Roberto Duran vs Esteban De Jesus I: The Beginning of a Rivalry...45 Years Later.

[elmersalsa]

On a Friday night, on a night like this one, at the NYC Madison Square Garden, the great Roberto Duran, 21, of Panama City, Panama, came back to the arena for the third time where he sensationally defeated former champion Ken Buchanan of Scotland, by technical knockout in the 13th round for the World Lightweight Crown, 5 months earlier. This time as champion, however, he was not defending the crown. He was facing this time a slick Puerto Rican fighter from Carolina named Esteban De Jesus, 21, which was the great former two-time lightweight king Carlos Ortiz fellow countryman and substitute. Ortiz was the one to fight Duran instead of De Jesus, but Ortiz pulled out of the fight because of a flu. Ortiz, 36, earlier fought in the undercard of Muhammad Ali-Floyd Patterson fight #2 against Buchanan at the Garden. He lost to Buchanan by quitting on his stool after 6 rounds.

Not much was known from De Jesus. He had an outstanding record of 33-1-1 and in the year 1972 had won all of his 7 fights, including the Puerto Rican Lightweight Crown against Josue Marquez. Duran was undefeated in 31 contests. He was the most exciting fighter go come to the NYC MSG in many years. A pro-Puerto Rican crowd was in hand supporting their country man, De Jesus. In round 1, he dropped The Hands of Stone with a terrific left hook in less than a minute into the fight. It was short and precise. Beautiful and quick. A la the great Ezzard Charles' style. Duran got up smiling and acknowledged he was knocked down for the first time in his boxing pro career. He was not hurt, nor dazed, but nevertheless stunned. De Jesus never gave Duran an opening to get hit cleanly. Moving from side to side, and out punching the champion, he was boxing beautifully, using his speed of hands and feet. In round 4, he almost dropped the champion when he rocked him with an uppercut. He was in command of the fight for most of the night. Duran's best round was the 8th when he rocked Esteban, but the Puerto Rican quickly clinched Duran and then moved out of harm's way. By round ten, the Hands of Stone knew that his undefeated record was in jeopardy in any doubt. He had to put Vita to sleep if he wanted to win. Impossible, it was all De Jesus at the final bell, still fresh. He knew he pulled an upset. It was The Ring Magazine's Upset of the Year for 1972. Duran lost his first pro fight. The great thing was, that it was not a world championship bout.

It was DeJesus' most defining fight. His greatest victory of his stellar career. Little we knew that a rivalry was taking place between Puerto Rico and Panama. Little we knew that it was the last fight that the great Hands of Stone will lose in the next 8 years and 41 fights later. Was this defeat helped Duran in his career? Absolutely. It was the first time that the Panamanian legend knew adversity in the pro ranks. How would he come back from this defeat? We never knew. But, in the rematch in Panama, he got his revenge, almost in the same circumstances.

Puerto Rico had a new hero in the Garden. And his name was Esteban De Jesus. One of the Island's top ten finest boxing champions ever. He kept the winning streak going by defeating Ray Lampoon of Portland, OR for the NABF Lightweight Crown. And in his last fight before facing Duran again, he stopped in 10 rounds former WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion and Duran's stablemate, Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer of Panama in Puerto Rico. In all, before facing Duran again in Panama, he had a winning streak of 18 bouts.

De Jesus was the first man to defeat Duran. And the ONLY ONE in Duran's pro career to defeat him convincingly, at Duran's very best. No excuses. And He was the only one to dropped Duran. And he did it, twice! No other boxer did that until Duran faced the great Thomas Hearns in 1984. And De Jesus was so good and brave, that he was the first man to fight Duran 3 times.

Aftermath: Duran avenged his only defeat, not once, but twice. He won the next two fights with De Jesus by knockout in world title fights. In the rubber match, it was Duran's last fight at lightweight, in an unification bout with the same De Jesus in 1978. Duran after losing to De Jesus, won his next 41 bouts. An unbelievable streak in which he made 12 title defenses, 11 by knockout. Before losing to the great Sugar Ray Leonard in the infamous "No Mas" fight, Duran's record was 72-1, with 56 knockouts.

DeJesus lost to Duran two years later in Panama, in March 1974. But not before dropping the champion with the same left hook and in the same first round. Later, he failed to become champion in his second opportunity when he lost by a 15-round decision in Panama against WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion Antonio Cervantes of Colombia. In his third try for a world title, and with a winning streak of 10 fights, he defeated WBC World Lightweight Champion Ishimatsu Suzuki of Japan, a Duran's victim, by a 15-round unanimous decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He made 4 title defenses and lost to Duran in the title unification rubber match in '78. Two years after the Duran loss in 1980, he challenged WBC World Jr Welterweight Champion, Saoul Mamby of Jamaica via Brooklyn, NY in Minneapolis, MN. He lost by a 13th round knockout. It was Esteban's last fight as a professional. That same year, it was not a great one for Esteban. He shot and killed an 18 year old male in a traffic dispute in Puerto Rico. He was sentenced for life in prison and in 1985, he contracted the AIDS virus. He died of the disease in 1989 at age 37. Surprisingly, his old nemesis Duran, came to visit him in his final days before his death.

[GreenShadow]

very good article. further proof how life can turn on a dime. one minute you're a celebrated home town hero the next you're in a jail cell holding your head in your hands saying "what did i do".

[elmersalsa]

very good article. further proof how life can turn on a dime. one minute you're a celebrated home town hero the next you're in a jail cell holding your head in your hands saying "what did i do".

Esteban De Jesus claimed that he didn't know that he shot and killed the teen age male. He said that his wife told him he shot and killed a man. That is what drugs do to you. He was taking drugs even in his prime years of his boxing career. But nobody could take away what he did on the night of November 17, 1972. He was THE ONLY MAN and foremost, the first to beat the great Roberto Duran in his prime, and at Duran's very best.

[GreenShadow]

very good article. further proof how life can turn on a dime. one minute you're a celebrated home town hero the next you're in a jail cell holding your head in your hands saying "what did i do".

He was THE ONLY MAN and foremost, the first to beat the great Roberto Duran in his prime, and at Duran's very best.

LOL.....are you sure? someone once wrote "Before losing to the great Sugar Ray Leonard in the infamous "No Mas" fight"........are you saying they were wrong?:)

[elmersalsa]

very good article. further proof how life can turn on a dime. one minute you're a celebrated home town hero the next you're in a jail cell holding your head in your hands saying "what did i do".

He was THE ONLY MAN and foremost, the first to beat the great Roberto Duran in his prime, and at Duran's very best.

LOL.....are you sure? someone once wrote "Before losing to the great Sugar Ray Leonard in the infamous "No Mas" fight"........are you saying they were wrong?:)

Leonard beat Duran. In Duran's prime. But, did he beat Duran at his very best, though? I think not.