Panamanian great Roberto Duran believes he was cheated out of what would have been one of the greatest victories of his career.
‘Hands of Stone’ is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters to have ever graced the sport, proving his credentials on many occasions during his five decade career.
The majority of Duran’s success came during the 1980s when he became a member of ‘The Four Kings’ alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, sharing the ring with this legendary trio on at least one occasion each.
Perhaps the most memorable victory of his career took place in June of 1980 when he defeated Leonard to capture the WBC world welterweight title at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada.
Several years later, Duran locked horns with Hagler for the undisputed middleweight championship, although he ultimately fell short at the end of what was a bruising 15-round encounter.
Speaking to Boxing Scene, Duran reflected on his 1983 clash with Hagler as he claims he was robbed of the victory and the opportunity to become a two-weight undisputed champion.
“I still feel in my heart that I won the fight against Marvin Hagler. Nobody wanted to fight Marvin, because he was knocking off everyone. And this journalist said to me, ‘Roberto, why would you want to fight Marvin? He’s going to knock you out.’ I said, ‘Why? I’m young, I’m strong, he’s not going to knock me out. That bald head won’t beat me.’ And I feel like I won. But after we fought, I would see him in Vegas and we became friends.”
Hagler would go on to make a further four defences of his crown before he was eventually dethroned by Sugar Ray Leonard in April 1987, a bout that would prove to be the final of his illustrious professional career.
