 Win 65–1 Ezequiel Obando KO 2 (10), 1:09 Sep 1, 1978 27 years, 77 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
65 Win 64–1 Adolfo Viruet UD 10 Apr 27, 1978 27 years, 72 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
64 Win 63–1 Esteban de Jesús TKO 12 (15), 2:32 Jan 21, 1978 26 years, 219 days Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles;
Won WBC lightweight title
63 Win 62–1 Edwin Viruet UD 15 Sep 17, 1977 26 years, 93 days Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
62 Win 61–1 Bernardo Diaz KO 1 (10), 1:29 Aug 6, 1977 26 years, 51 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
61 Win 60–1 Javier Muniz UD 10 May 16, 1977 25 years, 334 days Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, U.S.
60 Win 59–1 Vilomar Fernandez KO 13 (15), 2:10 Jan 29, 1977 25 years, 227 days Fontainbleau, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
59 Win 58–1 Alvaro Rojas KO 1 (15), 2:17 Oct 15, 1976 25 years, 121 days Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
58 Win 57–1 Emiliano Villa TKO 7 (10), 2:00 Jul 31, 1976 25 years, 45 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
57 Win 56–1 Lou Bizzarro KO 14 (15), 2:15 May 23, 1976 24 years, 342 days County Field House, Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
56 Win 55–1 Saoul Mamby UD 10 May 4, 1976 24 years, 323 days Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
55 Win 54–1 Leoncio Ortiz KO 15 (15), 2:39 Dec 20, 1975 24 years, 187 days Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
54 Win 53–1 Edwin Viruet UD 10 Sep 30, 1975 24 years, 106 days
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Hempstead, New York
, U.S.
53 Win 52–1 Alirio Acuna KO 3 (10) Sep 13, 1975 24 years, 89 days Gimnasio Jose D. Crespo, Chitré, Panama
52 Win 51–1 Pepe El Toro KO 1 (10), 2:00 Aug 2, 1975 24 years, 47 days Roberto Clemente Stadium, Managua, Nicaragua
51 Win 50–1 Jose Peterson TKO 1 (10), 1:02 Jun 3, 1975 23 years, 352 days Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
50 Win 49–1 Ray Lampkin KO 14 (15), 0:39 Mar 2, 1975 23 years, 259 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
49 Win 48–1 Andres Salgado KO 1 (10), 1:00 Feb 15, 1975 23 years, 244 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
48 Win 47–1 Masataka Takayama KO 1 (15), 1:40 Dec 21, 1974 23 years, 188 days Plaza de Toros El Zapote, San José, Costa Rica Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
47 Win 46–1 Adalberto Vanegas KO 1 (10) Nov 16, 1974 23 years, 153 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
46 Win 45–1 Jose Vasquez KO 2 (10) Oct 31, 1974 23 years, 137 days Gimnasio Eddie Cortez, San José, Costa Rica
45 Win 44–1 Hector Matta UD 10 Sep 2, 1974 23 years, 78 days Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
44 Win 43–1 Flash Gallego TKO 7 (10), 2:35 Jul 6, 1974 23 years, 20 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
43 Win 42–1 Esteban de Jesús KO 11 (15), 1:11 Mar 16, 1974 22 years, 273 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
42 Win 41–1 Armando Mendoza TKO 3 (10), 1:50 Feb 16, 1974 22 years, 245 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
41 Win 40–1 Leonard Tavarez TKO 4 (10) Jan 21, 1974 22 years, 219 days
Palais des Sports, Paris
, France
40 Win 39–1 Tony Garcia KO 3 (10) Dec 1, 1973 22 years, 168 days Gimnasio Escuela Normal, Santiago de Veraguas, Panama
39 Win 38–1 Guts Ishimatsu TKO 10 (15), 2:10 Sep 8, 1973 22 years, 84 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
38 Win 37–1 Doc McClendon UD 10 Aug 4, 1973 22 years, 49 days Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
37 Win 36–1 Hector Thompson TKO 8 (15), 2:15 Jun 2, 1973 21 years, 351 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
36 Win 35–1 Gerardo Ferrat TKO 2 (10), 2:45 Apr 14, 1973 21 years, 302 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
35 Win 34–1 Javier Ayala UD 10 Mar 17, 1973 21 years, 274 days Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
34 Win 33–1 Juan Medina TKO 7 (10), 1:22 Feb 22, 1973 21 years, 251 days
Los Angeles, California
, U.S.
33 Win 32–1 Jimmy Robertson KO 5 (15) Jan 20, 1973 21 years, 218 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
32 Loss 31–1 Esteban de Jesús UD 10 Nov 17, 1972 21 years, 154 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
31 Win 31–0 Lupe Ramirez KO 1 (10), 3:03 Oct 28, 1972 21 years, 134 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
30 Win 30–0 Greg Potter KO 1 (10), 1:58 Sep 2, 1972 21 years, 78 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
29 Win 29–0 Ken Buchanan TKO 13 (15) Jun 26, 1972 21 years, 10 days Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Won WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
28 Win 28–0 Francisco Munoz TKO 1 (10), 2:34 Mar 10, 1972 20 years, 268 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
27 Win 27–0 Angel Robinson Garcia UD 10 Jan 15, 1972 20 years, 213 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
26 Win 26–0 Hiroshi Kobayashi KO 7 (10), 0:30 Oct 16, 1971 20 years, 122 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
25 Win 25–0 Benny Huertas TKO 1 (10), 1:06 Sep 13, 1971 20 years, 89 days
New York City, New York
, U.S.
24 Win 24–0 Fermin Soto TKO 3 (10) Jul 18, 1971 20 years, 32 days Monterrey, Mexico
23 Win 23–0 Lloyd Marshall TKO 6 (10), 1:37 May 29, 1971 19 years, 347 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
22 Win 22–0 Jose Acosta KO 1 (10), 1:55 Mar 21, 1971 19 years, 278 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, Panama City, Panama
21 Win 21–0 Jose Angel Herrera KO 6 (10) Jan 10, 1971 19 years, 208 days Toreo, Monterrey, Mexico
20 Win 20–0 Ignacio Castaneda TKO 3 (10) Oct 18, 1970 19 years, 124 days Gimnasio Nuevo Panamá, Panama City, Panama
19 Win 19–0 Marvin Castaneda KO 1 (10), 1:30 Sep 5, 1970 19 years, 81 days Gimnasio Municipal, Puerto Armuelles, Panama
18 Win 18–0 Clemente Mucino KO 6 (10), 2:18 Jul 18, 1970 19 years, 32 days Arena de Colón, Colón, Panama
17 Win 17–0 Ernesto Marcel TKO 10 (10) May 16, 1970 18 years, 334 days
Gimnasio Nuevo Panama
, Panama City, Panama
16 Win 16–0 Felipe Torres UD 10 Mar 28, 1970 18 years, 285 days Mexico City, Mexico
15 Win 15–0 Luis Patino KO 8 (10) Nov 23, 1969 18 years, 160 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
14 Win 14–0 Serafin Garcia TKO 5 (8) Sep 21, 1969 18 years, 97 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
13 Win 13–0 Adolfo Osses TKO 7 (8) Jun 22, 1969 18 years, 6 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
12 Win 12–0 Jacinto Garcia TKO 4 (8) May 18, 1969 17 years, 336 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
11 Win 11–0 Eduardo Frutos UD 6 Feb 1, 1969 17 years, 230 days Estadio Nacional, Panama City, Panama
10 Win 10–0 Alberto Brand TKO 4 (6), 2:50 Jan 19, 1969 17 years, 217 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
9 Win 9–0 Carlos Howard TKO 1 (6) Dec 7, 1968 17 years, 174 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
8 Win 8–0 Juan Gondola KO 2 (6) Nov 16, 1968 17 years, 153 days Arena de Colón, Colón, Panama
7 Win 7–0 Cesar De Leon KO 1 (6), 1:20 Sep 22, 1968 17 years, 98 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
6 Win 6–0 Leroy Carghill KO 1 (6) Aug 25, 1968 17 years, 70 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
5 Win 5–0 Enrique Jacobo KO 1 (6) Aug 10, 1968 17 years, 55 days Panama City, Panama
4 Win 4–0 Eduardo Morales KO 1 (4), 3:00 Jun 30, 1968 17 years, 14 days Gimnasio Neco de la Guardia, Panama City, Panama
3 Win 3–0 Manuel Jimenez KO 1 (4) Jun 15, 1968 16 years, 365 days Arena de Colón, Colón, Panama
2 Win 2–0 Juan Gondola KO 1 (4) May 14, 1968 16 years, 333 days Colón, Panama
1 Win 1–0 Carlos Mendoza UD 4 Feb 23, 1968 16 years, 252 days Arena de Colón, Colón, Panama

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Showtime Championship Boxing tale of the tape prior to the William Joppy fight.
  2. ^ "The Lineal Boxing World Champions". Cyber Boxing Zone.
  3. .
  4. ^ Andrew Eisele. "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". About.com Sports.
  5. ^ "BOXING – AP Fighters of the Century list". go.com.
  6. .
  7. .
  8. ^ a b Hands of Stone by Christian Giudice, p. 43
  9. ^ Roberto Durán Amateur Record at the BoxingRecords. Last updated : March 1, 2006.
  10. ^ Avila, David A. (October 18, 2006). "A Night of Cheers for Roberto Duran and Others". The Sweet Science. Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  11. The Windsor Star. Associated Press
    . June 27, 1972. p. 30. Retrieved November 22, 2015 – via Google News Archive Search.
  12. ^ "Johnny LoBianco, 85, Referee In Controversial Duran Bout", The New York Times, July 21, 2001. Accessed October 1, 2009.
  13. ^ Smith, Red. "And New Champion", The New York Times, June 28, 1972. Accessed October 1, 2009.
  14. ^ "Ken Buchanan loss relived in De Niro film". scotsman.com.
  15. ^ "Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran (1st meeting) - BoxRec".
  16. Daily News
    . New York. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  17. ^ Snowden, Jonathan (November 25, 2015). "The Men and the Myths: Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and 'No Mas,' 35 Years Later". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  18. ^ "Roberto Duran tells the real story behind the 'No mas' bout". Daily News. New York. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  19. ^ He That Was Lost Has Been Found, Sports Illustrated, June 27, 1983
  20. ^ [1] Archived April 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ a b "Roberto Duran quits boxing at 50 after car crash". USA Today. Retrieved January 26, 2002.
  22. ^ "Duran inducted into World Boxing Hall of Fame". ESPN. October 15, 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006.
  23. ^ "Ex-boxing champ Roberto Durán tests positive for coronavirus". Fox News. June 26, 2020.
  24. ^ "Legendary boxing champion Roberto Duran discharged from hospital after testing positive for COVID-19". July 2, 2020.
  25. ^ "Reseña Empresarial – La Prensa". La Prensa. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  26. ^ [2] Archived December 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ "BoxRec: Irichelle Duran".
  28. ^ "Boxing great Duran, 72, receives pacemaker". ESPN.com. March 18, 2024.
  29. ^ "Hands of Stone (2016)". IMDb. November 22, 2015.
  30. ^ Brian Gallagher (November 23, 2010). "Gael Garcia Bernal Has 'Hands of Stone'". MovieWeb. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  31. ^ "The Original Hip-Hop (Rap) Lyrics Archive". Ohhla.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  32. ^ "Sun Kil Moon – the Possum".
  33. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Roberto Duran - Pa la calle a echa un pie.mpg". YouTube.
  34. ^ "Kevin Morby - This Is A Photograph (of your father on the front lawn, with no shirt on)". March 31, 2022.

External links

Sporting positions
World boxing titles
Preceded by WBA lightweight champion
June 26, 1972 – February 2, 1979
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Ernesto España
The Ring lightweight champion
June 26, 1972 – 1979
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Jim Watt
Preceded by
Esteban De Jesús
WBC lightweight champion
January 21, 1978 – February 7, 1979
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Jim Watt
Vacant
Title last held by
Ken Buchanan
Undisputed lightweight champion

January 21, 1978 – February 2, 1979
Titles fragmented
Vacant
Title next held by
Pernell Whitaker
Preceded by
November 25, 1980
Succeeded by
Sugar Ray Leonard
The Ring welterweight champion
June 20, 1980 – November 25, 1980
Preceded by WBA super welterweight champion
June 16, 1983 – June 15, 1984
Stripped
Vacant
Title next held by
Mike McCallum
Preceded by WBC middleweight champion
February 24, 1989 – January 11, 1990
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Julian Jackson
Awards
Previous:
Bobby Chacon
The Ring Comeback of the Year
1983
Next:
Marvin Johnson
Previous:
Tony Lopez vs.
Rocky Lockridge
The Ring Fight of the Year
vs. Iran Barkley

1989
Next:
Julio César Chávez vs.
Meldrick Taylor
Preceded by The Ring Comeback of the Year
1989
Succeeded by
Tony Lopez
Quadruple weight status
Preceded by
Sugar Ray Leonard
Oldest living world champion
February 24, 1989 – present
Incumbent
Triple weight status
Preceded by Oldest living world champion
July 23, 2013 – present
Incumbent