Robert Durán rose from poverty to become a famed professional boxer. Known for his punching power, he won world championships in four weight classes and was the second boxer to have competed over five decades. Voted as the eighth Greatest Boxer of All Time, Durán has become an established inspirational keynote speaker, sharing his stories of the glory days. Born in the slums of El Chorrillo, Panama Durán learned to box at the Neco de La Guardia Gym and turned pro at the age of 16. After working up the ranks as a youth, he claimed the World Boxing Association (WBA) Lightweight Championship in 1972, his first major title. Combining impressive speed with fearsome tenacity and powerful punches earned him the nickname Manos de Piedra (Hands of Stone).
The pinnacle of his career came in 1980, the “Brawl in Montreal” at Olympic Stadium. After abdicating his previously won Lightweight Title to move into welterweight, Durán faced the undefeated Sugar Ray Leonard. Battering the former Olympic gold medalist over 12 rounds, Durán reigned victorious and claimed the title of WBC Welterweight Championship. Durán moved up another weight class, and in 1983 he stopped Davey Moore in eight rounds to win the WBA Light Middleweight Championship. Adding weight yet again, Durán returned to prominence, outlasting Iran Barkley in 12 rounds to win the WBC Middleweight Title. Over the course of his lucrative career, Durán competed in a total of 119 fights, with a record 103 wins, 70 by knockout.
Suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung in a car accident, he officially retired in January 2002. After retiring Durán was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006 and ’07, respectively. In 2016 a biopic was released and, screed at the Cannes Film Festival, titled ‘Hands of Stone’ in homage to the great boxers infamous career. One of the few boxers to win sanctioned championships in four weight classes, he is considered one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of all time. Since leaving the profession, Durán has not disappeared from the spotlight and has become a successful keynote and after dinner speaker. Focusing on topics such as overcoming adversity, peak performance, and resilience, Robert Durán is the ideal choice to motivate, inspire and educate an audience of any age.
How to hire Roberto Duran
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Roberto Duran for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
