Pounding beers with Manos de Piedra Duran
OK, sports fans may recognize this guy, but he’s actually the most famous Panamanian who is not in jail.
It’s Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran. (Well, he’s also known as Roberto “No Mas” Duran after one of his fights with Sugar Ray Leonard ), pound-for-pound one of the greatest boxers of all time in his prime. Duran actually won championships in four weight classes and apparently, his weight outpaced his boxing abilities.
Well, we bumped into him on Via Argentina yesterday and had an opportunity to pound suds with the “Manos de Piedra”. My wife’s family was heavily involved in boxing in Panama years ago and her Uncle, Fidel Oro, had supported Duran in his early years. I’d met Duran over 30 years ago when he was in his his prime.
Anyway, here’s what he used to look like;
Time ain’t easy on anyone, I guess.
Category: Politics
Cool stuff, Jonn, pounding down some beers with Roberto Duran!
My Dad boxed in his younger years. He went to Aquinas and boxed in the Mission Bouts. When he was in the Navy during WWII, he boxed in interfleet competitions and did some club boxing right after he got out of the service.
BTW, Aquinas still has the Mission Bouts and is one of the few high schools left in the US that has a boxing program.
Ya know, i never understood why the navy got out of holding smokers. You’d think that boxing would be a great sport, especially for guys at sea for extended periods of time. Must be that “kindler, gentler” crap I keep hearing about.
I remember watching both the Sugar Ray/Duran fights on a TV station out of Monterrey, Mexico, which we were able to get in the area of South Texas where I lived at the time. Those were the days before you had the 100+ channels of cable.
Admittedly great photo, wonderful story BUT…………
I’m still waiting for the photo you PROMISED me. And I know YOU won’t let ME down!