The rivalry got here as a shock to everybody when it started in November of 1972. A shock as a result of, on the time, nobody anticipated the fistic dynamo that was Roberto Duran to endure defeat to anybody, not to mention a mere “tune-up” opponent. Simply 5 months after establishing himself as the very best light-weight on the earth with a one-sided battering of Ken Buchanan, the person they referred to as “Manos de Piedra” confronted Esteban De Jesus of Puerto Rico in a non-title match in Madison Sq. Backyard. It was in actual fact Duran’s third non-title battle since turning into champion, the opposite two simple first spherical knockouts. This was to be one other fast payday and one other likelihood to indicate off Roberto’s prodigious skills to a New York Metropolis battle crowd.
However, as everybody rapidly discovered, Esteban De Jesus was nobody’s tune-up opponent and he wasn’t about to be simply one other simple knockout on Duran’s document. Intelligent and artful and with a harmful left hook, he would go on to show himself top-of-the-line lightweights of the last decade and one of many most interesting boxers to ever emerge from Puerto Rico. He floored Duran with a tough left hook within the opening seconds of the match and, to the delight of his followers, went on to take a transparent factors win. His compatriots celebrated as if Duran’s title had been at stake, lifting De Jesus on their shoulders after the choice was introduced and parading him by way of the stands of the venerable Backyard.
De Jesus and Duran went their separate methods, Roberto insisting the primary defeat of his profession was an aberration, the results of his being ill-prepared, and each launched into spectacular win streaks. Esteban notched seven victories in 1973; Duran scored ten, together with three profitable defenses of the championship. Now it was time for a rematch and Roberto’s likelihood for revenge, with the group cheering not for De Jesus however for Duran, the second battle going down within the champion’s residence of Panama Metropolis. And this time Duran’s title belt was on the road.
Earlier than the match, legendary coach Ray Arcel gave Roberto stern directions on cope with Esteban the second time round. As Purple Smith would later report, Arcel sat his fighter down and instructed him, “When De Jesus knocked you down, you have been beginning to throw a proper hand and he beat you to it with a hook. He’ll expect the suitable hand once more. I do know you’re indignant, anticipating revenge, wish to take him out as quick as you may. Don’t do it. Simply stick, stick, stick and transfer till I provide the phrase.”
However Duran ignored Arcel’s recommendation within the opening spherical and paid for it by being floored once more courtesy of one other De Jesus left hook, however after that Roberto boxed with managed fury. Vicious exchanges in spherical three noticed Duran land devastating physique punches which, De Jesus later admitted, damage him badly and “paralyzed” his legs. The turning level got here in spherical seven, when a 5 punch mixture concluded by a tough proper hand, put Esteban on the ground. After that De Jesus might be seen arguing in his nook, telling his cornermen he couldn’t proceed. Urged on by his handlers he saved answering the bell earlier than he was lastly counted out in spherical eleven.
Afterwards, De Jesus blamed each the local weather and poor conditioning for the defeat. “I used to be weak,” he instructed the press. “The warmth sapped my power.” And it was true that the second battle had been staged in an out of doors stadium, the temperature within the ring, as Howard Cosell reported, like a steam-bath. “If I had been in higher form,” remarked De Jesus, “I might have crushed him.”
“Let him get in higher form then,” challenged Duran when instructed of his rival’s remarks. “When he thinks he’s prepared, have him name me. Subsequent time we’ll each be prepared. There will probably be no excuses.”
Subsequent time occurred after De Jesus had gained the WBC model of the light-weight crown with a choice win over Guts Ishimatsu in Might of 1976. Whereas Ishimatsu had been knocked out by Duran in 1974, the actual fact remained that De Jesus now boasted each a world title belt and a victory over Roberto. The stage was set for Duran vs De Jesus III, this time on the impartial floor of Las Vegas. The rubber match would resolve, as soon as and for all, who was the true king of the lightweights and who was the winner on this bitter rivalry.
By this level, the real hatred between the 2 Latin-American pugilists had reached the boiling level, the hostilities such that stopping them from exchanging blows throughout press conferences turned a serious concern for promoter Don King. On the weigh-in, the 2 fighters traded insults earlier than De Jesus struck Duran with a proper hand, sparking mayhem. Fortunately for all, the boxers have been separated and nobody was critically damage.
The pre-fight stress was evident within the minutes earlier than the opening bell. An informal observer at ringside can be forgiven for considering the psychological benefit was with the Puerto Rican. As De Jesus had his gloves laced on he seemed assured and relaxed, smiling and nodding at completely different folks at ringside. In distinction, Roberto Duran appeared tense and nervous, his darkish eyes darting about and his legs visibly twitching and trembling. However in actual fact Duran was not nervous, solely anxious for the battle to lastly start.
The bell rang and this time there was no knockdown within the opening spherical. Roberto had discovered his lesson and he utilized fixed however cautious strain on his nemesis whereas utilizing a stiff left jab to regulate the battle. Aggressive but affected person, Duran seized the initiative, catching De Jesus many times with the left lead and bloodying the Puerto Rican’s nostril earlier than the top of the spherical. It was the identical in rounds two and three: Duran stalking and sticking and in full management. DeJesus started to indicate indicators of frustration; he couldn’t escape Duran’s strain and but he had few probabilities to counterpunch.
By spherical six, all of the drama for this long-awaited unification match had vanished. Duran was just too robust and too highly effective and boxing with a degree of talent he had by no means proven earlier than. He masterfully managed the ring and repeatedly put himself in place to unload his heavy artillery to the Puerto Rican’s midsection, touchdown a collection of brutal physique punches. DeJesus tried to show the tide in spherical seven, getting on his toes and firing sharp jabs, however Duran calmly picked off most of them along with his gloves earlier than driving residence extra hooks and crosses to Esteban’s stomach and ribs.
It was extra of the identical within the subsequent three rounds and if DeJesus had any hopes of in some way reversing the momentum they vanished in spherical ten when he landed his greatest punch of the battle, a robust left hook to Duran’s jaw, and the Panamanian didn’t even flinch. Roberto was now merely strolling his man down and battering him on the ropes. Spherical eleven was all Roberto and at its finish DeJesus seemed like a crushed man. His handlers, understanding he was now hopelessly behind on factors, urged him to go for the knockout and in spherical twelve he noticed a gap and moved in to fireside certainly one of his highly effective left hooks. However Duran beat him to the punch, driving residence a vicious proper that despatched the Puerto Rican to the ground.
Displaying great braveness, Esteban pulled himself to his toes, however he was completed. He stood close to the ropes like a condemned man ready to be put out of his distress because the referee waved Roberto again in. A two-fisted battering adopted, the punches slowly driving DeJesus down right into a crouch, his weight supported by the ropes. The referee was about to sign a second knockdown when Esteban’s nook charged into the ring. The battle was over. Roberto Duran was the undisputed light-weight king. And the bitter rivalry between two of the last decade’s biggest fighters was lastly determined, as soon as and for all. — Neil Crane
