The Boxing History Blog

25th November 1980, Superdrome, New Orleans, Louisiana WBC Welterweight Title Roberto Duran Vs Ray Leonard The new champion partied hard after his victory over Ray Leonard. Duran ate, drank and partied some more. In late September the new king of boxing received a call from his manager Carlos Eleta, telling him that the rematch would be in November. "Are you fucking crazy?" Duran shouted. "I weigh nearly two-hundred-pounds (90.72 KG). I can't drop all that weight in a month." The reason for a quick rematch was duly down to the amount of money Don King, who promoted the fight and Carlos Eleta would make. Duran however, knew he would lose as he was so drained making the 147 pounds (66.68 KG) limit that he was suffering from stomach cramps. Three days before the contest Eleta claimed that his fighter had used diuretic medication to get his weight off, but this was refuted by Duran and his personal physician Dr. Orlando Nunez. This ti...

20th June 1980, Olympic Stadium, Motreal, Quebec, Canada WBC Welterweight Title Ray Leonard Vs Roberto Duran The massive contrast in both men were evident; Leonard was the boxer who possessed lightning speed of hand and foot and in boxing circles was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, thanks to the big paydays he commanded from his pro debut until now. Duran, who came from great poverty, learning to fight on the streets of Panama was the raw slugger, who brawled his way to the WBA lightweight crown, fighting for peanuts compared to his opponent's considerable purses. Roberto Duran raced through his opponents and finally after making his debut in 1968 as a bantamweight moved up to the lightweight division in 1971, knocking out Jose Acosta in round one. In February 1972 he took Ken Buchanan's WBA lightweight crown after thirteen rounds of ferocious fighting. He lost his first bout to Esteban DeJesus nine months later. Unfortunately for DeJesus the WBA cro...

Roberto Duran Roberto Duran was born in Chorillo, a slum on the east side of Panama on 16th June 1951. He was raised in great poverty, which would reflect years later in his fighting style. He was known as a 'Cholo' as he had part Indian, part Spanish blood. His absent father, an itinerant American soldier from Arizona who carried the Indian/Mexican heritage, left Duran's mother before he was born. There are many stories about the escapades of Duran's youth. He learnt to fight on the waterfront and it was said that as a twelve-year-old he struck down grown men with his bare hands. He would make daily raids of the mango plantations, swimming two miles across the Panama Canal with a knife held between his teeth. He would sell the mangoes to help his abandoned mother raise him and his eight siblings. Duran would also busk on the streets, singing and dancing for change, shoe shining, the list is endless. It is also said that when fully grown he knocked a horse senseles...

Tony Bellew Tony Bellew was born in Liverpool on 30th November 1982. In 2002 and 2003 he took the ABA novice titles by knocking out every opponent he faced, bar Rob Hough. He stepped up to the seniors as a heavyweight, winning three consecutive ABA titles (2004 to 2006) and finished with an amateur record of 40-7 (32 KO's). He turned pro on 06th October 2007 beating Jamie Ambler in the second round. He went 12-0 and in his thirteenth paid contest challenged Ghana's Atoli Moore for the vacant light-heavyweight Commonwealth title, winning by a first round TKO. He defeneded it against Bob Ajisafe and Ovill McKenzie. He faced McKenzie again, this time with the vacant British light-heavyweight title on the line as well as Bellew's Commonwealth championship. After a twelve round unanimous decision Bellew was a double domestic title holder. Bellew's fist defeat against Nathan Cleverly On 15th October 2011 Tony Bellew challenged Welshman...