Roberto Duran

Turning 66 years old day is the great, the hugely celebrated Roberto Duran. One of the finest “born fighters” in history, Duran lit up the sport in a major way for years. Arguably the finest living fighter today, Duran did everything his way.

Turning pro in February of 1968, Duran won a UD over four-rounds against a guy named Carlos Mendoza. Roberto would go on to score a number of brutal KO’s and he would also collect no less than four world titles in different weight classes – lightweight, welterweight, light-middleweight and middleweight being the divisions this legend conquered.

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Recently, the great, the immortal, the legendary ( and also the most down to earth boxing superstar one could wish to meet) Roberto Duran paid a visit to this writer’s home town. Duran, for many millions of fans, THE greatest living fighter (above Ring Magazine’s recent choice for the honour; Sugar Ray Leonard ) dropped in at Henry Wharton’s gym in York.

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While the movie celebrating and paying (reasonably accurate) tribute to is currently enjoying only what one could call mixed reviews at best, the great, the legendary Roberto Duran is many fans’ pick when it comes to listing the greatest living boxer/fighter.

Who am I to disagree with The bible (of boxing) Ring Magazine, but I’m not alone when I feel the publication, so much a staple of fight fans’ lives for so many years, got it wrong when they recently listed Sugar Ray Leonard as the greatest surviving fighter. It’s a close one, granted, but in the opinion of many Duran and all his accomplishments tops Leonard as the very best.

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The great Roberto Duran turns 65 today, June 16th. Arguably the finest living fighter, the finest lightweight in history and one of the greatest Hispanic boxers of all time, Duran, Hands of Stone, is a hero to millions and a huge influence on many thousands of fighters, both past and present. Duran turned pro way, way back in February of 1968 (LBJ was president, Muhammad Ali was in exile, George Foreman had not yet won his Olympic gold medal) and he won his first world title, the WBA lightweight crown, in June of 1972 (“Tricky Dicky” was now president, Ali had returned, lost to Joe Frazier and was on the comeback trail anew, Foreman was an unbeaten 35-0 contender).

This is how long the cherished Duran had been a part of fight fans’ lives. Duran would beat everything in his path at 135-pounds, then beat the new US superstar Sugar Ray Leonard at welterweight, then win world titles up at 154 and 160 and fight to earn a quite astonishing, 103-16-(70) pro record! Imagine that today? No, I can’t, either.

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