“Hands of Stone” or even better “Manos de Piedra”

Robert Duran is without doubt the most talented Latin American fighter in boxing history. People these days remember him for his lost again Sugar Ray Leonard, twice, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, but during the eighties and just at 135 pounds, lightweight, Duran was “KING” during 13 years. No man could even come near him… everybody feared him and he was too damn good for the weight. Also, he was too damn crazy for his own good!

Jumping not one, but two weight classes he when to challenge the best in the welterweight division, at 147 pounds. The best fighter of that class was no less than Sugar Ray Leonard: the darling, the golden boy, the successor of the great Mohammed Ali. In an amazing fight that took place in Montréal, Canada, Duran won that fight hands down. After that, he became king in Panama and everything became very difficult for him.

As a fighter he was better than every fighter he lost to, I’m pretty sure about that. But he was so good, that people thought he could fight at heavyweight just because he was Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran. The last great fight he had in him was against Sugar Ray Leonard and he was 30 years old at that point. Those who know about boxing, those who know about the career Duran had to endure since what, 18 years of age and forward, know that at 30 you have little left in you to give. Still, the guy fought until he was like 45-50 years old. Crazy, completely out of question… but that was Duran. Like I said before, too damn loco for his own good!

Ahh… one last thing, IF Roberto Duran would’ve been American, we would’ve be talking about him in the same category of Joe Luis and Sugar Ray Robinson. For those who don’t understand boxing and think that Ali was the greatest, the two aforementioned boxer were way better than Ali and so was Duran.

Cheers
CristianHC

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