Across the ring stood the 21-year-old Durán, already feared throughout the division despite never facing an elite opponent. Sporting a perfect 28-0 record with 24 knockouts, the hard-hitting Panamanian boldly predicted he would stop Buchanan in “nine rounds or less.” Buchanan dismissed the challenger beforehand, questioning who Durán had actually beaten and insisting he would have no problem facing the WBA’s mandatory contender.
A crowd of 18,821 packed Madison Square Garden, producing what was then a record indoor gate for a lightweight championship fight.
Durán immediately backed up his pre-fight confidence. Fighting behind relentless pressure, he stalked Buchanan from the opening bell and scored the bout’s only knockdown in the first round with a crushing right hand that forced the champion to touch both gloves to the canvas.
From there, Durán controlled much of the action. He cut off the ring, ripped hooks and right hands to the body and head, and forced Buchanan into exchanges along the ropes. Whenever Buchanan tried to box behind his jab, Durán walked him down and kept the pressure on.
Buchanan repeatedly complained about head clashes and low blows during the fight, believing referee Johnny LoBianco was allowing Durán too much freedom on the inside. Even so, the challenger continued to pile up rounds and had built a commanding lead on the scorecards entering the closing stages.
The fight ended in dramatic and controversial fashion.
As the bell sounded to end the 13th round, both men continued exchanging punches before LoBianco could separate them. Durán then drove a right uppercut into Buchanan’s groin, sending the champion crashing to the canvas. Buchanan rolled around in obvious agony while clutching himself before eventually making it back to his corner with assistance. After examining Buchanan, LoBianco ruled he was unable to continue and awarded Durán a technical knockout victory, making the unbeaten Panamanian the new WBA and The Ring lightweight champion.
The finish immediately sparked fierce debate. Durán and LoBianco insisted the decisive punch had landed to Buchanan’s abdomen, while the Scottish champion maintained it was a blatant low blow thrown after the bell. A post-fight examination by New York State Athletic Commission physician Dr. A. Harry Kleiman found swelling to Buchanan’s right testicle, supporting Buchanan’s claim that the punch had landed below the belt. Despite the medical findings, the result stood, and no rematch was ordered.
Although the ending remains one of boxing’s most disputed championship finishes, there was little disagreement about who had been winning the fight. Durán’s relentless pressure, heavier punching and superior aggression had him comfortably ahead on the scorecards before the controversial stoppage.
The victory earned Durán the first world title of his Hall of Fame career and marked the beginning of one of the greatest lightweight reigns in boxing history. Buchanan never received the rematch he wanted, while “Hands of Stone” went on to become a four-division world champion and one of the sport’s all-time greats.
