Roberto Duran (Would Not Fight Esteban De Jesus in 1973)

May 1973

Roberto Duran, the WBA Lightweight Champion would 'not' fight
Esteban De Jesus in May 1973.

Esteban De Jesus was the #1 WBA Lightweight, and was 'next in-line'
to fight for the Lightweight Championship.

But Roberto Duran, refused to go to Puerto Rico to fight Esteban, despite
a large fight purse offering.

Roberto stated, 'They want me to fight a Puerto Rican fighter, in Puerto
Rico, in front of Puerto Rican fans, in a bout promoted by a Puerto Rican,
with 'two' Puerto Rican Judges and a Puerto Rican Referee. I will not
get a 'fair deal' there.'

Roberto, 'If anybody wants my Championship, they have to come and get
it from me here in Panama.'

Ray Arcel, 'It is the Champion's privilege to fight in his home country. It
is a right that is afforded a Champion.'

When the Championship Bout was up for 'purse bids', the Puerto Rican Group
offered the highest 'fight purse' to Roberto Duran, who refused to accept.

 

May 1973

Roberto Duran signed a contract in March 1973, to meet #1 WBA Ken Buchanan on
May 14, 1973 at Madison Square Garden, New York.

But Roberto Duran refused to fulfill his contractual obligation, and said he would
not fight Ken Buchanan. The New York State Athletic Commission suspended Roberto
from fighting anyone else in New York for 90-Days, and said he could not fight in
New York until after July 1, 1973.

Then, the WBA mandated that Roberto and his Manager - Carlos Eleta to begin
negotiations with the next top-rated challenger - #2 WBA Esteban De Jesus.

In the meantime, Carlos Eleta offered a contract to Ken Buchanan to come to
Panama, to fight Roberto on May 20, 1973. But the 'Scot' refused, as the contract
offered a 'paltry' fight purse.

Next, Roberto then agreed to meet Esteban De Jesus, for a possible June 2, 1973 date.
The fight was then offered up as a 'purse bid', and the Puerto Rican Promoters won with
a higher bid.

Immediately Roberto Duran refused, and claimed that as Champion, 'he had the privilege to
defend his Championship in his home country, and that the challenger had to come to Panama
if they wanted to take his title away'.

An offer was made to Esteban De Jesus to come to Panama, but the fight purse was a 'paltry'
$10,000 - compared to the $100,000 that Roberto would receive. Esteban De Jesus rightly
refused to fight in Panama for a 'small purse fee'.

In a scramble, the WBA officials then offered up European Lightweight Champion - 29 year-old
Italian - Antonio 'Tonino' Puddo 49-1-1 (34 KO's) to fight on June 2, 1973 in Panama. Though
Antonio agreed, the European Boxing Union threatened to 'strip' Antonio of his 'lucrative' European
Title if he went to Panama.

In a 'second scramble', an offer was made to Australian - Hector Thompson, who happily accepted,
with some bonuses added to his fight purse. The 23 1/2 year old Thompson 39-2-2 (10 KO's) was
the Australasian Lightweight Champion, as well as the British-Commonwealth Light-Welterweight
Champion.

 

Esteban De Jesus had defeated,

* February 16, 1973... (W Dec 12) over Ray Lampkin (19-0-1)
* November 11, 1972.. (W Dec 10) over Roberto Duran (31-0-0)
* September 18, 1972.. (W Dec 10) over Raymundo Dias (23-9-9)
* July 28, 1972........... (W Dec 10) over Chuck Wilburn (11-1-0)
* May 1, 1972............ (KO 12) over Josue Marquez (27-6-1)

The 'compact Joe Frazier' was the #2 WBA Lightweight, and had rightfully
earned a championship bout. Each of the fighters above were all opponents
that Roberto Duran was going to fight at one time (of course not himself).

Esteban received $15,000 in his bout with Ray Lampkin, yet he was offered
less to fight Roberto for the WBA Championship in Panama.

 

Have to say though,

In June 1973 versus Hector 'The Flash' Thompson,

Roberto was a 'rampaging two-fisted terror'.

But as Esteban De Jesus and his Manager Gregorio Benitez said,
'Nobody, and I mean nobody can beat Roberto Duran in Panama'.

'The heat, humidity and his fans, give him an unbelievable advantage,
not to mention his fists and talent'..

 

Have you ever experienced Panama 'humidity' in June.........:dead

It makes Puerto Rico feel like the North Pole.

 

Roberto would 'not' fight Esteban De Jesus in Puerto Rico in June 1973.

AP news report, 'I'm not going to Puerto Rico. They want to rob me.'

Gregorio Benitez, 'We won the purse bid for the Championship, fair and square. We
were going to give Duran $80,000 and Esteban was only going to get $20,000.'

 

Gregorio Benitez was correct,,,,,,,,

It made 'no sense' for Esteban to take on Roberto Duran in Panama in June 1973 for a 'paltry'
$10,000.

Madison Square Garden was offering Esteban De Jesus $50,000 to fight Ken Buchanan
for the NYSAC Lightweight Championship in 1973.

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