Page 14 - THE ORACLE MAGAZINE SUMMER'23 EDITION

THE RISE OF
ROBERTO
DURAN
T H E G R E A T E S T
L I G H T W E I G H T O F A L L T I M E
KO = Knockout
WBA = World boxing association (1 of 4 belt organizations in
boxing)
Unanimous decision = When all three judges rule in your
favor
Lightweight = 61 kg and under
Welterweight = 67 kgs and under
Catchweight = A custom weight that doesn’t fit under the
normal weight limits that is decided for specific fights
1 round of boxing: 3 minutes followed by a 1 minute break
Hands of stone (“Manos de piedra”). That was the
nickname earned by the feared Panamanian boxer
Roberto Duran during his legendary career spanning
33 years from 1968 all the way to 2001.
Duran grew up poor with his mother, brother and
many half siblings in a stone house in Guare, which
was a poverty-stricken neighborhood located in
Chorrillo, Panama. As a child, Duran would sell
newspapers with his friends, led by Chaflan, a local
homeless man, to help his family afford food.
At just 8 years old, young Duran followed his older
brother Toti to the boxing gym where he first
encountered the sport. Just 1 year later he entered his
first amateur bout, which he lost due to a rigged
decision.
In 1968, after boxing for 9 years, at the age of 17, Duran
made his professional debut, following an
insignificant amateur career that ended in a record
of 29-3, against a fellow up and coming panamanian
boxer Carlos Mendoza. He dominated the four rounds
and ended up winning his first fight by unanimous
decision. That same year he went on to face 8 more
opponents, KO'ing all but one within the first round.
Over the next two years Roberto moved up to
lightweight and beat 11 opponents including
legendary boxer Ernesto Marcel, who, after losing to
Duran, would go on to create a record of 40-4. In the
summer of 1972,
Duran would get his first shot at the WBA (world
boxing association) lightweight belt against
Ken Buchanan who at the time held an impressive
record of 43 wins with only 1 loss. Roberto Duran
overwhelmed the Scott and in the 13th round, the
referee stopped the match with Roberto Duran
winning on all three judges' scorecards.
5 months later after beating two fighters above the
lightweight limit, Duran lost for the first time to
Esteban Jesus. Due to the match being at a catchweight
that was above lightweight, Duran kept his belt. After
losing, Duran would go on to win 40 fights in a row
spanning 8 years including 2 victories avenging his loss
against Esteban Jesus as well as multiple
welterweights after his move up to the weight class in
1978.
After his move up to welterweight, Roberto fought
Sugar Ray Leonard, who now is considered one of the
greatest welterweights of all time, for Ray’s belt. The
match saw 15 grueling rounds of brawling with both
men refusing to back down. Throughout the hour that
the match lasted Duran kept up an insane pace and
brought the fight to Leanard round after round which
ultimately won him the WBA welterweight belt by
unanimous decision and solidified him as one of
boxing’s greatest of all time in two weight classes.
Many people believe that Roberto Duran should have
retired after this legendary win, but due to his love for
the sport, and later on his financial problems, he kept
fighting.
O L I V E R B A L A Z
13
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