Duran waits for Manila invite

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing legend Roberto Duran of Panama said recently he’d like to visit Manila then left his daughter Irichelle to negotiate arrangements in case an invitation comes through.

The Star caught up with Duran during the weigh-in for the welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last weekend.

Asked if he could fly over to be a guest for WBO superbantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr.’s defense against Hungarian challenger Zsolt Bedak in Cebu on April 23, Duran said why not? He has a lot of respect for Filipino boxing because of his admiration for Pacquiao. Duran predicted a win by Pacquiao over Bradley, saying the Filipino is in a different class.

“Pacquiao likes to brawl so if Bradley engages, he might lose by knockout,” said Duran. “Pacquiao is too fast and too strong for Bradley. But I predict a competitive fight because I know Bradley’s in shape and Pacquiao is determined to win what could be his last fight.” As it turned out, Bradley did more boxing than punching but couldn’t escape Pacquiao’s fists of fury, going down for eight-counts in the seventh and ninth rounds. Pacquiao staggered Bradley late in the 12th and said he could’ve scored a knockout if there were 10 seconds left.

Irichelle, 39, is one of Duran’s nine children. She came to Manila in 2000 to accompany her trainer Mark Pitts and Sydney-based Filipino fighter Arnel Barotillo who faced Pacquiao at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Pacquiao stopped Barotillo in the fourth round. Irichelle said she met Pacquiao during the visit 15 years ago and hasn’t been back to Manila.

“My father lives in Panama but I live in Miami,” said Irichelle. “If he’s invited to visit Manila, I’m sure we can arrange his schedule even at short notice. He has a lot of respect for Filipino fighters. Will he charge an appearance fee? That all depends on the invitation and what he might be asked to do. If he visits, maybe, it will be a party of four or five. I’ll be flying from Miami but the others will fly from Panama.”

Duran said he knows of Donaire and has watched him in the ring. ALA Boxing president Michael Aldeguer said he would contact Irichelle to find out her father’s availability to witness the Donaire-Bedak fight at ringside. However, no commitment was made.

Irichelle said her father, a licensed ultralight aircraft pilot, owns and operates a gym in Panama but doesn’t manage fighters. “He likes to teach,” she said. “Boxing is his love and running the gym keeps him busy.”

Irichelle and her brother Victor accompanied the Panamanian legend to Las Vegas for the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. He also showed up to promote the film “Hands of Stone,” the story of his life. The movie stars Edgar Ramirez as Duran, Robert de Niro as his trainer Ray Arcel and Usher as Sugar Ray Leonard. It will be released in August.

While Pacquiao and Bradley were involved in their own trilogy, Duran’s version with Leonard was a classic. Duran decisioned Leonard in their first encounter in Montreal in February 1980. Four months later, Leonard won the rematch by a stoppage in the infamous “No Mas” bout in New Orleans. The third meeting was in Las Vegas in 1989 with Leonard taking the rubber match on points.

Irichelle and another brother Roberto Jr. had brief careers as prizefighters. “My father never wanted us to fight,” said Irichelle. “I had to go to Australia and train with Mark. I ended up fighting only thrice. My brother Roberto Jr. had five fights. In the end, we decided to follow what my father wanted.”

Irichelle and Roberto Jr., 42, both turned pro in 2000. Irichelle compiled a 1-2 record with her last fight a loss to Angie Bordelon in Louisiana in 2002. Roberto Jr. wound up with a 5-1 mark, with 2 KOs and a No Contest. He fought twice in Panama, once in Argentina, once in South Africa and thrice in the US. Roberto Jr. bowed out of the fight game after losing a split decision to Nicasio Sanchez in Panama in 2004.

Duran, one of the world’s greatest fighters ever, made his pro debut at 16 in 1968 and retired at 50 in 2001. He saw action in 119 bouts, logging a 103-16 mark, with 70 KOs. Duran captured the WBA/WBC lightweight, WBC welterweight, WBA lightmiddleweight and WBC middleweight championships. He started his career on a hot streak, racking up 31 straight wins, including 27 KOs.

It would be a treat for Filipino fans to welcome Duran to the country, particularly as he has never visited the Philippines. He said he has heard so much of Pacquiao’s homeland as a hotbed of boxing and would be honored to connect with Filipino fans. A Panamanian who visited Manila in 1986 was Hilario Zapata who decisioned Dodie Boy Peñalosa to retain his WBA flyweight crown at the Araneta Coliseum.