Hands of Stone - Christian Giudice [131]
Tension was tangible at the Sports Arena as the two black-haired, heavy-handed hitters faced off for a punch-out that would see one of them face career oblivion. Duran, who was actually the heavier man at 152 and looked stocky but strong, circled to his left, away from Cuevas’s left hook, and jabbed, then landed the first telling blow with a right to the jaw. Utilizing his six-inch reach advantage, the rail-thin Cuevas, 149, went after Duran and landed three of his signature wide shots to the body, and later rammed home a shot to Duran’s chin. The Mexican looked sharp and accurate. Just to secure his territory, Cuevas sent a left hook Duran’s way after the bell sounded.
Then came a key adjustment. “One thing that happened before that fight was very important,” said Luis Spada. “Duran was the only boxer to ever tell me, ‘Viejo, if you see that I am doing something wrong, please let me know and I will change it.’ In the first round with Cuevas, Roberto was ahead, but was in front of Cuevas, who was a good puncher. I told him that he needed to box. If not, maybe Cuevas will hit him with one of those big punches. He said, ‘Okay, Viejo.’ In the second round, Roberto started boxing.”
Duran came out for round two with fierce intensity and stuck a pole-like jab in the face of the Mexican. This wasn’t the lethargic and tense Duran of the first round, he was sharp, menacing and focused, looking to break down Cuevas. Duran went toe-to-toe with the Mexican, looking for the left hook to the body. Both gave and took big shots, but Duran was quicker, and working harder.
In the third round, the upright Cuevas began to let the big bombs go. He wasn’t the most accurate of hitters – Carlos Palomino once said Cuevas missed opponents even when they stood still – but he nailed Duran with three uppercuts on the inside. A left hook from Cuevas further stirred the Mexican contingent as it landed flush on Duran’s chin. But Duran, unfazed, fired back with two clean hooks and mocked his opponent, pointing to his chin. Duran set up Cuevas with a right to his neck, and then a left hook that momentarily jerked Cuevas’s head and body completely around. Although Cuevas answered back with his uppercuts, Duran’s punches were clearly draining him. Cuevas kept punching; it was all he knew. There was no strategy; he threw bombs in desperation. If Duran decided to move his head in front of one of them, so be it. Pipino landed a left hook that would have felled lesser men; Duran just stood there swinging. Duran was quickly back in his corner at the end of the round, anxious to get back out there to end the fight.
Duran was now hot in pursuit. He circled to his left at the outset of the fourth round, jabbing and moving as Spada had asked. A straight right from Duran sent Cuevas down for the first time and brought a standing eight-count from referee James Jen Kin. A moment later, Duran lodged Cuevas against the ropes for another fusillade. Cuevas backpedaled out of danger, but couldn’t shake his pursuer. A right jolted back his head.
Latin pride was at stake and as stoic and brave as Cuevas was, in his prime he couldn’t have prevented the incoming onslaught in the fourth round. He barely moved as Duran nailed him with a right hand in the middle of the ring, and then began to backup as if survival was the only thing on his mind. He had nowhere to go. An exhausted Pipino sat on the ropes, threw desperate rebuttals, and then suffered a right cross that had him looking directly at the canvas; a follow-up left hook had him reeling. Duran connected with another right forcing Cuevas to grasp Duran for safety, but was quickly rebuffed with three uppercuts. He would not surrender. A disjointed and weary Cuevas flew against the ropes like a pinball and squatted as the referee jumped in to start