Why didn't Buchanan get a rematch with Duran ?

I believe they have both said they didn't hear the bell.

 

You're right. The offer was on the table, for a fight in Panama, Buchanan turned it down (because of the location and the purse).

 

I can see the site and purse being a factor, espcially when there was more money around in a different and more neutral locale. I don't personally believe Duran was scared, but I do think his management might have been wary, especially after dropping a non-title bout to DeJesus in NY. If you notice, they didn't come out of Panama until about his 7th or 8th defense. He would fight non-titles anywhere but not with that title on the line for some time. This much I can tell you, Don Chargin offered Duran and Rodolfo Gonzalez $100,000 apiece for the summer of '73, after Duran fought 2 non-titles in L.A. The stage was set. Negotiations broke down after they both fought on Mar. 17, 1973, not by Duran or Carlos Eleta, but Gen. Omar Torrijos who was pulling a lot of the strings in the Duran camp. He wanted nothing to do with the west coast and wanted the fight in Panama. The offer to Gonzalez was $40,000 in Panama. Now he had just made $43,000 defending his title against Ruben Navarro and would be defending his title next against Antonio Puddu for $65,000. Let's do the math. Moreover, Jackie McCoy (Gonzalez' manager) had Mando Ramos down in Panama to defend his title against Ismael Laguna and had to pull out when he was cut in training. It was rescheduled for L.A. and McCoy stated that he was never so happy to see one of his fighters cut as he was that day because of the miserable way they were treated in Panama and said he would never return. Even Tury Pineda turned down a title fight against Duran because of what the Panamanian promoters offered. And in case no one knows it, Madison Square Garden held a rematch clause for Duran-Buchanan II and tried unsuccessfully several times to lure Duran out of Panama to honor it. I recall once MSG giving Duran an award at some banquet and then at the banquet trying to corner him on the rematch and he walked out. Probably thinking he was ambushed, which I think he was. The way the WBC was I'm surprised they didn't strip Duran of the title because of that. They did before when Laguna didn't honor his rematch clause with Mando Ramos. Laguna's people stated that because he ran out on them in Panama and some funny scoring, they would not honor it. It wasn't until his successor Buchanan stated he would honor the contract against Ramos (Ramos pulled out with 72 hours notice, with Ruben Navarro substituting) that he was reinstated as undisputed champ. But only for a brief time, and that's another story.

Scartissue

 

Well done sir a fine piece of info:good

 

Scartissue,,,,,,,,,:good:good:good:good
And thats an understatement.

Well Done:happy

 

Thanks, guys. Isn't it amazing what goes on behind closed doors? It's the fan that loses out on most of these occasions.

Scartissue

 

Buchanan immediately accepted the rematch on the phone, but his voice was so high, they didn't believe it was him.

 

Duran wasn't protected, he fought the best LWs around. Carlos Eleta did keep Duran away from certain opponents, for whatever reason. At least that's what they said in the biography Hands of Stone. Eleta pulled Duran out of a fight, on late notice, with an OLD Carlos Ortiz and had Duran fake being sick. He also wouldn't let Duran fought Antonio Cervantes at 140.

Buchanan was quoted in the book saying he knew Duran was someone who'd fight just about anyone, so he figured it was the management calling the shots in him not getting a rematch.

 

The rematch was agreed to after the first fight but the Duran camp pulled out with an injury which there never was.

Duran would of easily fought Buchanon anytime and anywhere again but Eleta was protecting Duran. They found out that Buchanon had not really taken the Duran fight seriously to the lead up to the fight but still made a very good showing which had team Duran weary about an immediate rematch. Also because the Panamanian goverrnment was demanding that Duran make his first title defense in Panama whereas Buchanon wanted Madison Square Garden again.

 

Just found an interesting article.

Year 1974.

Duran faces ultimatum by board:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...B9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4867,5404643

 

Duran would only fight him in Panama, and even if he took bout, and even that was avoided by Duran's people to a degree. I am not saying Duran feared him, his management did. Buchanan got screwed for sure.

 

Good find. Duran did not have to worry, he had contract with CBS to televise his bouts, and newly formed alphabet group WBA willing to cal him champ no matter what. Panama was not going to honor any suspension either, so requests to honor contract were not met.

 

One for the books,,,,,,,,

Carlos Eleta was 'protecting his investment'

Nothing wrong with that.

And Ken Buchanan, who couldn't believe he that lost to (as he said) 'That Little Panamanian
Greaseball ******', would not fight Roberto Duran in Panama.