In this corner, Roberto Durán.
And in this corner, Benny Huertas.
Ring sense is an art.
A gift from God that flows out of a fighter like a painting flows out of an artist.
You're either blessed with it from the day you're born...
...or you're cursed without it till you die.
In 66 seconds, Roberto Durán changed my life.
This is his
22nd knockout in 25 fights.
You can make him a champ.
I know it.
Well, I don't think you need me, Carlos.
I... the kid's got it all.
But he's wild.
Undisciplined.
You know, he can't make this road towards a world championship by himself.
He grew up in the streets.
Fought everything, everybody.
Hates everything, including the United States of America.
Including the United States?
His father was an American who abandoned his mother.
You can help him, Ray.
Listen, I want to train the kid, I just...
I-I don't want... you know...
It's not easy.
I don't want to stir things up.
What, that thing with the wiseguys?
That was 17 years ago.
- Well, you think they still care? - Yeah, yeah.
I can pay you under the table.
Ah, they know all the tricks.
The only thing I can think of is...
I'd have to train him for free.
That's not a bad idea.
Cholo.
Hey.
Thirty-one flavors and I got them all!
I got somebody very, very important that I want you to meet.
The best trainer in the history of boxing.
Ray Arcel.
He has trained more world champs than anyone else in boxing history.
Relax. Don't look at me like that.
Where are you?
I told you I would bring you to the Madison Square Garden.
Have I ever said anything that didn't happen?
This man can make you world champ.
I don't need nobody from America.
I know.
I got to go.
Hey, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray.
It's good to see you, Carlos, after all these years.
We'll talk soon.
Thanks, Ray.
Okay.
Hey.
What's wrong with you guys?
That's Ray Arcel
Ray Arcel... 18 championships
of the world.
Plomo Quiñones...
cero.
Now you got two trainers. You got Panama. Our Panama.
And you got the man who knows...
You really have balls, Eleta.
I'm trying to make you world champ. You don't wanna be world champ?
You gonna eat all that shit?
Of course! I bought it!
Since 1903, the Canal Zone was a U.S.-controlled territory
right in the heart of Panama.
And the rockets' red glare...
By 1964, tension was at an all-time high
as Panamanian students clashed with the U.S. military over
the right to fly their flag in their own land.
Viva Panama!
Panama!
Panama! Panama!
USA! USA!
Run! Run!
Get out there and swim!
Swim for your life!
The conflict would last for three days,
and when it was done, 22 Panamanians and four U.S. citizens were dead.
Mom, got food!
Gun shots, Roberto, hide down here!
What are you doing down there, you crazy?
Mangoes!
Wait!
Did you steal that?
Mom, you know me, I don't need to steal.
Where did you find that?
I got paid for my work.
Thanks, son.
Durán had several teachers in his life.
One of the most important was Chaflan.
He was like the Pied Piper of the neighborhood
who taught the kids how to survive.
Mangoes for everyone!
Now everyone say thanks for the mangoes.
Thanks for the mangoes.
If it's mine it's yours.
And if it's ours it's yours.
Thank you.
Left, Left, Left, Right, Left.
Numero dos!
Numero tres!
Numero cuatro!
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro!
Run! We are late!
Use your jab. Don't lower your guard.
Sir.
What's up, kid?
Would you train me?
Go to school. We are working here.
You gonna pay for school?
Just go, kid.
All good.
Shut up and box.
Boxing is fighting, all you do is dance like my sisters.
Yeah!
Stand up you coward!
We are rich!
I didn't know you liked to fight!
You see? I'm gonna be world champ!
Then you gotta take me to NY.
Let's go eat!
Hide the money!
Give me that money, kid.
Give me the money.
I got no money.
He's just a kid!
- Wassup, kid? - Wassup.
- All good? - Yes.
Clearly, all is great.
I can get you out.
But let me be clear...
If you are caught fighting or stealing...
I'll bring you back myself and leave you here.
So you are gonna train me?
They're not all gonna be this easy.
Sometimes...
You need to get points.
There's technique...
Rules.
Cheats.
Movement.
You learning everything I tell you?
I learn anything you want...
as long as you get me an ice cream...
every time I kill one of those fuckers.
Stand up you coward!
Hey.
Baby.
Turn around.
Hey, psst.
Blondie.
What's your name?
Did the mice eat your tongue?
You're not going to give me your name?
Huh?
You speak English?
You speak Spanish?
Happiness
You are kidding me, right? Your name is happiness?
Let me guess. It's what you've been looking for all your life?
The poor are born happy.
Only the rich know sadness.
And you still leave?
Come here!
Where are you taking me?
It's okay, I don't bite.
You are nuts.
Marry me!
I don't even know you!
Exactly!
We'll get the rest of our lives to know each other.
You are really crazy.
Crazy for you.
I can't change who I am.
Then you need to forget about me.
You're going to leave me here?
You're the one who won't forget me!
You'll be drawing hearts in your notebook.
You are done, you turned...
And you fell in love.
You're crazy!
What's up? What's that spaceship?
Jeez. he's intense!
This is Carlos Eleta, the richest man in Panama.
I've been looking for you for an hour!
Stop screaming in front of everyone.
I wanted to meet you.
I hear you are unbeatable.
When you fight clowns it's easy to win.
You wanna be world champ? I can help you.
Yes
You speak English?
He's looking.
Yes, I speak English.
Gonna take you to Madison Square Garden.
Let's go right away.
This is your plane?
- Vamos, vamos, vamos. - Robert, Robert, Robert,
Robert, Robert, Robert.
Don't look, don't look.
In the early '50s, I wanted to take boxing to every town in America,
but the New York City wiseguys were not happy about that.
Boxing is a New York City sport, and that it's gonna remain.
But this national television tour of yours is taking the spotlight off of the Garden.
And that we can't afford.
Well, I...
I think it'll help you in the long run... Frank.
If you can trust what I'm saying.
TV will turn boxing into a nationwide pastime
and you'll have talent and fans
from every part of the country coming to see championships at the Garden.
I don't give a shit about every part of the country.
New York is the heart of the cow.
It's the prime meat. If any boxing fan wants to see a fight in the flesh or in front
of your little dirty tube, better understand
that all roads go through New York.
When they heard I survived, we made a deal.
They would spare my life as long as I never made another dollar from boxing.
It's a familiar smell.
Where were you?
What, what are you talking about?
Did you go there?
Where?
That's what I said... where?
Please, you make it sound like I've been with some woman or something.
I would rather you were with some woman.
Don't always be a district attorney.
I was seeing an old friend.
You know, it's fine.
I'm blonde.
I look great in black.
I will be a very hot widow.
Is that what you want?
How many years do I have left?
Ray.
These people will kill you.
Yeah, well.
I might as well be dead already anyway.
Oh, what a lovely thing to say to your wife.
I don't mean... you, honey. I mean...
we are what we do.
And if you just make money, you become money.
This thing that everybody wants
that everybody craves, it's just symbolic.
It has no real value.
I have to do something that I really care about.
I'm not an idiot.
I know you're miserable.
I get it, but those animals run everything.
I'd rather live in fear.
Pick it up a little, pick it up.
You're gonna have to learn to breathe.
And you're gonna learn to pace yourself.
There's technique and there's strategy.
Technique is your every move, your every punch
covers all your short-term decisions.
Strategy is your plan for the whole fight.
It's your long term.
It defines how you apply the technique to achieve your major goal.
It's okay if your technique fails for a beat
as long as you're following the strategy.
Buchanan knows you're gonna try to knock him out in the first round.
And then he'll wait for you to get tired and try
and catch you, and that's his strategy.
¿Comprende?
He expect...
but if you slow down
and go...
slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow...
Buchanan no comprende.
Get off the fence.
Excuse me?
Get off the fence.
Ah, shut up, schmuck.
Who do you think you are, old man?
I'm Ray Arcel from Harlem, USA.
You know where that is?
And this is the future world champion you're talking to here.
Fuck off.
He's in a jail and he thinks he's in charge.
- We in jail. - No, he-he's in jail.
- They put jail here. - No, no, he...
He's... It's all in the head.
Boxing is a mental sport, aquí.
What you do with your body is one-third of the job.
You got to learn to be the boss, which you are.
Say it, "He's in jail."
Say it. "He's in jail."
- He's in jail. - He's in jail.
See? In jail.
I thought I told you to fuck off.
You in jail.
You don't know when to stop, do you?
You in jail.
- Okay, okay. - You, you in jail.
Get the fuck out of here.
- Is that the way you want this to go? - You in jail.
You are in jail.
I'm champion. This is Panama.
Nice.
Hook after the right. Hook.
Double up. Jab. Jab.
That's it, that's it, there you go.
There you go.
That's it. That's it!
Nice, nice.
Ciao.
Hey, you are the boxer.
Yes.
And you are?
I heard you won.
Yeah, that was easy.
Now I'm going for the world championship.
That's good.
Can I walk with you?
What school did you go to?
I went to the Plomo Quiñones school.
Now I'm in the Ray Arcel.
Ray Arcel?
Uh-huh.
American school?
Yes, American school.
You didn't go to school, did you?
But you can read, right?
This is like a job interview.
I thought I was walking you home.
Yes.
I can continue alone.
Why?
We come from different worlds.
It's all in the head.
What?
It's all in the head.
Turn the right hand over, turn the right hand over.
The first thing a future world champ needs to be taught is to be lucky.
And luck is a woman you must learn to seduce.
Be the host of the ring.
This is your temple, and everyone does as you wish.
Be the master of time.
You and only you should decide when to strike.
Come see.
This is the kitchen.
Aquí.
My heavy bag.
Some perfumes.
Come see.
I'm looking at it.
You don't like it?
I'm just used to...
Hey, Ray.
How you doing, huh?
No worries.
You look good.
How's the wife?
She's good, thanks.
20 years since your heroic mission to expand boxing to the nation.
Boxing expanded. I wasn't wrong.
Yes and no. But yes, the sport makes for fantastic television.
And now you're back.
Sort of.
I like you, Ray.
I feel really bad for what they did to you.
I don't need to look a gift horse up the ass to know there's shit in there.
I thought we had a deal.
We do.
Maybe I'm confused about what kind of deal we're talking about.
You weren't meant to make money from boxing again.
I'm training him for free.
You can check with Carlos Eleta.
He's the fighter's manager.
You're a classy guy, but you're not going to teach me how to hide money.
Buchanan's favored 14 to three against Durán, right?
That's right.
Except Durán's going to win.
Put all your money on Durán.
Make a bundle.
Leave me alone if he wins, shoot me if he loses.
You're a classy guy.
Mr. Arcel, why come back from retirement with an unproven fighter?
I just turned 73.
You know, seven decades and change.
And myself and Freddy Brown here have probably forgotten more
than most trainers will ever learn.
But I remember well, from the '20s to the '50s
we lived the golden age of boxing.
Then television took over
and we all became... ambitious.
The sport turned into a spectacle, show business with blood.
And it was a good thing, because we reached audiences nobody thought we could reach.
The problem, inevitably, is that the fighters started doing it
for the fame, for greed, for self-importance.
Independent promoters faded away and, with them,
the true hungry fighters, the lifeblood of this game.
Tonight, however, you'll meet the best lightweight
New York has seen in 50 years.
A true, true hungry fighter.
Like in the old days.
He's got the soul, the rage, the mental energy and determination the sport needs,
and that's why I'm here.
Because a new golden era for boxing begins with Roberto Durán.
With 28 wins, zero losses and 24 knockouts...
from the slums of El Chorrillo, Panama...
...Roberto Durán.
The lightweight champion of the world, Ken Buchanan.
He's got a skirt?
He is wearing a skirt, Roberto!
A fuckin' skirt!
Take him to the movies.
Charm him. Let him open up.
Then go to work on him.
Remember what we worked on. Strategy.
Excuse me.
Are they fighting yet?
It's about to start.
Durán is certainly trying to improve on his nine one-round knockouts here.
He's throwing everything.
Johnny scores it as a knockdown.
Find that body!
The challenger is a little over-anxious.
It was almost Buchanan scoring the knockdown.
Kill him, cholo!
Durán may punch himself out.
Don't rush in. You got him. Just keep on him.
Remember the strategy. He wants you to get tired.
I don't care about the strategy.
- I'll kill him. - Listen to me.
If you don't go in with a feint and a jab,
he's going to nail you on the way in. He's tall.
He's-he's too tall for you.
Strategy. Stick with the strategy.
- Fuck off. - No, don't tell me that.
Don't say those things to me.
Fuck off. Yeah, yeah, he's tall and he's gonna nail me.
What, you work for him or what?
- Are you out of your mind? - Yeah, he's taller than me...
What am I doing here? I don't need this.
Yeah, because he's gringo.
- Listen, you stupid little schmuck. - Right?
You want me to leave here?
I can leave you in the corner by yourself.
Now behave yourself, act like a grown-up,
- and stop being a baby. - I'm fucking with you.
- I'm nervous, okay? - I know you are, I know you're nervous,
- but look at him. - Don't make me worse, okay?
I'm... You're making yourself worse.
- Okay, relax now. - You're mak... no, you relax.
You get out there and you show me what you can do.
You pace yourself.
You be the boss.
Keep the pressure on him behind the jabs.
Start working on the body.
Keep the pressure on... that's... keep the pressure on him.
What's going on?
Durán's going for that knockout.
That's a white bitch, Cholo!
Eso una perra blanca, Cholo!
Oh!
He really hurt him that time.
Buchanan's in trouble...
Make him shit his pants!
Buchanan's mouthpiece goes out!
Remember, Buchanan came from a broken home.
Get him up against the ropes!
Cholo!
Johnny. Johnny.
That was a clean shot.
You gotta know that.
We're in New York City, don't forget, don't forget.
- I didn't hit him in the, in the balls. - No, no.
- I hit him in the gut. - No, believe me, I know.
Durán! Durán!
He's good.
- He's good. - I can hear you.
I can hear you, I'm okay.
- I'm okay. - He's good.
Hey!
Durán, Durán, Durán, Durán, Durán!
Hey!
We love you, Panama!
Durán, Durán, Durán...
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh...
Hey, Ray! Cheers.
- I got a question for you. - Yeah.
Why you always brushed my hair when we were in the corners?
Fighter punches you, feels proud.
Bell sounds, next round starts, you come out looking all fresh,
like you just came out of the shower.
Drives him nuts. He thinks he can't hurt you.
All psychological.
Oh...
- Strategy. - Strategy.
- Aha. - Strategy.
Aha, you schmuck.
- Huh? - Now you're speaking Yiddish.
- Yeah. - Yes.
"Schmlendeck."
Schmendrick. Putz.
Yeah, son of a putz.
- Hey, watch my hair gel. - No, no, I just...
I just...
Yeah.
Open my belly!
Don't open her belly!
Empuja.
How do we call him?
Roberto Duran.
It's a girl!
Another girl
Roberto Durán.
You can't name them all Roberto.
Let's name him Robin, then, like Robin Hood.
We fight the rich to give the poor.
Another boy and his name is Roberto Durán.
And I don't wanna hear it.
How are the girls? Did you eat?
Yes!
Get some sodas.
What's wrong?
Papi, we've given away 100 grand already.
What's the problem?
We got money. And it's good to give.
Look how happy everyone is.
Thanks for the food, Durán.
Jump! Jump!
We are here to participate in
the signing of treaties which will assure a peaceful and prosperous...
...of the United States to the belief that fairness
and not force
should lie at the heart of our dealings with the nations of the world.
Dear Mr. President Carter.
In the name of the truth of logic, I would like to say,
that we will sign this treaty.
He's signing the treaty!
The treaty is signed! The Canal is ours!
Blondie!
They're gonna give us the canal!
General Torrijos signed the treaty!
See to believe the word of a Yankee.
Come see what I got you.
But wait... this is important.
- Torrijos is good with the people. - You wanna see the real Panama canal?
I've seen that tiny canal a million times.
You say that because all you have is a sail boat.
A sail boat? I got the Titanic here.
Sink it then.
All Panama is celebrating in the streets and you are not even happy?
Happy about what?
About what?
You've obviously never been chased by a Marine.
Excuse me?
Rich girl.
Get off of me.
Now you gonna get mad?
Yes. You're talking shit.
Eh?
They offer to return your own territory in 1999.
In twenty years!
For fuck's sake, it's ours!
And it has nothing to do with being rich or poor.
It's common sense.
Now this is fucked. I'm celebrating and you are pissed.
If you wanna make your people proud,
this is the guy to beat.
What does it say?
When are you gonna learn to read?
What does it say?
It says "Fighter of the year".
Fighter of the year? This clown?
He hasn't fought a man in his life.
He is the symbol of American sports.
My balls.
He's the symbol of American Sports.
If you want your Torrijos-Carter treaty...
to mean anything for this country...
before 1999...
destroy their idol and make them respect Panama.
That idol goes down in one round.
Let me see it.
For you I got 15 rounds or more.
Wow.
He's lightning fast, this guy.
He's imitating Ali.
Punches like a girl.
Yeah, but he could run away from you all night
and score dozens of points with these punches.
He's jumping all over the place. Look at him.
I mean, it's like, uh, he's a different kind of animal.
You gotta work on your speed.
Man, if you love him so much, why don't you go train him?
I don't love him, I respect him.
And you should do yourself a favor and respect him, too.
- Look at him. - No, but go, Ray,
go and massage the shoulders you love so much.
- Oh, come on, stop it, come on. - Huh? So now am I slow?
- I don't know, whatever, stop it. - Now am I slow?
- No, go and massage his shoulders. - I... you're...
- Go with your gringo, Ray. - Oh...
Maybe you've been training him already.
I don't know where you go at night.
You, you've gotta be kidding me. Roberto!
- Huh? No? - Come on, stop it. Shut up. Grow up.
Not everything revolves around you.
I have responsibilities. Come on, look at this...
They must know that-that-that I won't be able to beat...
to-to-to-to beat him.
I will beat him, you know?
I will beat him because I'm a good boxer.
- And you know what? - Strategize right now and sit down.
I will make him fight like a man.
- Sit down so we can discuss everything. - I'm done looking.
No go.
I will beat him. With my strategy.
If you leave, I'm packing my bags. I'm going.
- Leave. - You leave, I'll leave.
- Be my guest. - Ah...
Goddamn schmendrick.
Goddamn you, fucking schmendrick.
And you tell your father, root for me, okay?
Too cute.
Isn't that Durán?
Uh... yeah.
You know he was here?
Manos de Piedra!
Look at the rich kid.
He's a real fighter?
- Or a clown? - Hey.
Respect, Durán. He's with his wife.
What, this son of a bitch here?
- Or are you talking about the whore? - Hey, hey.
Hey, hey, you show some respect, man.
You talking to me, you piece of shit?
You know what you are?
Take that machismo bullshit out of here.
All I see is a golden spoon child
who thinks he can fight a man. You can fight a man?
- Hey, shut up. - You can fight a man?
Let's get out of here, Ray.
- Come on. - You're a pussy, man.
You're a clown. All you do is dance and jump around.
Jump around and sell soda.
He's gonna whip your ass.
- You shut up, too, bitch. - Oh, fuck you!
I'm gonna fuck your husband in the ring and when I'm done with him, I'm gonna go
- and fuck you all night, baby. - Oh, you...!
Gonna fuck them here, huh?
What is wrong with you?
You wash your mouth before you talk to a woman!
Right now, right now, motherfucker.
I come all the way, all the way from Panama to fight a man.
And all they give me is a pretty boy. What the fuck?
And you see, and you see his, um, his diet cola commercial?
And he calls himself "Sugar"
and he's selling you sugar-free shit.
Or-or maybe, maybe that's what we're gonna have.
A sugar-free fight.
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah!
I'm sorry, okay?
Sorry's not good enough.
How could you do that? Insult a woman like that?
What's the matter with you?
Well, my country felt insulted by yours.
And not only women.
Children.
What does your country have to do with the way you talked to that woman?
The way you behaved?
You know how... you know how it is to be hungry?
And I don't say, "hungry" hungry.
To be hungry that you have to go to...
to-to the garbage for food?
While the American army is exploiting your country?
You know how it feels?
What does that have to do with what you just did?
What are you... what are you doing?
- Well, it has to do... - You know, you want to be,
you want to be, you want to be a warrior,
you want to avenge your people, fine by me.
Avenge your people. Be a warrior.
But real warriors do not do what you did.
They don't mess with women the way you just did.
And if you want me in your corner, you cannot do that again.
Well, well, okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
But I'm not gonna say I'm sorry to him.
I say I'm sorry to you, but I'm not gonna say I'm sorry to him.
Let's forget it.
What's done is done.
Are you mad?
And let's just...
focus on the fight.
This anger you feel, I understand that.
You don't want to become a victim of your own mind game.
It's all in the head.
Robert.
Why are you here?
Huh?
If Ray finds out you are dead.
I can't sleep.
What's wrong?
I don't want to disappoint tomorrow.
Dad!
Hey!
My babies! Good morning!
Kisses for Daddy.
Can't wait to see you kill that coward!
Don't say that!
But Dad said it on TV.
It's my job to say those things.
So you're not gonna kill him?
Of course, I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch.
It's all a show. He says that so the fight is more fun.
Come get dressed.
Durán has turned into the audience favorite
after a menacing training process in town.
He has been so aggressive.
The referee tonight is Carlos Padilla, who gloriously oversaw
the Thrilla in Manila between Frazier and Ali.
You have to let them fight, otherwise you're gonna see
two guys running all night.
To your corner. To your corner.
Biggest ring I ever saw.
Sugar Ray Leonard!
- The crowd is booing the champ... - Booing?
...in what must be startling for Leonard,
who, in this very stadium surprised the planet by winning Olympic gold.
It's a wonderful day.
That's okay, baby!
It's your night tonight!
You're dead meat, Durán!
- That's right. - You're nothing.
Fuckin' Cholo!
Yeah.
Keep him close to your body. Don't chase the lady.
Let her come to you. Don't let her run.
Rather lose than run.
Look at him.
...15 rounds of boxing...
Strategy.
Presented by the promoter...
This Canadian crowd has embraced the underdog Roberto Durán.
Speculation has been rampant
over whether Leonard will turn this into a street fight
or go back to the boxing which brought him here.
Leonard and Durán!
Durán getting inside the jab of Leonard.
At him! Keep him on the ropes! At him!
Two fighters at the top of their game.
Jab! Jab! Jab!
Stay on him! Stay on him!
Get out of there, get out of there!
- Break it up. - That's not Leonard.
Leonard is short punches, not wide ones.
Break it up.
The normally elusive Leonard is staying flat-footed.
He wants to trade with Durán and not back down.
He wants to prove he's a man.
Let him feel he's resisting.
Keep him hoping until he's inspired and then kill him.
Look at me!
Who the fuck are you today? Huh?
This is honor I'm fighting for.
Fuck that shit!
Make him fight.
Go get him, champ!
Run him around!
Durán! Durán! Durán!
Durán! Durán!
Durán lands a left hook to the neck that wobbles Leonard!
Ankles! Ankles!
Dale Chucha tu Madre!
This is not the Leonard we're used to seeing.
Can you believe he's trying to match macho with macho?
Durán pushes back.
Leonard has some room now.
Good right hand by Leonard.
Break. Open. Open.
The key to Leonard is his left jab.
But it's also working in tandem with those legs.
Right now, seems like he's flat-footed, just trying to tee off on Durán.
Go! Beat him!
Now, Sugar Ray is fighting an inspired fight.
You gotta try to knock him out, Cholo.
You never know with these darn judges.
They can take the fight away from us.
This has been your best fight.
But you're still human.
You could still lose.
I want you to focus.
Are we gonna be champions?
Tu eres mi campeón.
Against the ropes.
Last round, champ!
Now or never!
Round 15!
Not many thought it would come to this.
The crowd is on their feet.
And at the battle here in Montreal.
- We are in the waning moments of this fight. - Go, go!
I cannot believe what I'm seeing.
I cannot believe what is taking place.
To the very end, these two warriors going at it.
Like they don't know that a bell is going to ring.
This is what we are here for.
We are witnessing history.
Cholo, knock him out!
Who wants it more?
Let's go, Cholo!
An amazing battle!
And we're in the 15th round.
This fight is gonna go all the way!
We are counting down.
Six, five, four, three...
And the bell is going to ring!
Here they are!
Look at these two warriors!
Behave, behave, behave!
- We could get penalized, behave. - You shit!
We've seen this before, when a fight is close.
The decision usually goes to the champion.
Who's the cunt now? Who's the cunt now, motherfucker?
- Maricón! - Fuck you!
You are my bitch!
Robbie!
You won, my love!
Three judges score the fight as follows:
Judge Angelo Poletti
calls the match 147 to 147.
It is a draw.
Be calm, my love.
Judge Harry Gibbs calls the match
- 145 to 144. - You've proven yourself.
for Roberto Durán.
Attention. Attention.
Judge Raymond Baldeyrou
calls the match 146 to 144.
- The new welterweight... - Yeah!
...champion of the world, Roberto Durán!
Hello.
I'm calling from the Coney Island Hospital
in regards to a patient with a heroin overdose.
- Yes? - Patient's records
indicate she's the daughter of Ray Arcel.
No, th-this is the wife of Ray Arcel,
and my husband does not have a daughter.
You must have the wrong number.
- Sorry, ma'am. - Nope, no worries. Good night.
What happened?
Nothing. It was just a wrong number.
What'd they say?
They said there's another guy named Ray Arcel
and his daughter is in the hospital.
What hospital? What-what happened?
I don't know, but I know I'm not gonna be able to go back to sleep now.
What are you doing?
Aw, Jesus.
Thank you.
I understand you're related to the patient.
Yes, I'm her father and, uh,
I'll, uh, be responsible for anything that...
Why are you here?
All these years... you come now?
Why?
You have no fighters to-to nurture?
What are you doing here?
I don't want to be seen like this.
I'm not one of your fighters.
Hazel and I couldn't have kids.
And we... wanted to adopt.
We adopted Adele and when Adele was four, Hazel passed away.
I didn't know what to do. I had no money.
I couldn't take care of her. I...
I-I thought she'd be better off with my in-laws. I...
I was, uh...
- I know I should have told you, I was... - Told me?
What about her?
What about the girl hanging on to her life by a thread in a hospital bed?
Sure. Leonard.
You are my friend now.
Baby, I want to show... I want to show you something.
Yeah?
What do you want to show me?
- Uh... - Want to go in there?
Yeah, we will.
But I-I want to show you something before we do, okay?
Just... just let me...
let me...
...have respect for Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sure.
Sure. Leonard.
You are my friend now.
Look at this.
Leonard.
You are my friend now.
All along, he's been doing this on purpose.
He hurt you to drive me crazy.
To get me to be
in his macho tough guy war.
Ray, you're obsessed.
I'm telling you, it's a strategy.
It's been a strategy...
I'm gonna fuck your husband in the ring
and when I'm done with him, I'm gonna go and fuck you all night, baby.
From the moment he insulted you, he knew that he could get in my head
and cause me to stand toe-to-toe with him.
I've never lost.
I don't lose.
Angelo.
Talk to Don King.
Durán should fight no one but me.
Set the rematch immediately.
Tell you what I'm gonna do, Carlos.
I'm gonna add a two to that eight and bring it up to ten.
$10 million, Carlos.
You're gonna have the highest paid fighter in history.
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, boy.
I know you like the sound of that, Carlos.
I know you like the sound of that.
Eva.
Hey, Cholo.
Cholo.
I'm exhausted.
Hey.
I've been calling you for a week.
What's up, Eleta?
- I have great news, Cholo. - ¿Que pasó?
They want a rematch.
Who?
What do you mean who? Leonard!
Leonard? What is he a masochist?
I got you the most money ever
- for a welterweight. - How much? How much?
$8 million.
Hey, Boba.
$8 million for a rematch with me.
He must be desperate.
No, the... no, the man needs the money.
- Cholo. Cholo. - What?
Look at me.
Pay attention.
Okay, okay.
I have to respond to these people tonight.
In front of witnesses, do you accept a rematch with-with Leonard?
I'd fight him, but I'm not gonna fucking marry a guy.
You're drinking. You're getting fat.
You come to my house and you call me fat?
You have mirrors in your house?
You're the one who's getting fat.
You're getting fat from all the food that you're eating
because of the money that I'm making for you.
So what the fuck?
Parasite.
That's what you are, you're a fucking parasite.
You call me fat, I call you parasite.
Hey, hey. Hey, hey, Eleta.
Now you are mad?
Hey!
What the hell are you doing?
Can't you see you got us all wet?
You are a fuckin' parasite too!
I'm telling you to get out you idiot!
Rob, what are you doing?
He got me soaked.
Get out I said!
This is my fuckin' house, you moron.
Get out or I'll get in and break you.
It's Chaflan, Rob!
Stop it, it's Chaflan.
Chivo, where's the Cholo?
Cholo!
That's the man, talk to him.
How are you?
I saw you on TV.
I was in town and, uh...
said to myself, "Why not?"
Hey, listen. Uh...
I'm not proud of what I did.
But look:
you're the world champ.
She was 14.
No money.
Your son.
I was in the army.
And, uh, when they say you gotta leave,
there's no ifs or buts.
What do you want?
Nothing.
Just, uh, just thought I'd say hi.
Hi.
I thought you were American.
I am American.
You look Mexican to me.
Well, Mexican heritage.
You thought I was, uh, blond,
- blue eyes, eh? - Yes.
I can't take back what I did.
All I can say is, uh,
I'm sorry.
And I'm...
I'm proud that you're my son.
Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you this show from Las Vegas.
Don't miss this international show for all Panamanians.
Let's play a game. Everyone look at the ball...
Hold it right there!
I'm hungry, man.
Catch him!
A bit salty...
but thank you.
Revolting!
Fuck you!
While you were at your party...
What?
Chaflan was killed.
Who told you?
You can't discipline him by forcing him to do something.
You have to let him live his life in a certain way.
Stunned!
I was stunned!
And he will be stunned when he hears what you did.
And I have to explain it to him.
Yeah, explain to him that I got him $8 million,
- which is the most money... - He doesn't care.
- ...that anyone has ever made. - But he doesn't even know that.
He doesn't know that even for himself.
That the money is the least important thing.
He's a professional fighter. He can lose that weight.
Three months to lose almost 40 pounds.
You know what that does to a fighter?
I want what's best for him.
- I want us to do what is best for him. - That's not best for him.
That's best for you but not for him.
Well, that's your opinion.
Let me tell you this...
That's not my opinion. That's a fact.
If he doesn't take this fight, you know what's
going to end up happening? He's going to go fight some nobody.
He's going to lose and he will never, in a million years,
get close to making the money he's making right now.
He's Durán. He can't lose.
He's Durán. When he is focused, he doesn't lose to a nobody.
You know that.
He won.
Let him enjoy it. Let him party.
So what if he's partying?
So what if he's eating?
Let him eat. Let him have a good time.
He never had anything. He never ate anything.
And now he's finally earned something.
He's earned it himself.
Nobody gave it to him. And you just take it away.
I've been dealing with that animal for the last ten years.
He's a, he's a, he's a, he's a good kid...
He needs to be disciplined!
He will be disciplined! That's my job.
If he loses, then we can sign another rematch and...
You're a sick paskudnyak wanting your fighter to lose.
No, what I said was, "if"...
- Carlos, you have the money. - Ray.
- Family has the money. - Ray.
He didn't have it. He doesn't care.
The most important thing for him is to win.
The most important thing for me is to win.
To have the respect of winning.
Right. What I said was, if he loses, he can have a rematch...
I'm done.
I met my father.
- Did you? - Mm-hmm.
What was he like?
He's Mexican.
I thought you said he was American.
Um, he's American.
I mean, he was born in America.
And I thought that he would look like Paul Newman.
But he looks more like Pancho Villa.
Think you look like Paul Newman?
No, but Charles Bronson, maybe.
There's someone else you're going to have to learn to forgive.
Carlos.
Why?
He agreed to the rematch.
For when?
- Three months from now. - Well, that's impossible.
We have to make it possible. He already signed.
He can't sign without my permission.
He said you gave him your permission.
At your house, at a party.
In front of a lot of people.
Witnesses, he said.
Hi!
Hi. They're insured.
So you can destroy them if you want.
No matter what, you're going to do the fight.
- You want me to call the police? - Yeah, call the police!
They put me in jail and you lose... you lose your fucking
$8 million!
Well, now, Cholo, now you understand it's a business.
- I'm not a hooker! - A hooker is cheaper
and it doesn't create this much problems.
You should be training right now.
I've been training all my fucking life!
Go home, Roberto.
If you lose the fight, we can have a rematch.
I don't lose!
In Panama, a nationalist demonstration...
We got 75 days to lose 35 pounds.
You've got to keep working, Cholo.
I don't want to do this, man, I want to rest.
- You want to rest? - I'm tired, man.
- You want to rest? - Yes.
To rest is to rust. And you know that.
You're the kind of fighter that's gotta stay on your toes
and if you don't stay on your toes, then you're gone, that's it.
And you can do this.
But you're going to have to decide to do this.
Nobody can do it for you.
There's no such thing as a reluctant hero.
You're going to have to do it on your own.
I work all my life, man.
I work all my life.
I didn't have any food when I was a kid.
I'm hungry, man, I'm hungry.
I don't want to be hungry anymore.
I want to enjoy what I have, Ray.
The rioting that followed was unexpected.
The Zone police used tear gas and fire hoses to drive off the demonstrators.
I understand that.
I can try to convince Don King to delay the fight.
But we got to be ready to fight in case you have to.
Okay.
You still mad?
Don't know what to tell you.
Forgive me?
Okay.
I need you.
I don't want to fight.
Focus on your training.
Why don't you come with the kids?
I wanna see you.
You need to rest, Robert. Go to sleep.
Love you.
I love you.
Me too.
Do you realize I'm black?
Do you realize that I am the only black promoter
in the business and that if you pull out,
- they will fry me? - We're not pulling out.
He can't make the weight.
It's impossible for him to make the weight.
We got CBS. We got the stadium.
We got the sponsors. We got the tickets.
You can't go to them and ask them?
Yeah, I can go to them and ask them.
I'll say, "Excuse me, Mr. CBS, I need another month."
They'll say, "Black nigger, no."
That's what's going to happen.
Your boy either has to make his weight or he will be disqualified, period.
Yeah, but you're making it about yourself.
You're making it about Bob Arum.
You're saying that "I'm gonna look bad.
I'm the only black promoter."
With all due respect, that doesn't mean anything.
You have a responsibility to boxing.
Boxing?
Boxing has been run by gangsters and criminals
and scoundrels since the day it was born.
Come on, now. Don't you put this on me.
- Don't you dare put this on me. - It's a sloppy production
to start so soon when he's not ready.
I happen to think that Roberto Durán, the man with the hands of stone,
if you challenge him, he will be ready.
He has got the spirit of Panama in his heart.
You don't have to tell me what he has.
I know him better than anybody here.
All right, I'm sorry.
If we continue down this road, Ray,
I'm gonna have to sue you for breach of contract.
This is some mess you got us into.
Oh. Gosh, Ray, you scared me.
What are you doing here?
How did you even get in?
Hey. What...
Hey...
Ray, we can't do this.
Babe, baby, okay, come on.
Ray, look, it's against the rules.
The fight's just around the corner.
Come on, come on, babe.
No, no, no, no, no.
Shh, shh, shh, shh.
It's my rules this time.
Okay?
You want to beat Durán,
you're going to have to humiliate him.
You're going to have to shame him, right there, in front of everyone.
It's not going to work.
Sorry.
Sorry, you have to defend the title.
Or what they'll do is they'll just take it away.
- What? - They will take away the belt.
But I won the fight.
Everybody saw it.
They can just take away my belt?
They-they... that's what they can do.
They will take it away if you don't defend it.
Roberto Durán had brought us a new golden era for boxing.
Yet here we were, reminding him that he didn't matter.
That decisions were made in the back room
and he was only a circus animal we needed for ticket sales.
Approved.
You're going to see blood in this fight.
I don't like clowns.
When you come into the ring, you come to fight, not to dance or to clown.
He's imitating Ali all the time, that's what he does.
He doesn't have any style.
I'm going to knock you out, 'cause imitators are losers.
And I don't like you.
Well, I think Durán is a lovable guy.
And I want my son to be just like him.
Listen.
I think Durán is a tough,
impressive, intelligent fighter.
And we are in for a serious fight.
You're gonna feel bad.
Stop it.
- Hand me that. - You can't eat like this.
Pass me that yellow thing.
Why didn't I get wings when I asked?
You have plenty.
And why were you looking at Leonard?
Don't start with that.
You think I didn't see you?
Don't fool me.
- You think I'm stupid? - Insane is what you are.
I saw him winking at you.
And you were all smiles.
The former champion of the world,
Sugar Ray Leonard!
...will be the rematch of the century.
Here comes Leonard with his entourage led by Angelo Dundee.
And here he is, the challenger tonight, Sugar Ray Leonard.
Looks very composed.
He looks very relaxed.
...world!
Roberto...
Durán!
The man with the hands of stone,
from Panama, has to be regarded
as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
And now Ray Charles, in honor of whom
Sugar Ray Charles Leonard was baptized,
will sing "America the Beautiful."
O beautiful
For purple mountain...
America
Sweet America
He done shed His grace
And you oughta love Him for it
'Cause He...
From sea to...
Get out there and swim!
Shining sea...
Thank you, Ray.
Kick his ass, son.
- Oh, I will. - Do it for me.
The action begins.
Leonard fighting for pride tonight,
while Durán defends his place in immortality.
Durán! Durán! Durán!
Durán! Durán!
There's Leonard.
That's what he wants to do in this fight.
He says he did not work his jab efficiently in the first fight.
Stop following him!
Go after him!
Get him! Get him! After him!
We have 20 seconds left in the round.
Suffocate him.
Up against the ropes! No mercy!
Up against the ropes!
Cut him off. Get him up against the ropes.
Against the ropes!
This is a much more confident Leonard
we are seeing here tonight.
You gotta be the host. You're acting like a guest.
You gotta pressure him, you gotta put him on the ropes.
You gotta bang to the body.
It's your house. Nobody else's. It's your house.
- You understand that, Cholo? - I don't feel good.
You're letting this guy run all over you.
He's running in circles around you.
- You know that he does, that's his defense. - I don't feel good.
You don't feel good? You ate too much.
Focus. Don't let this guy run on you.
Don't let him run, don't let him run on you.
- Durán is falling more and more, on his part... - Keep him there, keep him there!
...into the pattern of the first fight.
- Durán got in a good shot. - Yeah!
- This is what Durán can do. - That's it, that's it, Cholo.
Hey!
Durán is struggling to contain Leonard.
You can see his anger and frustration.
Cut him off!
Leonard is a moving target.
- And Durán is going... - You get him!
Get control of yourself. Look at me! Look at me!
- Box, motherfucker! - Listen.
- You gotta box him. - Don't.
- You're letting him do that. - I'm very fucking pissed.
Durán cannot get him up against the ropes like he did in the first fight.
Have you seen the size of the ring?
They built the ring on purpose so he can escape from me.
The sneer is off his face.
Yes! Yes, Ray!
No, no, I'm a boxer. I'm not a fucking ballerina...
I don't come here to dance with a man.
And he's got Durán. Openly.
Not just furious but puzzled.
Durán troubled by the movement.
Dundee would be well advised, I think, to tell Leonard to stop that.
Leonard flaunting his skills.
- And it is a vastly different human being... - Stop following him around!
...that Durán is tonight.
That's right, baby!
Yeah!
Work on the body and then up to the head.
- Everybody is laughing at me. - No.
Get out of your head.
- I'm not a fucking clown in the, on the ring. - Get, get out of your...
And he caught him with the left!
Yes.
Calm down.
- You're let... - I'm chasing the motherfucker.
You're let... L-Look at me.
You don't need to do that, all right?
You're about to be welterweight champion of the world.
Get out of your head!
You're not doing what you should be doing.
You know how to do it, get out there.
I want to be proud of you. I want you to get out there and I want you to...
Look at me! You're Roberto Durán.
Get in there and act like him.
Go to the body! Cut him off!
Hey.
Cholo, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
He... he quit!
Durán quit! He said, "no más."
No, no, no, no, no, no. Cholo.
Roberto Durán has quit.
What are you doing? You're going... you can't.
The heck are you doing?
- You got to fight him. - No. Fuck him.
- You've gotta fight him! - No, no, he's a loser...
You can't. You've got to...
- Are you... What are you doing, Cholo? - I'm not going to fight.
I didn't come here to fight a clown.
- You gotta go fight. - No, no, no, no, no.
They fuck me over.
- I've had enough. - No, no!
I'm not a clown.
Listen, you have to go in there and fight.
You can't do this.
- Why are you doing this? - It's fucking bullshit.
Roberto. Roberto, what happened?
I'm retiring from boxing.
He, he said he's retiring from boxing.
Suddenly, inexplicably,
the fight has ended.
Don't do it, Robbie!
Fight!
You have to fight!
Bullshit.
This is for America.
We did it! We did it!
Go.
I don't care how much ability you've got as a fighter.
If you can't think, you're just another bum in the park.
Boxing is brain over brawn.
Thousands of people in the Super Dome
and millions more in the closed circuit theaters across the country
have been cheated out of a fight that they paid to see.
The commission and the public deserve an explanation.
When a fighter loses a fight in the ring, it oftentimes is the fighter's fault.
But when a fighter loses a fight in his head,
it always is the trainer's fault.
The cameras. The flashes.
The microphones.
The... hero worshipers.
Television can make anyone think of himself as a god.
And I...
I probably failed at, uh,
keeping my fighter grounded.
But I can tell you this:
Roberto Durán is no coward.
He did not leave the ring out of fear of an opponent.
He left it out of pride.
There is talk of suspending Durán.
What would you say about that?
I-I don't know what happened.
And if I don't, then you don't.
But what I do know is
how Roberto Durán began in life.
I know what he willed himself to become.
I know the honor he has brought this business,
which sometimes doesn't deserve it.
And I know you cannot suspend him.
He deserves better.
And if you don't understand that and you do this to him,
you will wake up tomorrow and you will feel ashamed.
Faster, faster!
Get in there kids!
What's wrong with you?
Fuck you all!
We have no more right or reason
for giving away the Panama Canal Zone than we would to now give away Alaska.
And I think that our foreign policy should be one
and we, the people who own the Canal, should say to our government,
look, tell Mr. Torrijos that we built that thing.
We bought the place. We paid for it.
And we intend to keep it from here on out.
Come up here.
Get up.
Come.
Let's get out of here.
This is not life.
It's real life.
Your husband got fucked.
And everyone calls him a loser.
Show them wrong.
Why?
For money?
For the glory of Panama?
To hell with this nation of hypocrites.
Huh?
If life is such shit, why don't we stop it like you stopped the fight?
No! No!
Cholo! No! No!
I'm done.
Go find another woman.
I can have thousands of women.
I'm taking the kids.
Go to hell, but the kids stay here.
I'm leaving with my kids!
The kids are mine.
What?
Speak for God's sake!
President Torrijos was killed.
Cholo!
Get in the ring and I'll kill you.
Come have lunch with us, kid.
I don't need your food.
I earn my meals fighting.
You'll soon be begging for my autograph.
Well said, champ.
Who says well said?
You are not from El Chorrillo anymore. "No Mas: sshit from you.
I'll send you to the morgue and make you quit again!
Ungrateful kid.
It's never enough!
Without Torrijos' leadership this country will go to shit.
Let's go home, Robert.
They are right.
The hope of El Chorrillo walked away.
I walked away from the fight.
I walked away just like my father.
Yeah!
I let them down.
I let them down and I let you down.
I don't need to be the champion, but I need to fight.
I'm going to fight.
I need you to train me, Dad. Please don't say no.
I'm sorry. I'm retired.
I can't.
You're my father, man.
You're the only one I have.
Listen. I-I can't.
I-I'm done with it.
And it has nothing to do with you.
We're talking about me now. I'm old. I'm tired.
You don't need me.
You never really did.
You're a naturally great fighter.
You have great fighter's instincts.
I was just there to support you.
That's not true.
I need you in my corner, Ray.
Not anymore, you don't. You're an adult now.
You have children of your own.
You don't need a father.
You need somebody to bring the street back into you.
- Talk to Plomo. - Plomo?
He knows you better than anybody.
He's been with you from the beginning.
I'll help you get a fight.
I'll be watching you all the time.
But get Plomo to bring you back.
That's who you need.
- Okay. - And please, always remember.
The American you're talking to now?
He gave you the best years of his life.
Schmuck.
You have no reason to feel guilty here.
Well, he's my fighter, so...
Yeah, well...
You need to do what you think is best for everyone.
What do you think is best?
It depends.
You think that he's the one that needs you the most right now?
To prepare him for his comeback, the first thing Plomo did was take Durán
to the spiritual heart of Panama...
...the procession of the Black Christ of Portobelo.
Plomo had promised Durán when he was a kid
that if he went off track, he'd take him back to jail.
So he did.
I made a lot of money on that fight.
Whatever you need, the answer's already yes.
- Roberto Durán. - Fuck no.
He's bad news, Ray.
You can do better than that bum.
He needs a comeback.
He quit.
Understand? You can't do that.
Unless we tell you to.
No más.
No más, my ass.
Nobody's gonna pay to see that spick.
How about Davey Moore?
Davey Moore?
I mean, he's a 24-year-old monster.
You'll get Durán killed.
Isn't that what everybody wants to see
- after what he did in New Orleans? - Maybe.
I certainly would pay to see Durán get a beating.
- I'll think about it. - Okay.
I'm gonna think about it.
You were the best fighter in the world.
And I want to see that back in the ring.
You're just happy it will be another black guy getting punched tonight.
No shit.
Thank you.
Yeah, man.
And tell your wife...
I'm sorry.
I will.
Well, tonight happens to be
Roberto Durán's 32nd birthday, and he's promised to turn
Madison Square Garden's fight into a party for he and his friends.
- Did Ray come? - Why are you thinking about Ray?
I am Sugar Ray Leonard reporting to you on behalf of CBS Sports.
Ray, I know you respect your former rival,
but let's see if he even finishes this one.
But Durán's experience is sure to play
a great deal in the fight tonight.
He started out as a lightweight, and now he's fighting as a light middleweight.
Now, that's a tremendous jump for any fighter.
Okay, I gave both of you instructions in the dressing room.
I want to remind you.
Obey my commands at all times.
He is younger, stronger, with a far longer reach,
but I can tell you from first, right and left hand experience
why they call Manos de Piedra Hands of Stone.
Moore has power in that right, and Durán felt it.
Moore wants to get Durán out of here!
Can Durán withstand the punishment he's taking?
We could be seeing the end of Roberto Durán.
Durán is on the attack. He is going all in.
How big a risk is this against the younger Moore?
How are you feeling?
I wanna take these gloves off and kill him!
That's the way to do it.
No mercy.
Focus on him.
He's yours. He's already dead.
Breathe...
That's it. Let's go.
I love you.
You know how much.
You are my son.
You are my hero.
Durán! Durán! Durán! Durán!
Durán has found a home for that right hand!
He's landing it now.
And there's the towel!
Roberto Durán is the new
super welterweight champion of the world!
And it's his birthday.
You're back, my love.
Ray!
Happy birthday, Papa! Happy birthday, Papa!
Happy birthday!
Yeah! Thank you!