Héctor Camacho vs. Roberto Durán

Legend to Legend

Date	June 22, 1996
Venue	Etess Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Title(s) on the line	vacant IBC middleweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Héctor Camacho Roberto Durán Nickname Macho Manos de Piedra ("Hands of Stone") Hometown Bayamón, Puerto Rico Panama City, Panama Purse $600,000 $400,000 Pre-fight record 58–3–1 96–11 Height 5 ft 6+1⁄2 in (169 cm) 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm) Weight 160 lb (73 kg) 157 lb (71 kg) Style Southpaw Orthodox Recognition 3-division world champion 4-division world champion
Result
Camacho wins via unanimous decision (117-111, 116-113, 115-113)

Héctor Camacho vs. Roberto Durán, billed as Legend to Legend was a professional boxing match contested on June 22, 1996, for the IBC middleweight title.

Background

A match between 3-division world champion Héctor Camacho and 4-division world champion Roberto Durán was made official in April 1996 to take place two months later in June. Both fighters appeared at a press conference announcing the fight when Durán, angered by Camacho's trash talk, suddenly stood up and started a scuffle with Camacho on dais, whom opened up a cut on his hand after hitting one of Durán's rings. The abrasive and outspoken Camacho denounced Durán as "fat and lazy" and a "hamburger-eating slob" and stated he had lost respect for Durán because of the incident. At another press conference, Camacho was brought to tears after Durán criticized both Camacho himself and his style of fighting, and then four days before the fight, the two fighters had a verbal altercation at a Camacho training session in New York City though things did not get physical in the latter two. After fighting as a super middleweight with marginal success since 1989, the 45-year old Durán was returning to the middleweight division where he had won his last world title in 1988, and was optimistic about his return to division stating "At this weight I am a lot better and a lot quicker." Camacho, however, whom at 34-years old was nine years younger than Durán, was unworried retorting "I don't care what kind of shape he is in, he is still 45 years old. I'm smaller, stronger and faster."

The undercard's featured bout saw the return of former undisputed heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas who was pitted against journeyman Tony LaRosa. Douglas had not fought in six years since losing the undisputed heavyweight title to Evander Holyfield in October 1990. Douglas would win his return match by referee technical decision in the third round. b

The fight

The fight would go the full 12 rounds with Camacho being awarded a unanimous decision victory. Two of the judge's scorecards were close at 115-113 and 116-113 while the third was more lopsided in Camacho's favor at 117–111. Durán pressed Camacho the entire fight with Camacho using his quickness and boxing skills to effectively counter while also using his right jab. During the later rounds, Durán controlled the fight and nearly pulled off a comeback though he would ultimately fall just short.

Having felt Durán had done enough to earn the decision, the audience loudly booed the decision. Unfazed, Camacho thought he had done enough to win the fight "I thought I outboxed him, just like I wanted to. He put up a big effort. God bless him." Durán, angered by the decision, heavily criticized both Camacho's tactical approach and the judges lamenting "You know who beat me? The judges beat me. After the fifth round, I was the only one in the ring."

Fight card

Weight Class	Weight		vs.		Method	Round	Notes
Middleweight	160 lbs.	Héctor Camacho	def.	Roberto Durán	UD	12/12	Note 1
Heavyweight	200+ lbs.	Buster Douglas	def.	Tony LaRosa	RTD	3/10
Super Lightweight	140 lbs.	Edelmiro Martinez	def.	Ramon Cruz	TKO	1/10
Super Welterweight	154 lbs.	Ralph Jones	def.	Tommy Small	TKO	7/10

^Note 1 For IBC Middleweight title