Hands of Stone - Christian Giudice [29]
In 1966, after more than seventy amateur contests, Marcel turned professional with a first-round knockout. After a string of wins and one draw, Marcel lost his first in a trilogy with Miguel Riasco – whose brother Rigoberto would later win the world junior featherweight title – in July 1967, and dropped another decision nine months later to Augustin Cedeno. While some boxers came up with excuses for defeats, Marcel knew he had a lot to learn. Learn he did, and he would lose only twice more in his entire career.
Marcel won his next fifteen fights, recording eleven knockouts. Along with his rise came new managers, Captain Vasquez and Colonel Ruben Paredes, who Marcel entrusted to get him better bouts. The military was heavily involved in the sport and Paredes, an important figure in the National Guard and would later briefly run the country, had been a prime mover in the expansion of boxing under the Omar Torrijos regime. Paredes developed a close relationship with Marcel. “Torrijos gave support to all the sports in Panama and helped lift up the boxing here,” said Marcel. “Panama was down before and now it was getting back up with his help. He helped make gyms in Maranon, and got the police to help also.”
After a revenge knockout win over Miguel Riasco, the young featherweight contender with the pug nose was about to embark on the most significant battle of his career. Duran was right around the corner. Who was this kid from Colon trying to take my turf, Duran thought? Many things traveled through Duran’s stubborn head, one being that he had something to prove to his people. By kicking Marcel’s ass, he could avenge the loss of his friend and stablemate Riasco and stake his own claim. Yet a fight between Duran and Ernesto Marcel was one that the Panamanian Boxing Commission was hesitant to make. Why build one prospect and destroy another? The real concern was with Duran’s inexperience. Many believed he was too green to challenge Marcel, but Duran told Carlos Eleta he wanted the fight and would win it. “Marcel was ready to fight for a world championship at that time but the boxing commission in Panama would not approve that fight with me,” he added. “Eleta did everything he could to get the fight to go.”
It was the fight everyone wanted to see. From the rich businessman loosening his tie in a Panama City nightclub to the campesino on his farm in Chiriqui, from Chorrillo to David, the topic of conversation was Duran versus Marcel. The two young stars shared a country, a weight class and a tug-of-war on bragging rights. Both were young, insolent and egotistical in the macho way of the barrio. Both were also coming of age at the right time. Two years earlier a cocksure lieutenant colonel, Omar Torrijos Herrera, and his accomplices had staged a military coup and had overthrown President Arnulfo Arias. By 1970, Torrijos was entrenched himself as the Leader of the Panamanian Revolution, and would build a legacy that eclipsed all of Panama’s military heroes. In the quest for a new social democracy he backed the poor, taxed the rich and increased the power of the military. “In 1972, the military started to support sports in Panama,” said Marcel. “Panama was down and Torrijos was making everything better. He made gyms and began to get support from the police.” He would make boxing a national sport.
In the early spring of 1970, both Duran and Marcel made their way to Mexico City, part of a group of Panamanian boxers sent by Eleta and others to train there in some of the toughest gyms in the world. Always alive to new experiences, Duran was happy to escape the grimness of Chorrillo. His interest was also piqued by the thought that his father might be in Mexico City. Leaving the Beyreyes Hotel a few hours before a training session, he excitedly roamed the vast city, a $500 stipend