Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez: Silver Age Legends

Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez

By Randy De La O

Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez, two fighters that moved me every time they stepped into the ring. Like every fighter before them, their time has come and gone. Their careers are part of sports history now. We don't like our sports heroes to get old, especially our fighters. We want them to keep hitting home runs, getting a touchdown or keep on knocking out their opponents. we don't want it to end! But it does.

Looking back, getting together with friends and family, eating some good food and drinking some cold beer, losing some money and watching guys like Duran and Chavez fight was like a slice of heaven to me. I think we all knew we were in a special era in boxing.

I mean, it wasn't just Duran and Chavez, but Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Sanchez,Ramos, Lopez (Little Red), Chacon, Arguello, Olivares, Pryor, Holmes, Foreman and Ali and Frazier, just too, too many to list here. 

Duran was way past his prime by the time Chavez was hitting his stride. They never fought each other. It's my belief that Duran would have beaten Chavez. I don't think he would have knocked him out. Chavez at his peak had a cast iron chin and an immovable will. But when Duran was Duran, he was a wild, feral, unconscionable animal. A savage, if you will. I would like to believe, that had they fought it would have been one for the books. This is one of my favorite 'What if" fights. 

If the 30's, 40's and 50's were the "Golden Age of Boxing" than the 60's, 70's and 80's have to be considered the "Silver Age". I miss those days!