Flashback: Roberto Duran Profiled “Hands of Stone”

By John F. McKenna (McJack): Roberto Duran AKA “Hands of Stone” was born on January 16, 1951 and he grew up on the tough streets in Panama. He was as tough as any fighter who ever lived and had a mean streak in him that was comparable to the legendary Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey. He had an electrifying style which thrilled the fans who went in droves to see him fight. Any fighter who faced Duran knew that they would be facing a fighter who was rugged, had a killer punch and was fiercely determined to destroy him.

Roberto Duran’s amateur career was brief but promising. His economic circumstances were such that he turned professional at the early age of 16 in order to make money. In a short period of time Duran was turning the tables on more experienced fighters and used his raw explosive power to defeat them. It was not long before boxing fans and the media realized that Duran was a legend in the making. Even though he lacked any professional representation the newcomer was a big draw in the early stages of his career.

“Hands of Stone” won his first twenty one fights in a row without any formal training

when wealthy landowner Carlos Eleta bought his contract for three hundred dollars and then hired world renowned boxing trainer Ray Arcel to teach Duran defense and how to harness his unbridled power. Basically Arcel had to teach Duran the fundamentals which turned him into the great fighter he became. Arcel’s career as a trainer spanned decades. He went all the way back to the other great lightweight of the twentieth century, Benny Leoanrd. Leonard is considered by many boxing historians to be the greatest lightweight who ever lived. It is almost inconceivable that Arcel trained the two greatest Lightweights of all time with a time span of fifty years between both fighters. Along with Duran’s powerful attack, under Arcel he became a great defensive fighter as well learning how to slip punches and uses his speed to his utmost advantage. Duran continued to win and after thirty victories he won his first world title by stopping WBC Lightweight Champion Ken Buchanan at New York’s Madison Square Garden. He was still only twenty one years old. Buchanan was a very good fighter in his own right, but he was no match for Duran who totally dismantled him, mixing up a vicious head and body attack to stop him in the thirteenth round.

In a career that spanned decades, Duran won the WBC Middleweight Title, the WBC Welterweight Title, WBA Light Middleweight Title, WBC Middleweight Title and the WBA Junior Middleweight Title.

Roberto Duran was at his very best at lightweight. He reigned supreme as Lightweight Champion, holding the title for six years. He was nearly unbeatable for thirteen years, amassing a record of seventy two and one, scoring fifty six KO.s. Twenty one of his KO’s were in the first round and thirty one within the first three rounds. Duran defended his lightweight title twelve times, knocking out eleven. His one loss was a non title fight to Esteban DeJesus, who Duran KO’d in the eleventh round. Duran also defeated DeJesus in the rubber match with a twelfth round KO. Duran was at the peak of his powers in the DeJesus fight, moving fluidly, slipping punches and countering the master boxer rather than swarming all over him. He gradually wore down DeJesus and finally put him away in the eleventh round.

Duran’s biggest victory was against “Sugar” Ray Leonard in June of 1980. Duran outworked, outhustled and out boxed Leonard. He took control of the fight in the first round and made Leonard fight his fight, repeatedly bulling him into the ropes from corner to corner. Duran’s attack was relentless as he pressured, mauled and pounded his way to a unanimous decision.

The biggest disappointment in Duran’s career was his return match with Leonard in the infamous “No Mas” fight. It would be the last time that trainer Ray Arcel would work with Duran. “Hands of Stone” allowed “Sugar” Ray to get inside his head. Duran could not handle Leonard’s clowning and mocking him. He became incensed and quit claiming stomach cramps. Ray Arcel said that the stomach cramps excuse was nonsense. “Duran could not handle Leonard’s clowning and mocking him and he quit.” In between rounds Arcel implored Duran to use the same tactics he had used so successfully in the first fight, but it was to no avail.

After the 2nd fight with Leonard, Duran’s career went into a tailspin and he struggled to regain his form. He lost to the speedy Wilfred Benitez and then lost to Kirkland Liang.

When Roberto was at rock bottom he turned things around as only a great fighter can.

He knocked out former Welterweight Champion Pipino Cuevas in the 4th round. He then fought Jr. Middleweight Champion Davey Moore who was a three to one favorite coming into the fight. Moore had a long and successful amateur career, was undefeated as a pro in addition to being younger, bigger and more athletic than Duran. All of this amounted to nothing against Duran who was vastly more experienced than Moore. This fight was a classic example of why the old time fighters were better than fighters of the modern era. Duran administered such a one sided beating to Moore that it nearly ended his career. The fight was mercifully stopped in the 8th round. Duran was champion again and he had redeemed himself as a man and as a fighter.

Roberto Duran’s next fight was what he described as the “greatest fight of my life.” The fight was against WBC Middleweight Champion Iran Barkley. Duran was now thirty seven years old and most people including this author gave him no chance against Barkley. Barkley was younger, larger and more powerful than Duran and was fresh off his devastating defeat of Tommy Hearns, who had administered the first KO to Duran of his career. During the fight commentator and former trainer Gil Clancy said “Duran just slipped six punches in a row!” to which Al Bernstein replied “Duran has always been the master of defense. That is one of his trademarks.” In the 7th round Barkley landed his patented double left hook to Duran’s chin. Duran clinched until his head cleared. In the 8th round Barkely again landed a hard left hook to Duran’s chin, the force of the punch spinning Duran halfway around. Duran fought back with a sheer determination not to be defeated. Later on Barkley said referring to Duran, “It was his heart. It just would not go.” The punches that Duran was landing were doing damage as well. Barkley’s left eye was swelling from Duran’s right hand counters. Barkely paid for every punch he threw.

The final rounds were all Duran as he willed his way to victory. He boxed beautifully on the inside. In the 11th round Roberto landed one of the best combinations of his long career, a smashing right counter followed by a hammering left hook, another right, then he feinted a left and fired a pile driving right. Barkley went crashing to the canvas. Barkley survived the last round but Duran won a deserved split decision, winning the Middleweight Championship. This victory was probably the most satisfying of his career.

Duran continued to fight until he was nearly fifty years old, using his skill and determination to beat fighters half his age. “Hands of Stone” is near the top of everyone’s list as one of the greatest fighters of all time. I never saw Benny Leonard, but I’m sure that he was special and also near the top of anyone’s list as the greatest lightweight of all time. Of the fighters I have seen and I’ve seen a few, Roberto Duran was very best.

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