Roberto Duran retired with a record of 103-16, but despite four of his losses coming by way of stoppage, only one man has really knocked Duran out.
Roberto Duran had just a handful of losses in his otherwise astounding career, and is undoubtedly a legend of the sport of boxing.
He’s lost just four fights by stoppage, but was rendered unconscious in just one. He was stopped in 1998 against William Joppy after a barrage of punches, but finished on his feet.
Years prior he was stopped by Pat Lawlor after a shoulder injury prevented him from continuing. He avenged this loss. In 1980 he gave boxing the infamous ‘No Mas’ moment, in which he quit against Sugar Ray Leonard.
The one stoppage loss in which Duran was sent to the canvas was against none other than ‘The Hitman’.
Thomas ‘The Hitman’ Hearns sent Roberto Duran face-first to the canvas
Four years after his first stoppage loss, and one fight after his points defeat to Marvin Hagler, who fought John Mugabi in a brutal war, Duran faced Thomas Hearns in a bid for his super welterweight world title.
The writing was on the wall after Duran was dropped twice by Hearns in the very first round, and the second round was even more devastating.
A devastating right hook from ‘The Hitman’ sent Duran face-first into the canvas. Hearns did in two rounds what no man had done before – he knocked Duran out.
Duran scrambled to get up but it was clear as soon as he hit the canvas that the fight was over. Duran’s record now had two stoppage losses.
Years later, Duran was retired by Hector Camacho, who also retired Sugar Ray Leonard.
“He was tailor-made for me”… Thomas Hearns predicted his second-round KO of Roberto Duran ahead of their fight
In an interview since winning against Duran, who concerned commentators in an exhibition once, a reporter asked Hearns:
“Before that fight, you made a bold prediction that you would knock him out in the second round. Duran’s a guy who had never been knocked out. Why the second round?”
Hearns replied: “That was definitely bold on my behalf to predict something like that but I felt that Roberto’s style was made for me. He was tailor-made for me.”