Roberto Durán Professional Boxing Record Overview
Roberto Durán is a retired Panamanian professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001, compiling a final record of 103 wins, 16 losses, and 1 draw, with 70 wins by knockout. His record spans four weight classes, from lightweight to middleweight, and includes multiple lineal and world titles recognized by the WBC, WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine. Durán's career is widely cited in boxing analytics and record databases as one of the most durable and versatile in the sport's history. His complete fight-by-fight record is maintained on BoxRec, which provides verified date, opponent, result, and location data for all 120 bouts BoxRec Roberto Durán profile.
Durán's win-loss record includes 70 knockouts, placing him among the top lightweight and welterweight knockout artists in boxing history. His losses include defeats to Sugar Ray Leonard, Héctor Camacho, and Israel Vazquez, which are recorded in official sanctioning body archives and major sports databases. The record reflects a career that bridged the amateur and professional eras, with Durán winning an Olympic gold medal in 1972 before turning professional later that year. His 103 wins remain the most by any Panamanian boxer in the modern professional era Forbes boxing financial legacy analysis.
Key Divisions and Title Reigns
Durán held the WBC lightweight title from 1972 to 1979, the WBA lightweight title from 1972 to 1978, and the WBC welterweight title from 1980 to 1982. He also captured the WBC super welterweight title in 1989 and challenged for the WBC middleweight title in 1994, extending his competitive range across four divisions. His lightweight reign is frequently ranked among the longest and most dominant in the division's history, with successful defenses against Ernesto Marcel, Alfonso Frazer, and Esteban de Jesús. These title lineages are tracked by the WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine, which maintain unified records of champions and mandatory challengers WBC world champions history.
Lightweight Dominance and Defenses
During his lightweight reign, Durán defended his WBC and WBA titles a combined 12 times, including a notable 12-round unanimous decision victory over Esteban de Jesús in 1978. His lightweight record shows 68 wins and 3 losses at 135 pounds, with 44 knockouts, underscoring his power at that weight class. The division rankings during his era placed him as the top-ranked lightweight by The Ring Magazine and multiple sanctioning bodies simultaneously Ring Magazine rankings archive.
Welterweight and Super Welterweight Campaigns
At welterweight, Durán compiled a 14-3 record, capturing the WBC title by defeating Esteban de Jesús in 1980 and defending it against José Cuevas and others. His super welterweight campaign resulted in a WBC title win over David Braxton in 1989, followed by a defense against Juan Roldán. The welterweight and super welterweight records highlight a shift toward