Roberto Duran vs Esteban De Jesus II: The Revenge, 45 Years Later

[elmersalsa]

I can't believe that 45 years have passed since this classic world Lightweight Championship fight. American Sports announcer, the late Howard Cossell of ABC Sports, called the fight for the American TV audience live for the first time from Panama City, Panama. WBA World Lightweight Champion, Roberto Duran of Panama, was defending his title for the 4th time against his nemesis Esteban De Jesus of Puerto Rico. The ONLY MAN so far in Duran's boxing career to beat him.

In the first encounter, DeJesus dropped Duran with a terrific left hook to the chin in the first round at Madison Square Garden in New York City in November 17, 1972. Duran got up, but De Jesus outpointed Duran in ten rounds.

The hometown crowd in Panama was eager to see their hero take revenge this time at Nuevo Panama Gymnasium, which now is called Roberto Duran Arena. DeJesus, 23, a fantastic fighter from Carolina, was on a hot 18-fight winning streak since losing a decision to former featherweight champion Antonio Gomez of Venezuela in 1971.

The arena was packed to the capacity. Some Puerto Rican fans came from their tiny island, and some of them stationed as US soldiers of the old Panama Canal Zone, came to the arena to root for Esteban. According to Cossell, Panama was a ghost town in that hot Saturday afternoon of March 16, 1974. NOBODY was on the streets. They were either watching the fight live on TV or at the fight venue. It was a rivalry of two great fighters from two proud Latin American boxing nations.

Round one began with a bang. These two didn't like each other. Two young men in their prime going at it with a terrific pace. All of the sudden, Duran got dropped again with the same left hook. It was an unbelievable scene for the hometown crowd to witness. Their man is down. But, like a true warrior, he got up. The proud champ wasn't ready to let his people down. He vowed to win this time and avenged his only loss.

Duran's nickname, the Hands of Stone, began to work in the second round. Both threw leather after leather with some fast combinations. One of the two got to wilt and succumbed to the swelting heat. After round two, it was all Roberto Duran. He was working Esteban to the body with vicious hooks and uppercuts. The crowd was cheering every punch thrown. By the seventh round, De Jesus got hit a by a right-left-right combination to the head and falls to the canvas. Was it Duran's punches or was it the heat? It seems to this observer that it was a combination of both. De Jesus, as the fight progressed, was losing steam. Duran, 22, was getting stronger and fresher as the rounds went by. By the tenth round, De Jesus was ready to quit. He couldn't keep up anymore. At the beginning of round eleven, Duran hit Esteban with a right-left-right combination again to the head and this time the Puerto Rican went down for good. The hometown crowd went BANANAS! The referee counted to ten. Not because De Jesus was in queer street from a knockout. But because he was really, really tired and spent. He didn't had no more in the tank. The winner and still the WBA World Lightweight Champion, Roberto Duran!

This fight was one of the greatest Lightweight Title bouts in history. The action and pace never lacked. Duran finally got his revenge in a spectacular fashion. And American boxing fans were noticing something special from a great champion. Forty-five years has passed in that hot Saturday afternoon. The Duran's legend was growing. And sure it grew.

AFTERMATH: They fought again four years later for the world Lightweight unification in Las Vegas, NV. Duran won the rubber match by a 12th round TKO and became undisputed world champion, ending to this great rivalry. Two years after the unification showdown, De Jesus went downhill after losing to WBC World Jr Welterweight champion, Saoul Mamby of Jamaica by knockout. Months later in that year, De Jesus shot and killed a young man in Puerto Rico in a traffic dispute. Serving time in jail, he contacted AIDS. Duran went to visit him in 1989 in the last days of his life. Duran hugged and kissed him, with the acknowledgement that this warrior was truly a great champion and was the ONLY MAN that really beat him, fair and square. Months later, De Jesus gave up the ghost and dies. It was the last time that Duran saw his most notorious lightweight rival.