Five decades of fighting: The career of Roberto Durán

Roberto Durán, 'Mano de Piedra,' boxed across seven weight classes and five decades. He was one of the greatest lightweights to ever set foot in the ring and one of the 'Four Kings' of the middleweight division.

Durán made his pro-debut in 1968 and retired in 2001 with a record of 103-16 and 70 knockouts. He was particularly known for his ferocity, clinical in-fighting, and his heart. In the ring, champion or challenger, he was nearly always the crowd favorite - if he wasn't the favorite going in, he was often the favorite coming out.

Raised in the slums of Panama City, Durán learned to fight on the streets. As Ring Magazine reported in 1971:

"He felt he was too young to die, so he learned to fight, and fight hard."

The young Panamanian began to box at the Maranon Gym at the age of 16. He turned professional in 1967.

Here's a look at the decades that followed and the career of one of the greatest fighters ever to set foot in the ring.

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5. Roberto Durán in the 1960's

Roberto Durán's first fight was against Carlos Mendoza in 1968. He won the fight by an unanimous decision. He fought nine times in '68, winning all but the first bout by knockout. Seven of these knockouts were in the first round and one was in the second.

The 'Hands of Stone' also fought six times in 1969. He won all six, five by TKO. By the end of his second year as a professional boxer, he had a record of 15-0. All of the fights were held in Panama City or Colón, Panama.

4. Roberto Durán in the 1970's

Roberto Durán's first fight of the 1970's was against Felipe Torres in Mexico City. He fought five times in 1970, winning all five. In 1971, Durán had his first fight in the United States.

He fought Benny Huertas at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of a WBA Lightweight Title fight between Ken Buchanan and Ismael Laguna, another Panamanian great. Buchanan claimed the title.

In 1972, 'Hands of Stone' returned to Madison Square Garden and challenged Buchanan for the title. Though the Panamanian was an underdog in the fight, he dropped the champion in just fifteen seconds.

He went on to win the fight by TKO in the 13th round. Durán later called Buchanan the most skilled boxer he faced in his entire career.

Three fights after claiming the title, Durán lost his first bout. He stepped into the ring with Esteban De Jesus in November of that year and lost via unanimous decision after being knocked down in the first round. He had a record of 31-0 at the time. However, the fight was a non-title bout so the champion retained his belt.

In January 1973, he successfully defended his title for the first time, knocking out Jimmy Robertson in the fifth round in Panama City. He fought seven times that year, winning all seven, including another title defense against Hector Thompson.

In 1974, Durán took a rematch with De Jesus and knocked him out in the eleventh round. He also fought Masataka Takayama, whom he stopped after three first-round knockdowns. He ended the year with a record of 48-1. All this was accomplished at an age of just 23.

In the period of 1975-77, the champion fought 15 times, winning all the bouts. He took a third bout with De Jesus in 1978, whom he defeated, claiming the WBC Lightweight Title. He fought six more times in the '70s, including a bout with Carlos Palomino. He ended the decade with a record of 70-1 with two world titles.

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3. Roberto Durán in the 1980s

Roberto Duran weighing in (1980s)

Durán's most famous bouts took place in the 1980s, when he moved up from the lightweight division. On June 20th, 1980, the Panamanian took part in one of the most famous boxing matches of all time. He challenged Sugar Ray Leonard for the WBC Welterweight Title at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. The fight is commonly known as 'the Brawl in Montreal.'

At the time, Leonard was an undefeated superstar known for his slick footwork and fast hands. However, 'Hands of Stone' managed to coax him into a toe-to-toe brawl, which he dominated. Leonard took his first defeat and Durán claimed the WBC Welterweight Title. He later called Leonard the best and smartest fighter he ever faced.

In November of that year, Durán took a rematch with Leonard in New Orleans, Louisiana. He had spent the past five months celebrating his victory without a single fight. When he stepped into the ring with Sugar Ray, he was out of shape. Leonard took advantage and boxed incredibly, dominating the entire fight. The Panamanian great infamously quit mid-fight, handing Leonard the world title.

Three fights later, in 1982, 'Hands of Stone' challenged Wilfred Benitez for the WBC Super Welterweight Title. He lost the bout, taking the third loss of his career, bringing his record to 74-3. In June 1983, he challenged Davey Moore for the WBA Super Welterweight Title, winning the bout by TKO in the eighth round. This win is known as one of the greatest comebacks of all time.

Check out the full fight between Duran and Davey Moore here:

The rest of the decade saw Durán face Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Robbie Sims, and Iran Barkley. His final fight of the decade was a third bout with the great Sugar Ray Leonard, which he lost via unanimous decision. Along with Leonard, Hagler, and Hearns, Durán was known as one of the 'Four Kings.' Though he lost most of his bouts with the other kings, he produced multiple classic performances.

2. Roberto Durán in the 1990s

Roberto Duran vs Pat Lawlor in the 90s

Durán entered the 1990s with a record of 85-8. He lost his first fight of the decade, against Pat Lawlor, and then won his next seven bouts. His 100th professional fight took place in Marseille, France, against Carlos Montero.

In 1994, he fought Vinny Pazienza for the IBC Super Middleweight Title. He dropped Pazienza in the fifth but lost the fight on the cards. The two met again the following year, though the Panamanian lost again.

With 12 more fights in the 90s, including a bout with Hector Camacho, 'Hands of Stone' ended the decade with an incredible record of 101-15. Durán lost the fight with Camacho by unanimous decision. However, analysts and spectators were shocked at the decision. Sugar Ray Leonard, who was commentating ringside, called the decision an early Christmas gift for Camacho.

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1. Roberto Durán in the 2000s

Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard at the Boxing Hall of Fame

Roberto Durán, 'Mano de Piedra,' took three fights in the 2000s, entering his fifth decade as a professional boxer. His first bout was a rematch with Pat Lawlor, who had beaten him in his first fight of the previous decade. Durán avenged his loss through an unanimous decision at 49 years of age.

Following his fight with Lawlor, Roberto Durán stepped into the ring with Patrick Goosen, who is also known as a boxing trainer. 'Hands of Stone' also beat him by an unanimous decision.

Roberto Durán made his final professional boxing appearance on July 14, 2001, at 50 years old. He stepped back into the ring with Hector Camacho, whom he had controversially lost to in the previous decade. Durán lost the bout after twelve rounds and stepped out of the ring for the last time.

In 2007, Roberto Durán was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is regarded as one of the greatest fighters in boxing history.