Roberto Duran - Mando Ramos - Ismael Laguna - Carlos Ortiz - Pedro Carrasco

Roberto Duran was known for being the dominant lightweight of the 1970s. But the lightweight division he ruled over in the 70s wasn't one of the better decades for that division.

In fact, he just missed out on meeting a pretty entertaining collection of lightweights, including Mando Ramos, Ismael Laguna and Pedro Carrasco.

The Ramos-Carrasco series concluded days after Duran controversially stopped Buchanan for the WBA version of the title. And then Duran got off to a bumpy start by losing a non-title fight to Esteban DeJesus.

How does Duran do if he was only five years younger and was involved in multiple fights with guys like Ramos, Laguna, Carrasco, Buchanan or even with aging former champ Carlos Ortiz?

What would a lightweight series between Duran and some of those guys look like?

Is he still a dominant force in the division? Does he lose to one or more of them?

How do you see the Lightweight division shaking out if Duran was a few years older and fought for the title in 1968/1969/1970 ... instead of in '72?


RAMOS OUTPOINTS CARRASCO FOR TITLE
June 29, 1972
NY Times

MADRID, June 28 (UPI)— Mando Ramos of Los Angeles sent Pedro Carrasco to the canvas twice in the first two rounds, then withstood a strong comeback by the Spaniard to win the World Boxing Council lightweight title on a 15‐round decision at the Sports Palace tonight.

It was the third title bout be tween the two in eight months, with Carrasco having won the first on a disqualification here Nov. 5 and Ramos having out pointed the Spaniard in Los Angeles Feb. 18.

But both verdicts were dis puted, and the W.B.C. ordered a rematch each time, even though it validated Ramos's victory in Los Angeles.

In taking the close decision before a partisan crowd of 12,000, the Mexican‐born Ramos became a threat to Panama's Roberto Duran, who beat Ken Buchanan of Scotland for the World Boxing Association version of the title in New York Monday.

Dr. Kissinger, Meet Roberto Duran
NY Times
Red Smith
April 27, 1973

A lot of people think Henry Kissinger has it tough dealing with Le Duc Tho. There are fans who can't tell Norodom Sihanouk from Sisowath Sirik Matak without a scorecard, Use the word “intrigue,” and some people think you're talking about Golda Meir and Suleyman Franjieh, or maybe John Mitchell and John W. Dean. Nonsense. Compared with the Machiavellian machinations of the international fight mob, the games those other people play have the simple innocence of jacks.

Sprots of The Times

Roberto Duran is a venomous little varmint from the streets of Panama City who caught Ken Buchanan in Madison Square Garden last June, swatted him loose from the lightweight championship of the world, and in the 13th round fired a shot to the 30th Parallel South. Although he beat the Scot from Aberdeen to Ayr and left him writhing on the floor, Duran has been curiously reluctant to engage him again, Three times up to now he has run out on a contract with the Garden for a rematch.

First he said Gen. Omar Torrijos Herrera, the chief executive, insisted that his first title defense be in Panama. After first‐round knockouts over Greg Nobody and Lupe Whatsisname in Panama City, he came to New York and took a licking in an overweight match with Esteban DeJesus of Puerto Rico. This was in November and proved to Duran that New York weather was too cold for him.

Since then he has been saying that he dares not fight in New York because he could never win a decision here. It, is true that in three bouts here he never has got the decision, partly because he stopped his first two opponents and was whipped by DeJesus.

Finally, the New York Athletic Commission put him on warning that title recognition would he withdrawn unless he kept his date with Buchanan.

Continent Hopping With Mando

Meanwhile, the World Boxing Council was on the prowl for a lightweight champion of its own. The W.B.C., which should not be confused with the World Boxing Association but often is, designated Spain's Pedro Carrasco to box Mando Ramos for the title in Madrid. From time to time during the first 10 rounds, Ramos knocked Carrasco down. In the 11th he struck Carrasco simultaneously on the chin and the top of the head. The Nigerian referee had never seen an ovrhand uppercut before, “For shame!” he cried, and disqualified Mando.

Hooted down when it sought to hail Carrasco as champion, the W.B.C. ordered a couple of rematches, both of which Ramos won. “Splendid,” said the W.B.C. “You're our boy, Mando.” Whereupon Mando got himself flattened by the Mexican champion, Chango Carmona. That was September. In November, Eileen Eaton, the woman promoter in Los Angeles, needed a main event. She talked the elderly Filipino, Rodolfo Gonzales, out of retirement. Gonzales took Carmona out in the 13th.

So now Gonzales was the World Boxing, Council's champion. Duran was still recognized by the World Boxing Association, but that body was getting impatient. It ordered Duran to take on one of the three top contenders —Gonzales, Buchanan or DeJesus. Already in bad odor with the New York commission and unrecognized by the W.B.C., Duran now stood to have the W.B.A. lift what was left of his title.

The Rating Game

At this point the W.B.A. and the W.B.C. got together to reconcile their ranking of top contenders. Somebody pointed out that Italy didn't have a boy among the first three or four and Italians are known to be emotional and quick to take offense. So Antonio Puddo of Cagliari was moved up from the fifth slot to the second, bumping Buchanan and DeJesus down the list.

 

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