Roberto Durán

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Lore & Background

Roberto Durán was born on June 16, 1951, in Guararé, Panama, to Clara Samaniego and Margarito Duran, an American of Mexican heritage stationed in Panama for the U.S. Army. He was raised in the slums of El Chorrillo in Panama City and began sparring at age eight. He compiled an amateur record of 29–3 (other sources say 18–3 or 13–3), with all three losses coming in his first three amateur fights. He made his professional debut in February 1968 at age 16. Durán won his first 31 consecutive professional fights and captured the WBA Lightweight Championship in June 1972 by defeating Ken Buchanan at Madison Square Garden. He made twelve successful defenses of his title, eleven by knockout, and amassed a record of 62–1. In 1980, he defeated Sugar Ray Leonard via unanimous decision to win the WBC Welterweight title in a fight known as 'The Brawl in Montreal.' In their rematch later that year, Durán stopped fighting in the eighth round, with referee Octavio Meyran and commentator Howard Cosell reporting he said 'No más,' though Durán and his cornermen disputed this, claiming he said 'No quiero pelear con el payaso' or 'No sigo.'

Reader's Guide

Roberto Durán's significance lies in his longevity and dominance across multiple weight classes, from lightweight to middleweight, over a career spanning five decades—only the second boxer to do so after Jack Johnson. He was recognized by The Sporting News as Fighter of the Decade for the 1970s, and in 2002, The Ring magazine voted him the fifth greatest fighter of the last 80 years, while boxing historian Bert Sugar rated him eighth all time. The Associated Press voted him the best lightweight of the 20th century. His aggressive, pressure-oriented style and intimidating presence made him a legendary figure in boxing, though his career was marked by controversies such as the disputed 'No más' fight and multiple retirements. He retired for good in January 2002 at age 50 after a car crash in Argentina required life-saving surgery.

Did You Know?

• Durán was the second boxer to compete over five decades, the first being Jack Johnson.
• He was trained by legendary boxing trainer Ray Arcel from May 1971 until his second fight against Sugar Ray Leonard in November 1980.
• Durán visited his rival Esteban De Jesús in 1989 when De Jesús was dying of AIDS, and a widely distributed photo showed them embracing.
• He retired for good in January 2002 at age 50, following a car crash in Argentina in October 2001 that required life-saving surgery.
• Durán ended his career with 119 fights, 103 wins, and 70 knockouts.