Panamanian great Roberto Duran has named the one fighter that punched even harder than each of the sports ‘Four Kings’.
Duran, who was known as ‘Hands of Stone’, had an outstanding professional boxing career which culminated in him becoming a world champion in four weight classes.
The Panamanian icon briefly reigned as the undisputed world lightweight champion, a feat he achieved back in January 1978 when he stopped Esteban de Jesus in the 12th round of their showdown in Las Vegas.
The bulk of Duran’s success came during the 1980s however, where he became a member of ‘The Four Kings’ alongside former rivals Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.
In a feature with The Ring Magazine, Duran overlooked Hagler, Hearns and Leonard when revealing the hardest puncher he faced, naming none other than Puerto Rico’s De Jesus.
“De Jesus was the first opponent to knock me down and he had me down again in the second fight. When I lost to Thomas Hearns I was drained from losing weight too quickly, and that had a bad effect on me.
“Hearns got me with a great punch but I could have performed far better in a rematch. Marvin Hagler, who is a good friend of mine, told Hearns the only reason he knocked me out is because I wasn’t at my best.”
Duran and De Jesus crossed paths on several occasions during their respective careers, with the latter handing Duran the first defeat of his career when they faced each other for the first time in November 1972.
‘Hands of Stone’ got his revenge in their second and third encounters however, stopping De Jesus in the 11th and 12th rounds of their bouts in 1974 and 1978 respectively.
