If one decides to rank the best performances within the superb profession of the nice Roberto Duran, his ten spherical tour de drive in opposition to Carlos Palomino clearly deserves excessive standing. Duran vs Palomino is each a superb instance of the talent and ring intelligence of a real pound-for-pound nice, in addition to a key victory in Roberto’s profession, placing him in good place for his large, million greenback showdown with Sugar Ray Leonard.
Duran had dominated the lightweights since 1972 and within the course of established himself as one of many best boxers of his period, maybe one of the best light-weight since Benny Leonard, definitely essentially the most dominant since Ike Williams. However now, after a last large win over rival Esteban De Jesus, he was transferring up and the jury was nonetheless out as as to whether Roberto might compete as successfully in opposition to naturally larger males. Having abdicated his 135 pound title in early ’78, Duran bided his time, partaking in 4 stay-busy tilts as he waited for a shot on the welterweight crown. As an alternative the right alternative arrived: an opportunity to shine in Madison Sq. Backyard in opposition to a former champ who was nonetheless thought to be a high fighter within the division.
Carlos Palomino was something however a burned-out ex-champ on the lookout for one final large payday. Nor had he been a paper champion. Having gained the title from Britain’s John Stracey, he had defended it seven occasions in opposition to some wonderful contenders together with Armando Muniz and Dave Inexperienced. And there was definitely no disgrace in dropping his belt to some of the gifted boxers within the sport’s historical past, Wilfred Benitez. Whereas Duran deserved to be the odds-on favourite, all agreed this was probably a tricky problem for the previous terror of the lightweights.
The irony was that the combat was on the undercard of a nationally televised world heavyweight title match, Larry Holmes vs Mike Weaver, but there was much more buzz in boxing circles for Duran vs Palomino than for the night time’s major attraction. In truth, with Muhammad Ali having retired the 12 months earlier than, the general public was paying renewed consideration to the decrease weight courses, particularly as they now provided such thrilling abilities and recent faces as Sugar Ray Leonard, Howard Davis Jr., and Marvin Hagler. Duran, a significant attraction since at the very least 1972, was transcending his Latin fan base and assuming the picture of one of many recreation’s legends and elder statesmen at simply the proper time. However to get to the massive alternatives forward, he needed to beat Palomino first.
Apart from firmly establishing Roberto as a critical risk at 147 kilos, Duran vs Palomino proved to be maybe the clearest demonstration but of how “Manos de Piedra” had advanced into a very full fighter. Having entered the game as a uncooked, highly effective brawler, Roberto had developed, with the assistance of grasp trainers Ray Arcel and Freddie Brown, into a complicated boxer-puncher: aggressive, highly effective, but in addition intelligent, inventive and surprisingly laborious to hit. His status as a crude slugger now labored to his benefit as he took opponents unexpectedly with the sophistication of his ways. Palomino had clearly ready for a Duran who would try to overpower him, however Roberto revered the previous champion’s capacity and set about placing every thing he had discovered to make use of, within the course of providing followers a memorable efficiency of talent and technical virtuosity.
Whereas a fast-paced motion combat, there was little drama; many scored it a shutout. Simply as Palomino wasn’t on the identical stage because the defensive wizard Benitez, he additionally wasn’t in the identical league as a motivated and match Duran. “Manos de Piedra,” considerably surprisingly, turned out to be clearly the stronger fighter with the extra damaging punch. It was official: Duran’s fearsome energy had not deserted him within the migration to the upper weight. He scored a knockdown with an overhand proper in spherical six and gained nearly each minute of the match. Briefly, a tricky problem, surprisingly, turned a rout.
As Pat Putnam vividly reported in Sports activities Illustrated: “Duran bewildered Palomino with flicking head and shoulder feints; he battered him with punches thrown at blinding pace. At occasions, only for enjoyable, he feinted from the left, feinted from the proper, after which, with Palomino in a flux of frantic confusion, stepped again and flashed a wolfish grin as Palomino untangled himself.”
Might Duran compete with the welterweights? The reply was an emphatic “sure.” A number of months later Sugar Ray Leonard would defeat Wilfred Benitez for Palomino’s outdated title and the countdown instantly started for one of many greatest and most anticipated fights in boxing historical past. — Michael Carbert
