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Roberto Duran’s Miracle

posted by Kathleen Holland on May 20, 2008, in Features

By Ted Luzzi
Photo by Chris McGee
Wait long enough and persist against all odds and your dreams will be fufilled. Sure .
Ask Jerry Quarry about why he never won the heavyweight title, or the great Charley Burley why he never even got a title shot!

Many fighters dreams end up on the crashed on the rocks of disappointment. They never comeback is a old saying credited to the time of Joe Louis and his failed effort to re-win the heavyweight title in his comeback. However once in a blue moon a miracle happens and it happened to Roberto Duran.

Roberto was 32 years old , and a worn-out underdog. A few months earlier he was considered washed up. Even his manager Carlos Eleta was pleading for Roberto to retire. Don King did not want to promote him anymore and considered that Duran had nothing left to offer . Duran once considered the best in boxing as a lightweight in his twenties was now fighting in his thirties and at 154 pounds not 135.He had lost in the famous New Orleans no mass fight then to Wilfred Benitez then hit rock bottom with another loss to journey-man Kirkland Laing.

The skids were greased and his once great career seemed all in the past. He pleaded for a last chance with Bob Arum. He had to audition for Teddy Brenner in a gym ring to show he had something left. All that got him was an undercard fight with the very average Jimmy Batten on the Arguello-Pryor title clash. Imagine the once proud warrior in a walkout fight he was so ashamed about that he refused to permit television to record it.

However Roberto had won a fight even if it was a low rent one. A promotor had an idea. Why not match washed up Roberto Duran with washed up Jose Cueves in a battle of the once great champions? Kind of a carnival show for sure but the Hispanic fans turned out and filled the sports arena in Los Angeles to see it. Honor was at stake in the Hispanic community and Roberto trained like he was in a Rocky movie for this desperate last chance.

Cuevas was a hell of exciting fighter in his prime as was Duran . What happened was amazing. Duran came in with fire in his belly in great shape and pounded Cuevas to the canvas and won every round for a four round KO.

He was considered a fighter long past his prime but still had the name and a couple wins. He was given a title shot against Davey Moore presumably as a breather for the young champion who had won three hard title defenses in a row. Davey Moore had won five New York golden gloves titles and then risen straight to the top winning the worlds champion in record time. He had a lot of adoring fans in the big apple and a fight between him and old Duran in Madison Square Garden seemed a big payday for little risk.

Moore was a heavy favorite. It seemed like it would not be an epic fight but an epic scene with Hispanic fans raising the roof for their favorite and it was thought that Duran could not win but at least with the cheers of his fans in his ears he would, it was hoped, make him put up a good fight and partially redeem himself for his surrender in New Orleans and his following fall from grace.

A more fitting end for his career, now long gone. Fight night at the mecca of boxing fans showed up in droves and filled the Garden. The mostly Hispanic crowd was in a frenzy. Champion Davey Moore was clearly pissed-off that fans were for Duran not for him the local guy who had won all those fights in New York. Few were giving Duran much of a chance. Moore was 24 Duran was 32. Moore was younger stronger and a champion on the rise. The crowed was ignited by Duran’s great shape when he took off his robe.

However there were suspicions that is was all a facade as who had he really beaten in this comeback? Moore was expected to shock Duran back to reality with his speed and power this night.

Then the bell, Duran began right away to prove he could not be judged like other boxers. He caught Moore in round two with his famous right and staggered him to the ropes as the excited fans roared.

Duran dominated Davey Moore. He executed and landed every punch in the book and when Moore tried to come back a few never put in a book. That night Duran was a marvel. He slipped the punches that Moore had used to win all those golden glove fights and a world title. Then he countered with remarkable speed and deadly power.

Moore had never been dropped but Duran dropped him in the seventh and stopped him in the eighth with Moore being pounded senseless. On his 32ned birthday Roberto had redeemed himself and his delighted fans witnessed the emotional scene of a crying Roberto Duran standing on the ring apron soaking in the fans cheers. Fiestas blossomed everywhere in the garden. Drums banged ,fans sang, flags waived and the ovation for Duran was deafening. It was a magic night for boxing, as few are.

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