Ken Buchanan vs. Roberto Duran ~ June 26, 1972

[Bill Paxtom]

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.

[Arvid_85]

It´s over man, game over man, it´s game over!

Classic grueling fight.

[Bill Paxtom]

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.

[TitoFan]

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.

[Bill Paxtom]

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.

[Master]