BoxRec

Roberto Duran has disgraced himself - again. This time in the UK and at a boxing dinner in Sheffield where he turned his back on the organiser and diners who had paid £100 a plate to see and hear the legendary former world champion. As the clock struck midnight Roberto walked out from of the Blades banqueting suite in the Sheffield United football club complex and ignored the assembled fans.

No doubt his contract was dated for the night of the dinner event and as the clock stopped tolling the 12 chimes so Roberto realised the contract he had with the dinner organiser was out of time and thus null and void. So he held up those once famous hands of stone, uttered his infamous words, No mas, No mas, got up and walked-out.

The audience was stunned along with celebrity guests Ken Buchanan, former world light-heavyweight champion John Conteh and ex-world heavyweight challenger Earnie Shavers, as Duran pushed past the house photographer and made his exit.

The fans were denied that special moment that they had paid for of having their photograph taken with the legendary Roberto Duran, and could only sit and watch as the ungrateful Roberto walked out the door of the banqueting suite, after a signal to his translator to follow.

It was a selfish and disgraceful walkout.

Roberto later blamed his early departure on eating a freshly cooked steak, washed down with ice-cold milk. Even if this were true, you would have thought that as Roberto Duran had lived a long time in training camps he would know that meat and milk is a combination that should be avoided by one and all.

"I could not believe it," said organiser Glynn Rhodes. "I thought I had him for four hours. We went a bit over time, but he was late getting here. If I had had been booked and went 20 minutes over I would not have dreamt of walking out.

"He just said 'that's it, I have had enough'. We had 150 photos of him specially done for him to sign. He left every one of them on the table. Still I shouldn't be surprised. If he can p*** off millions by quitting against Leonard, (the infamous No mas, No Mas) he's not going to worry about walking out on me, is he?"

Mr. Rhodes spent the following morning taking calls from irate fans. The Duran rebuke to fan is unforgivable because prior to his Cinderella act the fans were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

For many years Roberto Duran has abused himself. Now he is abusing fans who deserve the utmost respect for their loyalty and patronage, and that sucks. Goodbye, Roberto Duran, shut the door behind you, you won’t be invited back. ~

Absolutely gutted to hear this about one of my favourite ever boxers. You'd have thought he'd love to meet his fans and soak up the atmosphere. What a loser!

Everything seemed hunky dory on Ringside last week when they showed the event, they've must've decided it best to leave the end bit out.

Hey I never realised you weren't supposed to mix meat and milk?! What does it do to you?

The old stomach cramps excuse is one of his favorites....

I'm shocked and feel sorry for all those fans. Like I said on a previous thread I met Duran at a simular event in Telford on 21/09/03 and he was in good spirits and a complete gentleman that night.

Boxing News are looking into the story, but to be honest, someone like Duran is always going to disappoint when he walks out of a venue, whatever time it is. People expect him to sit around all night and sign autographs, but there has to be a cut-off time. He stopped till midnight. He'd smiled for the TV cameras. He'd done his bit.

bennie wrote:Boxing News are looking into the story, but to be honest, someone like Duran is always going to disappoint when he walks out of a venue, whatever time it is. People expect him to sit around all night and sign autographs, but there has to be a cut-off time. He stopped till midnight. He'd smiled for the TV cameras. He'd done his bit.

The night I met him he seemed more than happy to spend time with his fans, sighn photos for them, answer questions etc etc. The only time he looked a bit annoyed was when the organisers were getting him to sighn loads of gloves, pictures etc for I pressume other uses and not for 'true fans'. Just an observation, may be wrong.

I met Duran once, it was in Las Vegas in '98, the day before he fought William Joppy. He was very relaxed, very friendly. Took time for all his fans and people that greeted him. He signed autographs and took pictures with anyone who asked for it.

The night after the fight he was hanging out with his crew in the hotelbar. Like the day before, he was in a very good mood. Telling jokes and offering complete strangers like myself and others drinks and chairs to join them.

His bad reputation doesn't match with my personal experience at all. I couldn't believe that this was the same man I heard so many bad things of. He was more than friendly.