Home Categories Miscellaneous Barrington's Bona Fide Boxing Legends #1: Roberto Durán
Barrington's Bona Fide Boxing Legends #1: Roberto Durán
Written by Jack Barrington   
Wednesday, 13 January 2010 17:27
This piece serves our readers as an introduction to FightLockdown’s latest series of articles, as each month our very own Jack Barrington will be bringing you an account of one bona fide boxing legend and their contributions inside of the square circle. Jack will recount the high and low points of their careers, their best fights, and most memorable moments. Whether you’re a new or old fan to the sport of boxing, these articles will take you on a journey focusing on the preeminent stars that spurred the greatest events in the sport’s rich history.

It will come of no surprise to anyone even vaguely familiar with my love of boxing, that Roberto Durán is the center-piece of this series’ inception. It is safe to say, without a doubt, that Durán is my favourite fighter of all time, across all combat sports, and it is even safer to say that my knowledge of both his life and career, borders slightly on obsession. That matters very little here, however, as anyone from his most ardent fans to his most scathing critics will concur that “Manos de Piedra” (“Hands of Stone”) is most definitely a bona fide boxing legend, having earned every drop of the adulation I am set to decant upon him for your entertainment.

One hundred-and-nineteen fights, five world titles in four different weight-classes, and a career spanning over five different decades— these figures alone make a valid case for both Durán’s reputation and popularity. That said, as with all truly great fighters, the numbers can only tell you so much when it comes to actually evaluating their legacies. Let’s take a closer look at his rise to prominence.

Born into the streets of Guarare, Panama, Roberto Durán grew up fighting, and over time, tales emerged, attached themselves to him, and added to what became his mythos. Whether they were stories of a young scrapper taking on several foes at once in street fights, or the much fabled 14-year old Durán knocking out a horse with a single blow, it is clear there was a revered aura contributing to the portrait of a true fighter at heart.  Although these great stories of his youth add tinges of humour and intrigue to his career, they only scratch the surface of awe surrounding what he achieved throughout the duration of his time spent inside the ring.

Perhaps the most overlooked part of Durán’s career was his run at lightweight, which can be mainly attributed to his thrilling forays into the higher weight-classes, as a younger, leaner Durán went 71-1 at this, his favoured weight. Winning the title in a rousing, yet controversial battle against Ken Buchanan (a grossly underrated boxer himself—who happens to be an old family friend), Durán finished the Scotsman in the 13th with a final blow that was both below the waist and after the bell. He would go on to defend this title 12 times across his next 35 fights, while avenging his only loss at the time against Esteban De Jesús. It would be his move up to welterweight, however, that brought possibly his finest performance and cemented his name into the boxing history books.

“The Brawl in Montreal”, as it is now known, saw Roberto Durán doing what many conceived as undoable. Stepping-up in weight to 147lbs, Durán took on one of the greatest welterweight fighters that boxing has ever seen, Sugar Ray Leonard.  It was the American golden boy versus the deranged Panamanian mad man. Incensed at the fact Leonard was being paid almost five times as much as him, Durán approached the build-up to the fight with reckless abandon. He was a man possessed, continuously insulting Leonard and fruitlessly attempting to start brawls at several press conferences leading-up to the actual bout.

Simply put, Durán had winning on his mind and was all set to give a career defining performance. All of the pre-fight taunting and trash-talk seemed to work because, for fifteen full rounds, Durán set a frenetic pace and stalked Leonard, drawing the technically savvy “Sugar” into a brawl with one of the greatest brawlers in boxing history. Durán had transformed the fight from a pretty welterweight versus a tough and ugly lightweight to simply two men in a ring with a strong distaste for one another. In the end, it was Durán’s heart and experience on the inside that gave him the win, in what many consider to be one of the greatest fights in boxing history.


Unfortunately, the next moment in Durán’s career generates more discussion than any other, and it does it so for all of the wrong reasons. It is a large dishonour, that when discussing a career such as his, with 103 wins to his name, that it is one of his losses we deliberate over more than anything else; “No Más.”

With Leonard eager to bounce back after the loss to Durán and the success of the first fight, a rematch was always on the cards. However, the fact that the rematch happened only five months after their initial encounter can be explained by some particularly shrewd tactics on behalf of Leonard and his management. Durán was notorious for ballooning-up in weight between fights, and it was so well known, in fact, that Leonard himself was well aware that a quick rematch would be strongly favourable to his chances of avenging his (at the time) only defeat. It only took some posturing within the Leonard camp and the offer of a higher purse for Durán to sign on the dotted line. The rematch was set for November 25th, 1980.

As soon as the match commenced, it was evident that Durán looked sluggish. No longer was he the untamed, ruthless fighter he was in their first meeting, which was made apparent in him being unable to push the pace. This time around, Leonard refused to be drawn into another brawl, instead opting to use his patented technique of staying on the outside to steal rounds with quick flurries, which made for a one-sided contest. It was clear to everybody watching that Durán was being outclassed, especially as Leonard mocked and taunted Durán, much like Durán had done so to him in their first encounter.

By the end of the 8th round, Durán had endured more than enough and raised his hand as if to motion stop. The referee looked into his eyes with a frankly bemused look, he was clearly of the same opinion as the rest of us—that Roberto Durán would never, ever quit in a fight. Durán’s hand came up again as he told the referee in his native tongue: "No boxeo con el payaso," which roughly translates to English as “I'm not boxing with this clown.” Facing another blank stare from the referee, however, it was the next two words that would be picked up by the commentary team and bequeathed to boxing history: “No más, no más,” (“No more, no more”).  In that single moment, Roberto Durán’s entire reputation as the toughest man in boxing was gone, derided in the press and vilified in his beloved Panama, it appeared to everybody—everybody but the man himself—that his illustrious career was over.

Durán fought on. After roughly a year out of the game he made his return, this time intent on capturing a middleweight title. With three wins and two decision losses (to Wilfred Benitez and Kirkland Laing respectively) it appeared that he was simply winding down the clock until he reached retirement. To the contrary, his next fight, a 4th round (T)KO over Pipino Cuevas, showed glimpses of the Durán of old and those glimpses were enough to earn him a shot at Davey Moore. This was not only a shot at the WBC Light Middleweight title, but more importantly, a shot at redemption.

The showdown with Moore took place at Madison Square Garden, the scene of Durán’s first world title win, and the younger, larger champion was favoured by bookmakers and critics alike. Moore had risen quickly and was expected to dispatch of an ageing Durán almost at will. Durán didn’t get the memo though and was ready to prove to his critics, for the first time since Montreal, that you should never write him off.

Quieter and noticeably more humble than in previous high profile outings, Durán’s build-up to the fight was one of assured confidence. The loss against Leonard combined with his recent form had clearly made an impression on him, and even he could see that this was his last chance at salvaging his tarnished reputation within the boxing community. Starting strongly, Moore tried to use his size to bully Durán on the inside and wear the older man down. Durán, however, branded a look of malice in his eyes, one not seen since his first fight with Leonard. With speed and power reminiscent of his days as a lightweight, combined with his outrageously undervalued defensive skills, Durán picked the younger, larger fighter apart with dazzling clinch work on top of some impressive boxing from the outside. Like the Durán of old, standing his ground, wide-footed, and with a snarl on his face as the bell rang to signify the end of each round, he constantly reminded Moore that he would not wear down, he would not stop, and he would not be broken.

What we were left with, was one of the most brutal beatings in boxing history. Moore was never the same after this fight and it could easily (and probably should have) been stopped late in the 7th, when Durán sent his adversary to the canvas with an overhand right (his best punch in my mind) that will stay with me for the rest of my days.  In the end, the referee called a somewhat overdue halt to the contest in the 8th round, as Moore was bloodied, bruised and barely able to see. Durán, on the other hand, didn’t have so much as a scratch on him.

Standing triumphantly on the ring apron, Durán arms were aloft as the rapturous crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to him, for not only had he captured his fourth world title and redeemed himself to his critics, but he had also just turned 32 years old.  Soaking in his moment of glory in front of his fans, tears streamed down his face. The Panamanian wild man, the meanest man in boxing looked not just satisfied, but at last, genuinely happy.

While it was only a small fragment of Roberto Durán’s career, I feel it is the period that most honestly depicts him both as a fighter and a man. What followed were some of the most prominent years of his career, as he fought the best of the best above his natural weight. Durán would go on to lose a close decision to middleweight king Marvin Hagler before being brutally stopped by Tommy Hearns. Eventually, he would win his fifth world title, this time at middleweight by edging out a particularly tough Iran Barkley. I will not go into too much detail here though, instead leaving it up to you to either discover or relive those remarkable encounters for yourselves.

Aside from being a great boxer, Roberto Durán possessed one of the most interesting characters and genuine personalities of any sportsperson in recent memory. Some say he has squandered his wealth, others can simply see that he has given it to his most treasured fans in the poor areas of Panama. Of all of the remarkable and humorous stories about him, the one that stands out to me the most is both the most touching and the best serving to illustrate his true character. When his old adversary Esteban De Jesús was dying of AIDS, Durán was one of many people to visit him in his last few days. In a time when not much was known about the terrifying disease, Durán entered a room full of reserved and standoffish visitors, but without a second thought Durán rushed to his former foe’s bedside and lifted him from the bed, hugging and kissing him as if greeting an old friend. Durán did not see a disease, Durán simply saw a man whom with he had shared some of his greatest moments.

And that is why this tribute will not end with a tale of his greatness in the ring, because that is only a fraction of what makes Roberto Durán a legend. It is not just his accomplishments, but his standing as a man that made him what he is. Instead of trying in vain to accurately convey this feeling, I will leave it to Durán himself, in one of his most famous quotes: “Other fighters say “I was!” or “I did!”… I say “I am Durán!””

Win or lose, he is Durán, and he always will be.


High Point, Low Point and Must See Fights

Career High Point – So many to choose from, but his win over Sugar Ray Leonard has to come out on top, an unheralded victory over a truly great fighter.

Career Low Point – It has to be “No Más”. I consider it both the most confusing and anomalistic moment in boxing history, as even today I refuse to believe that Roberto Durán is a quitter.  He just isn’t, yet in that fight, quitting is exactly what he did.


Top 5 Must See Fights

vs. Sugar Ray Leonard I

vs. Davey Moore

vs. Iran Barkley

vs. Marvin Hagler

vs. Esteban De Jesús II