Roberto Duran is considered to be one of boxing’s greatest ever fighters.
Known as ‘Hands of Stone’, Duran’s incredible professional career spanned five decades, where he captured world titles across four weight classes.
Duran was one of ‘The Four Kings’, standing alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler in what was one of, if not the greatest era in boxing history.
The Panamanian great fought each of the aforementioned fighters on at least one occasion during his tenure, and was stopped by both Leonard and Hearns, but when it came down to revealing who his hardest hitting opponent was, Duran picked someone else entirely.
In a round of ‘Best I Faced’ with The Ring Magazine, ‘Hands of Stone’ named Puerto Rico’s Esteban de Jesus as the hardest puncher he faced throughout his 33-year career.
“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.”
De Jesus became the first fighter to defeat Duran when they locked horns for the first time in 1972. The Panamanian icon would go on to get his revenge in their second and third encounters which took place in 1974 and 1978 respectively.
The once lightweight world champion – who hung up the gloves with a record of 57 wins from 62 fights – was convicted of murder in 1980. When it was discovered that he had contracted AIDS due to his drug use, he was released from prison early but died one month later at the age of 38. Duran was one of the many to visit him during that time.
