Durán, Roberto (1951—)

Roberto "Manos de Piedra" (Stone Hands) Durán is one of the few boxers in history to win world boxing titles in four different weight divisions—lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight. Born in the poverty-stricken barrio of Chorillo, Panama, on June 16, 1951, Durán only received a third-grade education, after which he became a "street kid," making his living selling newspapers, shining shoes, committing petty theft, and doing whatever else he could to earn some money for his mother and eight siblings. Clearly one of the most talented boxers to enter the ring, Durán is also well known for his contributions to the poor and his loyalty to family and friends.

Durán eventually followed an older brother into boxing and turned professional at the age of 16. A wealthy ex-athlete, Carlos Eleta, befriended Durán and arranged for his training with one of the best tacticians in American boxing, Ray Arcel, who taught Durán to become ambidextrous in the ring. Arcel also hired Freddie Brown, a trainer for 12 world champions, to work with Durán.

All of the attention paid off in 1972, when Durán won his first title as a lightweight against Ken Buchanan. Durán defended his title 11 times and won 70 of his first 71 fights. He reigned as a national hero in Panama, where he fed the poor, gave to numerous charitable causes, and was more than generous to his family. He made sure, in addition, to employ residents from his old barrio on his estate and in his various enterprises. In 1975, the most famous (or infamous) promoter in the fight game took on Durán—Don King. Durán's appetite for food forced him to move up in the weight divisions, as did the larger prizes that were offered through the assistance of King. One of the highlights of his career was his victory over one of the greatest boxers of all time, Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980 for the WBC (World Boxing Confederation) welterweight championship.

After this pinnacle of success, Durán gorged himself and could not control his weight before the Leonard rematch; he trained in a rubber corset and took diuretics before the weigh in, but soon stuffed himself with steaks and, by the time of the match, was too bloated and exhausted from the desperate training to put up a credible fight. Durán walked out of the ring in the eighth round, exclaiming a now infamous phrase: "No más … no peleo más" (No more … I won't fight anymore). Durán explained to the press that he had stomach cramps, but his reputation was sullied in the world sports press and among late-night television hosts, who satirized his surrender mercilessly. Durán, nevertheless, had earned $3 million for the fight, but had lost Brown and Arcel from his team. In Panama, he was shunned and all of his acts of charity and goodwill were quickly forgotten.

In 1983, Durán made a comeback by winning the junior middle-weight title from Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden, but soon lost a round of bouts. He came back once again to win the WBC middleweight title in 1989, after 22 years in the ring. Durán continued to fight into his forties, and became known as "the old man of boxing."

—Nicolás Kanellos

Further Reading:

Tardiff, Joseph T., and L. Mpho Mabunda, editors. Dictionary of Hispanic Biography. Detroit, Gale, 1996.