If you wish to pay particular tribute to the one-and-only Roberto Duran, then you must do it in June. It simply so occurs that, with few exceptions, Mr. Arms of Stone secured his most superb and pivotal triumphs within the month given to the queen of the gods.
In June of 1972 he seized his first world title from the extremely succesful Ken Buchanan. After dominating the light-weight division, he then moved as much as the welterweights and scored one of the spectacular victories of his complete profession in June of 1979 when he dominated former champion Carlos Palomino. Then in 1980 he cemented his standing as a real all-time nice when he outpointed Sugar Ray Leonard in June of that yr. And following the shame of the “No Mas” struggle, he redeemed himself and gained his third world title when he battered Davey Moore in Madison Sq. Backyard in June of 1983. Actually, that essential win came about on Roberto’s birthday, June sixteenth, so there’s that to think about as effectively.
There’s additionally the added significance of the truth that June 20, 2025 marks the forty fifth anniversary of one of the eagerly anticipated and vital boxing matches of all time, Duran vs Leonard I, aka “The Brawl in Montreal.”
Briefly, there’s loads of excuses within the month of June for severe struggle followers to take pleasure in some nostalgia and relive one of the singular careers within the lengthy historical past of boxing, that of the legendary “Manos de Piedra,” Roberto Duran. Aside from Muhammad Ali, presumably no pugilist within the final 5 many years or extra has impressed extra adulation and fervour than Mr. Arms of Stone. Why is that this?
On one stage, it’s simple to clarify: for greater than two full many years, the identify Duran meant pleasure. He was that uncommon boxer who was nearly all the time enjoyable to look at. Even when on an off-night, or when blowing out of the ring a hopelessly overmatched opponent, Duran gave followers causes to pay shut consideration. He mixed explosive aggression, crippling energy, canny defensive strikes and intelligent counter-punching with a sure bravado, a cockiness, which most different champions merely lacked. Duran didn’t simply win rounds and win fights; with few exceptions, he gained with dramatic aptitude and magnificence, exhibiting a pure expertise for each preventing and performing which those that comply with boxing know is exceedingly uncommon.
There was additionally the truth that followers acknowledged in Duran a real competitor and a fighter who, with one evident exception, gave his all within the ring each day trip. Unafraid of males greater or stronger, and prepared to compete anytime and anyplace, Duran took on all challenges, and such was his fame and character that even essentially the most ignoble defeats didn’t undermine his fame or the love of his most ardent followers. A part of what attracted them was the sheer pleasure Duran exhibited within the ring when he was at his finest. Duran was that uncommon boxer who really cherished to struggle, who the truth is expressed himself by way of his ringcraft in the identical means a talented artist does with a paintbrush, or a gifted musician with a violin or a piano. Boxing was the medium for Duran’s ardour and defiant spirit, and his exuberance and originality impressed passionate struggle followers to like him all of the extra.
There was one thing old school about Duran, one thing timeless. The fearless and ferocious means he fought, and the angle and bearing which he dropped at the ring, linked again to boxers of yesteryear, to a maybe semi-imagined Golden Age when the game was in some way easier and purer. One sensed that Duran, like the soldiers of previous, didn’t care who he fought or how typically he stepped into the ring. He let his supervisor and trainers determine such issues whereas he was content material to easily dispatch the following opponent and notch one other win. Reinforcing this was the truth that his trainers, Ray Arcel and Freddie Brown, have been the truth is relics from one other time, males who had labored with greats of the previous equivalent to Benny Leonard, Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano.
Then there’s the tales and legends, some true, some exaggerated. Both means, it takes a particular individual to encourage such tall tales. However it’s a proven fact that Roberto had a pet lion and used to take it for walks in Panama, inflicting individuals to panic and run for security. And that when in a surly temper he typically took his venom out on sparring companions, scoring knockouts within the fitness center. Then there are the legends about him knocking out a horse with one punch, and surviving a aircraft crash within the ocean and swimming to shore. True? False? Who is aware of? However it’s a proven fact that Duran cherished to hang around together with his followers, with out bodyguards or a safety element. A gifted musician and dancer, he performed the bongos with the Latin bands and partied with the Latin people in New York Metropolis, Miami or Panama. Duran all the time had the frequent contact, was all the time accessible. He was a star and a legend but in addition somebody to whom the frequent individual might simply relate.
Within the time following the “No Mas” catastrophe and his superb win over Davey Moore in 1983, simply essentially the most tough interval of Duran’s profession, he unsuccessfully challenged Wilfred Benitez for the super-welterweight world title and for that match his entourage wore baseball caps and t-shirts inscribed with the straightforward assertion, “Duran is Duran.” What different fighter — certainly, what different athlete — may very well be referred to in such a way? However the odd catch-phrase labored as a result of it spoke to the numerous who had fallen in love with a singular public determine and an distinctive fighter, a boxer with an odd mystique and magnificence that was his very personal, that mix of savage aggression and elegant artistry which one witnessed solely when Roberto Duran was firing on all cylinders.
Duran’s ring achievements are acquainted to most boxing followers. In twelve years, 1968 to 1980, he fought 72 instances, dropping solely as soon as, and in 71 victories he notched 55 knockouts, incomes his nickname, “Manos de Piedra.” The overwhelming majority of his wins as much as that time have been dominant and, at instances, frighteningly brutal. His solely rivals for standing as Fighter of the Decade for the Seventies have been legendary champions and all-time greats Muhammad Ali and Carlos Monzon; most severe pundits tabbed Duran as the very best of the three.
Having avenged his lone defeat to fellow light-weight titlist Esteban DeJesus twice over, he moved as much as the welterweight division and capped his extraordinary run with one of many biggest victories within the historical past of boxing, a 15 spherical resolution over exceedingly gifted champion, Ray Leonard. The brand new “Sugar Ray” was greater, youthful and quicker, however he couldn’t overcome a really extraordinary efficiency by his veteran opponent. Duran stunned many together with his clearcut win over the game’s greatest star, as he now assumed for himself the standing of each the very best fighter on this planet, pound-for-pound, in addition to arguably the primary true boxing celebrity from Latin America. Though Duran spoke little English, his pure charisma transcended cultures and nations and his large victory gained him legions of latest followers.
The remainder of Duran’s wonderful profession was a roller-coaster, large highs and dispiriting lows. And certainly, a part of what makes Duran so particular was his potential to resurrect himself, time and again, even after everybody else had buried him. Having inexplicably stop towards Leonard of their New Orleans rematch, many thought Duran was all washed up proper then and there. In 1982, after dropping to Benitez after which to an unknown in Kirkland Laing, the decision was unanimous: Duran is completed. However the common dismissal of “Arms of Stone” solely made his subsequent comeback and world title win over Davey Moore that rather more dramatic and extraordinary.
His defeats to Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns appeared to deliver a conclusive end to a unprecedented profession, however lower than two years later he returned. A detailed resolution loss to robust middleweight contender Robbie Sims had everybody begging Duran to stroll away, however Roberto persevered and to the delight of his most loyal followers he redeemed himself as soon as once more, scoring one other historic win and his fourth world title with a impossible victory over robust Iran Barkley in 1989.
Even in his 40s, lengthy after his reflexes and pure items had pale away, he continued to compete and continued to promote tickets. Certainly, Duran by no means actually misplaced his marketability, that mystique, that distinctive attract which impressed such astonishing loyalty in struggle followers all over the world. He by no means wished to retire and, in fact, he by no means did till it was compelled upon him, accidents from a automobile accident in October 2001 compelling him to lastly cease preventing. Just some months earlier he had competed for the ultimate time, on the age of fifty, dropping a choice to Hector Camacho.
Duran’s standing and recognition have by no means waned within the years since. He stays a legend and a determine of fascination for boxing followers and historians alike. Few boxers have been extra celebrated and he stays a part of a really elite group of champions who’re all the time talked about when the dialogue turns to who’re the best boxers ever, pound-for-pound. Of fighters who’ve competed since say 1970, maybe solely Muhammad Ali is extra cherished. So right here’s to the one-and-only Roberto Duran, aka “Arms of Stone,” arguably the best dwelling boxer on the planet and a real legend of the ring. — Robert Portis
