Roberto Duran 'Light-Welterweight Champion'

R/T,

Wilfed Benitez was 'not' a player in the 140 lb. Light-Welterweight Division in 1978,
he had moved up to 'the over the weight' division of 144 lbs.

And Roberto, was pretty much 'in limbo' after defeating Adlofo Viruet on April 27, 1978.

By the 'Summer of 1978' - WBA Champion - Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes was looking
for an 'easy defense', while waiting to see what Roberto Duran would do.

On August 26, 1978 - He got a 'nice purse' to got to South Africa, to take on 'smallish' 30 year-old,
'over-blown' 135 lb. Lightweight - Norman 'Pangaman' Sekgapane 51-6-1 (21 KO's).
In a 'one-sided' affair, 'Kid Pameble' walked through the South African, and battered him into a TKO 9 stoppage.

And WBC Champion - Saensak Muangsurin was in negotiations with Don King, for a
possible Challenge for Carlos Palomino's WBC Welterweight Championship.

 

September 1978

Ramiro Machado, Antonio Cervantes' Manager.

Press Releaase.

'We can do this fight in New York, for October 1978. My fighter is ready to go now.
We got that South African fighter out of the way as a gift to the WBA, now were
looking to put Antonio in with Duran'.

'Carlos Eleta better get that 'fat' Duran in shape, before he eats himself out of the Division.
We're not fighting him at 147 lbs. you know'.

'Antonio is at 144 lbs., walking around right now. And he is almost 33 years-old.
If Roberto won't fight, then we'll have no choice but to try and 'unify' the title
with the Thai-fighter Muangsurin'.

'The only other option, is possibly getting that 'Puerto Rican Liar' Gregorio Benitez
to get his son to fight us in a rematch. His other fighter, Esteban De Jesus, wants
nothing to do with 'Kid Pambele' anymore'.


Light-Welterweight Division

WBA - Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes
WBC - Saensak 'Boomsong' Muangsurin

#1....Miguel Montilla...........28-3-3 (20 KO's)
#2....Jo Kimpuani...............43-2-0 (26 KO's)
#3....Domingo Ayala...........10-1-1 (10 KO's)
#4....Esteban De Jesus........54-4-0 (32 KO's)
#5....Hugo Luero.................24-1-2 (12 KO's)
#6....Sang-Hyun Kim............23-2-2 (13 KO's)
#7....Bruce Curry................17-3-0 (10 KO's)
#8....Monroe Brooks............39-4-3 (27 KO's)
#9....Saoul Mamby.............23-12-5 (10 KO's)
#10..Fernando Sanchez.......37-5-3 (13 KO's)
#11..Jeff Malcolm...............39-16-9 (9 KO's)
#12..Juan Jose Giminez........65-5-4 (33 KO's)
#13..Obisia Nwankpa...........13-0-0 (11 KO's)
#14..Carlos Maria Giminez.....110-9-4 (58 KO's)
#15..Adriano Marrero...........25-9-2 (3 KO's)
#16..Leroy Haley.................36-1-1 (12 KO's)
#17..Zenon Silgado..............17-2-2 (15 KO's)

 

Roberto Duran 'finally' gets back in the ring.

December 8, 1978

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R/T

Roberto Duran could have done it like this;

January 21, 1978 - World Lightweight Unification
{TKO 13} - Esteban De Jesus

April 27, 1978 - 10-Round Non-Title Bout
{W Dec 10} - Adolfo Viruet

June 24, 1978 - WBC Light-Welterweight Championship
{TKO 14} - Saensak Muangsurin

October 21, 1978 - WBC Light-Welterweight Championship (Defense)
{TKO 6} - Fernando Sanchez

December 8, 1978 - WBC Light-Welterweight Championship (Defense)
{KO 8} - Monroe Brooks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 16, 1979 - World Light-Welterweight Unification
{TKO 12} - Antonio Cervantes

April 8, 1979 - 10-Round Non-Title Bout
{W Dec 10} - Jimmy Heair

May 25, 1979 - WBC Welterweight Championship
{W Dec 15} - Carlos Palomino

September 29, 1979 - 10-Round Non-Title Bout
{W Dec 10} - Zeferino Gonzalez

November 15, 1979 - WBC Welterweight Championship (Defense)
{W Dec 15} - Wilfred Benitez
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

February 24, 1980 - WBC Welterweight Championship (Defense)
{TKO 6} - Wellington Wheatley

June 20, 1980 - WBC Welterweight Championship (Defense)
{W Dec 15} - Ray Leonard

October 24, 1980 - World Welterweight Unification Bout
{TKO 10} - Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas

 

December 8, 1978

Roberto Duran and Monroe Brooks will tangle in an 'over-the-weight'
(Contract weight of 144 lbs.) bout at Madison Square Garden on Friday Night.

25 year-old - Monroe Brooks, the #8 WBC Light-Welterweight 39-4-3 (27 KO's), will be
taking on the former World Lightweight Champion in a 10-Round non-title bout.

Brooks, who has fought for the WBC Light-Welterweight Championship (in January 1977)
is looking for one more chance at a World Title. A 'victory' here over Duran, will
guarantee the 'Californian' Brooks a World Title shot versus WBA Champion - Antonio Cervantes
in 1979.

Brooks was also involved in one of the 'Fights of the Year' when he lost to Bruce Curry
in April 1978, in a bout for the NABF Light-Welterweight Championship.

In the press conference, Monroe Brooks stated; 'Duran has never been hit by a
fighter like me before. Let's see how tough he is, when a good Light-Welterweight
hits him'.

27 year-old - Roberto Duran 65-1-0 (54 KO's), who was looking to fight one of the Light-Welterweight Champions
this year {1978}, may by-pass the 140 lb. Division, and compete at 147 lbs.

In his last bout in September and in Panama, a 151 lb. Duran scored a knockout (KO 2) over Costa Rican Welterweight -
Ezequiel Obando 11-6-0 (4 KO's).

Roberto Duran stated in the press conference, 'I want to see how Brooks smiles, after I hit him in the body a few
times. He smile no more. No more Senor Funny Face'.

The Fight

The first '4-Rounds' were fought at a 'fast-pace'. Roberto Duran won each round, but Monroe Brooks
was right there, keeping the rounds close.

In Round 5, Monroe Brooks opened up, and had a real good round, as he was able to out-slug Roberto
at his own game.

Round 6, Monroe tried to maintain the pace and was fighting Roberto on 'even ground' up to the
mid-way point of the round. But then Roberto started to take over, and landed some real good hard
shots on Brooks, who was starting to fade.

Round 7, Monroe Brooks did all he could to battle back, but the 147 lb. Duran was just too strong,
and started to push Brooks around the ring.

Roubd 8, Monroe Brooks let it all hang out in the early going, but then Roberto started to land good
punches while setting up flat-footed. After backing Brroks up to the ropes, Roberto ripped a few
hard punches on the now exhausted Brooks, and then unloaded a picture perfect left hook to the liver,
flooring Brooks for the 10-Count, for a KO 8 victory.

 

January 1979

WBA Light-Welterweight Champion, Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes will
defend his Championship versus #1 WBA-ranked Miguel Montilla at
Madison Square Garden on January 18, 1979.

This will be 'Kid Pambele's' first bout at the famed New York City arena.

Cervante's Manager, Ramiro Machado stated, that he had 'reserved' this date
to fight Roberto Duran, but since defeating Monroe Brooks 'last month' on
December 8, 1978 - no one can get a definitive answer as to why Carlos Eleta
will not sign a contract putting his fighter in the ring with 'Kid Pambele'.

The 5' 9" - 33 year-old Columbian with a record of 84-10-3 (42 KO's), will be making
the '4th-Defense' of his 'second-reign' of the WBA crown. This will aslo be
Cervantes '18th' appearance in a World Championship bout.

Miguel Montilla, the 'hard-punching' 26 1/2 year-old from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic,
is the #1 WBA-ranked Challenger. Miguel holds a record of 28-3-3 (20 KO's), and
is undefeated in the last 4-years (since December 1974), while compiling '18' straight
wins with '16' coming via the knockout.

Miguel Montilla claims that he had an additional '11' fights earlier in his career, where he
had gone 9-0-2 (6 KO's) in those bouts. That would give Miguel a record of 37-3-5 (26 KO's).

The 5' 7" 'boxer-puncher' Montilla, is predicting a 'knockout' by the 11th Round over
the legendary 'Kid Pambele'.

Miguel stated, 'I hope Cervantes keeps looking forward to Roberto Duran. While
he's focusing on Duran, I will drop him and knock him out, that I guarantee'.

 

Sunday - April 8, 1979

Caeser's Palace - Las Vegas, Nevada

Roberto Duran 66-1-0 (55 KO's)
vs.
Jimmy Heair 73-17-1 (45 KO's)

The #2 WBC Welterweight, Roberto Duran will tangle with 'long time veteran'
26 1/2 year-old - 'Memphis' Jimmy Heair in a 10-Round Welterweight bout.

The 27 year-old former World Lightweight Champion will be having his '4th-Straight'
non-title bout over 142 lbs.

Jimmy Heair, a one-time #1 WBA-ranked Lightweight in March 1974 when he was 33-0-0,
was scheduled to fight Roberto Duran in the Spring of 1974, but Jimmy was 'upset' by
Rudy Barro, and that loss knocked him out of the Lightweight Championship bout.

Now, a capable 'journeyman', Jimmy Heair has waited 5-years to do battle with
'Mano de Piedra', but now at 146 lbs., and not as a 135 lb. Lightweight.

The 5' 8" 'Memphis Jimmy', was a straight ahead banger, who could take a licking and
keep on ticking.