Roberto Duran has some of the most memorable fights in boxing history attached to his name.
As a former ‘Fighter of the Decade’, Duran’s achievements in the ring put him amongst the very best of all time.
From Duran beating Iran Barkley in a true war to being a four-weight world champion, ‘El Cholo’ is a true legend of the game.
Perhaps the most memorable performance from Duran is when he defeated ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard in 1980. In terms of how he was able to win the fight, Duran had a clear answer.
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Roberto Duran credits his Sugar Ray Leonard victory to experience
Meeting in Quebec, Canada, in June 1980, Duran was able to hand Leonard his first professional loss.
In an all-time great performance, Duran claimed victory via unanimous decision over Leonard. The win would see him dethrone ‘Sugar’, becoming the WBC World Welterweight champion.
Winning the bout by minor margins on the judges’ scorecards, Duran says that his experience helped him best Leonard in their first meeting.
In an interview with One on One, Duran said, “I beat him thanks to the experience I had. If I hadn’t had that experience, Leonard would have beaten me.”
“Boxing in Panama is different to all of the different types of boxing in the world. Why? Because you are born knowing how to evade shots and fight.”
Although his victory over Leonard is perhaps his most notable win, Duran said that his biggest achievement was winning his toughest ever fight against Ken Buchanan.
“Ken Buchanan was much faster than Leonard and threw lots more shots than him.”
Roberto Duran’s fight series with Sugar Ray Leonard ended in 1989
Despite having back-to-back meetings in 1980 and being one win apiece, Duran and Leonard would not settle their rivalry until 1989.
Duran was 38 going into the fight in Las Vegas, while Leonard was five years younger at 33. ‘Sugar’ had not tasted defeat since the loss to Duran and was able to get a second victory over ‘El Cholo’.
In an impressive performance, Leonard was able to defend his WBC World Super Middleweight title.
Leonard would win the bout via unanimous decision, as he was able to claim victory in their epic fight series.