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Ken Buchanan vs. Roberto Duran
June 26, 1972
Roberto Duran
Age...... 21 years, 0 months
Height ..... 5' 7"
Reach ..... 66"
Record .... 28-0-0 {24 KO's}
As of March 1972, Roberto was ranked as the #4 Lightweight by Ring Magazine
and as the #1 WBC Super-Featherweight.
Roberto was coming off a 'wicked' {KO 1} over Mexican - Francisco 'Panchito' Munoz
back on March 10, 1972 {3 1/2 months earlier} in Panama City.
It´s over man, game over man, it´s game over!
Classic grueling fight.
Roberto Duran
The 'word' was, just exactly who has this 'cocky' 21 year-old Panamanian beaten.
Back on March 28, 1970 - an 18 1/2 year-old Roberto was given all sorts of trouble
by #16 WBA Junior-Lightweight - {Los Angeles} - Felipe 'The Flash' Torres, where
he was staggered 'twice' and badly hurt, only to recover and win a hard-fought
10-Round Decision at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City.
And in his next bout {May 16, 1970}, Roberto battled tooth-and-nail with his
countryman - the crafty but light-hitting Ernesto Marcel who was the #10 WBA
ranked Featherweight. In that bout the fight was 'all-even' after 9-Rounds. But
Roberto did come on in Round 10, where an over-anxious Referee stopped the
bout with only 10-Seconds left in the fight.
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They showed this fight on ESPN Classic just the other day. Some people forget just how tough Buchanan was. He battled Duran throughout, in a fight where Duran was a young, hungry lion... using all of his skills and power to try to derail Buchanan. Makes you wonder just how much higher ranked Buchanan would've been ranked all time if Duran hadn't come along.
This bout almost didn't happen.
Originally, Ken Buchanan was supposed to defend his WBA Lightweight Championship
against former Wolrd Featherweight Champion - Sugar Ramos.
They were tentavely set to fight in Los Angeles for late-May 1972.
But, Sugar Ramos was 'upset' {TKO'd in 10} by the African Congolese Lightweight
- Cesar Sinda on April 24, 1972 in Los Angeles, in a tune-up bout.
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Ken Buchanan knew that Roberto was rough and tough, and he was not taking
the Panamanian lightly.
Kenny was involved in an intense 5-Week training camp.
Ken Buchanan is so underrated imo, he should be in top 5 greatest British boxers.
His misfortune was to run in to a young Duran.
Ken Buchanan
Age......... 27 years, 0 months
Height..... 5' 7 1/2"
Reach...... 70"
Record.... 43-1-0 {16 KO's}
General Facts
Ken was offered $150,000 to defend his WBA Championship in Panama
against Roberto Duran.
Ken opted for less {$125,000} to defend the Title at Madison Sqare Garden,
where he felt that he would get 'fair' scoring as opposed to Panama.
Ken, who had a tremendous double left-jab, was working on setting down
more, to deliver harder punches on Roberto.
Ken knew that Roberto was tough, but the Buchanan Camp felt that Duran's
defense was porous, and he would be easy to counter.
Robeto was 'confident', and predicted that he would stop Ken by Round 9.
The sad part about this was the way Duran "won" It was a blatant foul in two ways
Duran deliberately hit Ken in the family jewels AFTER the bell had ended the round.
Referee Johnny Lo Bianco claimed the punch was legal & before the bell. BULLCRAP!!
Watch the fight you'll see it for yourself Ref was definitely wrong likely paid off. He'd let Duran get away with about every foul in the book throughout the fight. The fact Ken spent the night in hospital with his badly damaged family jewels iced up by Lo Bianco's "legal punch" He was seriously hurt. Duran would never give Ken a rematch would he??? Wonder why
http://www.boxingcelebrities.co.uk/i..._buchanan1.jpg
they have made up.
Ken Buchanan
Set up his Training Headquarters in upstate New York in the Catskills.
Gil Clancy was brought in to 'refine' Ken. The goal, for Ken to set down
on his punches a little more.
Roberto had a tendency to come in wide-open, and was there to be nailed
with a straight right-hand, or counter left-hook.
Kenny would also have a 4" reach advantage, and would need every bit of
those inches to thwart off Roberto.
Ken Buchanan >
"Roberto is devoid of any fistic finesse. Yes, he's a devastasting puncher, and
the #1 Challenger. But really, who has he beaten."
"I'm a 2-1 Betting-Favorite for a reason. I'm the more skillfull boxer, and I
carry a formidable punch."
June 1972 Lightweight Ratings
WBA
*** Ken Buchanan
#1. Roberto Duran
#2. Mando Ramos {WBC Champion}
#3. Chango Carmona
#4. Pedro Carrasco
#5. Esteban De Jesus
#6. Ray Lampkin
#7. Antonio Puddo
#8. Ruben Navarro
#9. Raul Venerdini
#10 Al Ford
WBC
*** Mando Ramos
#1. Antonio Puddo
#2. Chango Carmona
#3. Roberto Duran
#4. Pedro Carrasco
#5. Rene Barrientos
#6. Ken Buchanan {WBA Champion}
#7. Rodolfo Gonzalez
#8. Ruben Navarro
#9. Al Ford
#10 Raul Venerdini
Roberto was far ahead on the Scorecards when the bout ended in Round 13.
Did Roberto get away with excessive roughness. Yes, but there was nothing
in 'blatant fouling'.
It was just that the Panamanian had turned the bout into a 'street fight' after
Kenny had good Rounds in the 6th and 7th.
Roberto had 'thumped' Kenny pretty good in Round 12, and staggered Kenny on
'3' separate occassions.
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