Читать книгу Sporting Blood. Tales from the Dark Side of Boxing онлайн

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Because Durán and de Jesús both had reputations in New York City, where boxing-mad Latinos supported their countrymen as a matter of national pride, a matchup between them was inevitable. They met in a nontitle scrap on November 17, 1972, before a partisan crowd of 9,144. Less than three weeks earlier, de Jesús had scored a ten-round decision over journeyman Don McClendon in San Juan. Now, for $10,000, de Jesús was about to headline Madison Square Garden—still the fight capital of the world—against a rampaging lightweight with unlimited potential.

What was supposed to be a mere distraction from carousing turned into a nightmare for Durán within thirty seconds of the opening bell, when de Jesús landed a snapping right hand that stung him and followed up with a sweeping left hook that nailed Durán flush on the jaw. Stunned, Durán crashed to the mat for the first time in his career. When referee Arthur Mercante completed the mandatory eight-count, Durán dove into the fray again, but he could never claw his way back into the fight.