2. Roberto Durán (103-16, 70 KO)

Born: June. 16, 1951

 

The race between Leonard and Duran on this list was very close.   Roberto Duran has the appearance of a fighter whose peers can be counted on one hand in terms of skill.  So brilliant does he seem that despite his having one of the most celebrated careers in boxing, 'Hands of Stone' may have underachieved on a journey that sprawled from bantamweight to light-heavyweight and across five decades.

 

Durán was at his terrifying best as a lightweight, ruling the division for nearly seven years. Overall, Durán made twelve successful defenses of his title (eleven coming by knock out) and amassed a record of 62-1, his last defense coming in 1978 where Durán fought a third bout with De Jesus, a unification match where Durán once again knocked out De Jesus and captured his WBC Lightweight Championship.  Durán gave up the Undisputed Lightweight Championship in February 1979. 

 

'El Cholo' (Gangster) reached his positive peak in winning the WBC welterweight title from Sugar Ray Leonard in 'The Brawl in Montreal' June 20, 1980.  Durán resented the attention gold-medal winner Leonard received because he knew in his heart that he was, by far, the greater fighter. Durán unleashed his fury over 15 scintillating rounds, and Leonard, stung by the Panamanian’s pre-fight taunts, ignored his boxing skills and fought chest to chest.  Leonard was absolutely primed in 1980 and must therefore list amongst the most formidable fighters pound-for-pound ever to lace up gloves when Durán, two weight divisions above his natural lightweight, proceeded to kick Ray’s arse in perhaps the most brilliant display by a winner and a loser ever seen in the ring.

 

Much is made of the plan adopted by Ray Leonard in that fight but even more is quite rightly made of the astounding marriage of defense and offense conjured by the animal Durán, a pure embodiment of savagery.  Whereas his distant ancestors had been hurricanes, Duran was a tornado, focused, the thinking man’s demon.

 

"Nothing could prepare you for Durán," Ray Leonard would say after their two infamous clashes. "Durán was a fight within itself. Durán was crazed, talented, technical…an extremely good defensive fighter who was very elusive."

 

Durán: "Leonard was shitting his pants."

 

That was who he was.  He lived and died by that type of brimming emotion.

 

Durán’s career has had many ups and downs but when it comes to greatness, his place is set in stone.