Roberto Duran Jr., son of the legendary Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran himself, is looking to create his own legacy and not just be remembered by the last name he bears.
Raised around the sport, Duran Jr. recalls gazing at his father’s routines in the gym and quickly felt the boxing bug inside him. RBRBoxing caught up with the fighter to see what his immediate goals are moving forward into the sport.
RBRBoxing: What was it like to grow up carrying such a famous last name?
Roberto Duran Jr.: As a young kid, you don’t take notice of it. But as I got older and realized what my father did and who he was to the world and being the son of was a great feeling just knowing that.
RBRBoxing: Did you always feel you would somehow find your way into boxing?
Roberto Duran Jr.: Watching my pops train as a kid is what gave me the spark to do the Same. Besides, I was always getting into fights as a kid (laughs).
RBRBoxing: What caused you to get such a late start into boxing?
Roberto Duran Jr.: I was living in New York at the time with no contact with anyone on my pops side of the family. It was like that for a while. So that and other reasons partake in my late start.
RBRBoxing: Do you feel added pressure because of the success of your father to perform at a certain level?
Roberto Duran Jr.: To be honest, not at all. Yes, I’m continuing the legacy which I will uphold but I’m also creating my own name which eliminates a lot of that added pressure.
RBRBoxing: What advice has your father given you?
Roberto Duran Jr.: To be honest, I haven’t gotten any advice from my father.
RBRBoxing: What goals or aspirations do you have for your boxing career?
Roberto Duran Jr.: I would have to say to one day win at least one world title.
RBRBoxing: What would you say your style is like in the ring for the people who still haven’t seen you fight?
Roberto Duran Jr.: My style is more like an aggressive counterpuncher. I like to mix it up.
RBRBoxing: Who were some of the names in boxing you looked up to growing up?
Roberto Duran Jr.: I grew up watching a lot of the old school cats, going back to Nicolino Locche to fighters like James Toney and that era.
RBRBoxing: Who do you enjoy seeing in boxing currently?
Roberto Duran Jr.: Jorge Linares, Vasyl Lomachenko, Tevin Farmer, GGG and Manny Pacquiao
His story has yet to be written and surely no matter what he does, Duran Jr. will inevitably be compared to his fathers legacy.
Despite that, Jr. feels confident in his abilities and senses he too will leave a lasting legacy into the sport of boxing.
Photo by Lester Silva/Univision
