The Viruet Brothers 'The Thorn in Roberto Duran's Side'

The Viruet Brothers, Adolfo and Edwin.

Edwin - Lightweight (older brother)
Adolfo - Light-Welterweight (southpaw)

Both were a real 'thorn' in the side of Roberto Duran.

Both were 'pain-the-ass' guy's to fight, as they were
well schooled technician's, who rarely made mistakes.

You just couldn't look good against these Puerto Rican
boxers, who usually tried to the bore you through the fight.

Both very good defensively, Adolfo a southpaw, and Edwin orthodox,
each possessed a quick precision jab, and good footwork.

Before and after each fight with Roberto Duran, the two camps
went to 'blows', as there was 100% true dislike between them.

 

Adolfo Viruet

Thursday Night - April 27, 1978 (Madsison Square Garden, New York City)

One thing, Adolfo was 'not' afraid of Roberto Duran.

At the Wednesday Night 'press conference' - Adolfo did say he would kick Roberto's ass
in the ring on Thursday Night in Madison Square Garden, and then again outside on 33rd Street.

Roberto Duran, then said to Adolfo, 'Let's do it now', and reached over and swung at
Adolfo.

Then, in retaliation, brother Edwin went after Roberto like a 'crazed animal'.

This content is protected

 

In my opinion, Adlofo was the 'better' boxer.

Turned professional on October 30, 1969, at age 18.

Through August 1975, had only '12-bouts', going 12-0-0 (5 KO's) as
a Light-Welterweight.

Adlofo had long spurts of inactivity, with no bouts from November 1970 thru
April 1972, and only '1-bout' in 1974.

In August 1975 in Las Vegas -Adolfo 12-0-0 (5 KO's) 'upset' (W Unan Dec 12)
United States Light-Welterweight Champion and #3 WBC-ranked - Monroe Brooks 25-1-3 (15 KO's).

That win should have thrown Adolfo into the Light-Welterweight 'Championship'
group, as he was positioned into the top of the division, but -

Ring Magazine ranked Adolfo as the #1 Light-Welterweight from September 1975 thru February 1976.

Unable to secure a bout with the Light-Welterweight Champions (WBA -Antonio Cervantes)
or (WBC - Saensak Muangsurin), Adlofo was 'forced' to move up to 147 lbs. in 1976.

 

Lester,

Good post, but that was the wrong Puerto Rican.

The Viruet Brothers were from the 1970's.

As for Adolfo, he was 'forced' to move up to Welterweight in 1976, to allow
for the 'Wunderkind' to go after WBA Champ - Antonio Cervantes.

No way was WBA Champ - Saensak Muangsurin coming to Puerto Rico, unless
they backed up the 'Brinks Truck' to his door in Bangkok.

Adolfo travelled to the 'west coast' (Sacramento) in February 1976 to take on 'Pistol Pete' Ranzany 21-1-0
for the NABF Welterweight Championship. Adolfo put on a 'good effort' but lost a close
(L Unan Dec 12).

Following his 'first loss' 13-1-0, he went on another 10-Month 'hiatus', and fell out of the Top 10 Rankings.

 

October 21, 1976

Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas

Adolfo Viruet 13-1-0 (5 KO's), gets back on track, by defeating (W Dec 10)
Babilah McCarthy 11-3-1 (9 KO's) in a Welterweight bout.

Adolfo looks good in 'swatting' the tough Californian Welterweight for 10-Rounds,
and there is a chance Adolfo may get an opportunity with a 'rematch'
with Sacramento 'Pistol Pete' Ranzany in early-1977, for the NABF Weltererweight
Championship.

That bout with Pete Ranzany is a go, and set or March 11, 1977.

In the meantime, (February 15, 1977) - Adlofo 14-1-0 (5 KO's) takes a 'tune-up' bout with
'journeyman' Rudy Barro 28-20-0 (12 KO's) in Pete Ranzany's hometown of Sacramento.

 

Cassius Clay says,,,,,,,,,,,"It tastes good, like my Champburger's"

This content is protected

 

Adolfo could have been a Champion at Light-Welterweight in 1975 and 1976,
as he had the tools to give WBA Champion a good go.

But, Adolfo had to move up to 147 lbs., to allow compatriot "El Radar" Wilfred Benitez
to get the accolades.

Adolfo got 'shocked' by the 'West Coast Upset Artist' Rudy Barro in Febraury 1977,
losing a 'close' Decision over 10, dropping him out of the Top 15 Welterweights.

When Wilfred Benitez, vacated the 140 lb. WBA Light-Welterweight Crown in early-1977,
the 25 year-old Adolfo went back down to 140 lbs.

Adolfo set his sights on Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 6, 1977 (Miami, Florida)

(Not Ranked) Adolfo Viruet 14-2-0 (5 KO's) vs (#11 WBA) Juan Hidalgo 16-1-0 (10 KO's).

Adolfo Viruet won a (Unanimous Decision 10) over Juan Hidalgo (Domincan Republic).

Juan Hidalgo an Angeleo Dundee protoge' living in Miami - was out-hustled by the
sharp-shooting southpaw veteran. Adolfo Viruet, was able to land his accurate right jab,
and stiff left hand counter-punches with regularity on the Dominican Light-Welterweight.

Tha hard-hitting Hidalgo was unable to break through Viruet's southpaw stance, and
tricky defense.

Scorecards; { 97-93 / 98-93 / 97-93 }

Juan Hidalgo, ranked as the #11 WBA Light-Welterweight needed the victory to enter
the Top 10 rankings, in his quest for a World Championship shot.

Adolfo Viruet, now 15-2-0 and un-ranked before the bout, will be now be ranked as
the #12 Light-Welterweight.

 

Thursday Night - April 27, 1978

Madison Square Garden - New York City

Roberto Duran 63-1-0 (53 Ko's) vs. Adolfo Viruet 15-2-0 (5 KO's)

World Lightweight Champion - (one-month shy of 27 years old) Roberto Duran, who relinquished
his WBA/WBC Championships, enters into the Light-Welterweight Division.

26 year-old Adolfo Viruet, the younger brother of Edwin Viruet will offer Roberto a 'stern test'
in this 10-Round bout.

The 'issue' for Adolfo, is that he has not fought since May 1977 (11-months), and the ring
inactivity may affect the 'timing' of the stylist southpaw and his counter-punching style.

Adolofo's ring inactivity has dropped him to the #19 Light-Welterweight, and his aspirations
for a World Championship have 'drifted like a rudderless ship'.

At the Wednesday Night 'Press Conference', both camps went at it. Roberto challenged
the whole Viruet Family to fight on 33rd Street, as well as attacking Adolfo at the
podium.

Edwin Viruet, who has fought Roberto 'twice', went after Roberto like a 'crazed animal',
after the Panamanian took a swing at Adolfo. Adolfo had instigated the matter, by
stating that he would kick Roberto's ass in the Madison Square Garden Ring -Thursday
Night.

Roberto (in translation) stated that he already kicked Edwin's ass twice, and would do the
same to Adolfo in the ring. Roberto then offered to kick the ass of the entire Viruet Family
out on the street of New York City.