June 26, 1972: Fifty Years Ago, The Birth of the Legend

[elmersalsa]

It was a night to remember at the famous New York City's Madison Square Garden when an unknown young brawling Panamanian with knockout power, challenged the World Lightweight Champion from Scotland, Ken Buchanan.

The challenger? Was a 21-year old named Roberto Duran. This controversial fight will always be talked for years because the way it ended. It didn't detract The Hands of Stone's win, because according to the judges scorecards, Duran was winning the fight by a large margin.

For 13 unmercifully rounds Duran hit Buchanan at will. The master boxer Buchanan didn't know what to do with the on rushing Panamanian. He was getting hit at all angles. Duran hit Buchanan with some shots that any other Lightweight at the time, would have gone down. That meant that Buchanan had a hell of a chin.

It all started wrong for the British champion. In the very first round, not even 30 seconds in, Buchanan went down and the referee, Johnny LoBianco of New York gave him a standing 8-count to Buchanan's surprise.

Buchanan didn't know what was happening to him. All he knew that he had a savage in front of him that looked like a pitbull who was mad like if someone was taking his Alpo meal. Or like if Buchanan slept with Duran's wife or took his lunch money or something. The fight was all Roberto Duran's.

The immense pressure that Duran put on Buchanan was unbelievable. For years, nobody has seen a fighter at the Garden giving such an spectacular performance. Duran hit Buchanan with elbows, with the head and everything but the kitchen sink.

In round 13, Buchanan was still standing. He was not going to give up his hard earned title just like that. And he fought gallantly, having some moments of his own. Both fighters were exchanging blows at the end of the round and Duran, maybe frustrated at Buchanan's tactics, gave the champion a blow to the groin.

Buchanan went down writhing in pain. His handlers, Gil Clancy and Buchanan's dad, Eddie, went inside to rush Buchanan back to the corner. In serious pain, Buchanan was claiming that Duran committed a foul. The referee didn't buy it. Duran's other trainer, Freddie Brown of New York told the referee and Buchanan's corner to keep on with the fight. "Go head on with the fight!" Brown screamed something like that.

LoBianco, the referee, stopped the fight because he saw that Buchanan couldn't continue. Buchanan's was cut under both eyes. His faced looked like he had his ass kicked....bad!

It was a dreadful and nightmarish night for Buchanan and a great night for Duran. About 2,000 screaming Panamanians with flags and drums in their hands rushed to the ring with exhilarated victory. A new hero and a new champion rose in Panama once again. And never before or after, the streets of Panama were in a frenzy. Duran is the new WBA Lightweight Champion of the World!

It was the beginning of the end for Buchanan. And the beginning of a birth of a legend for Duran.

I will rewatch this classic fight again.