Sport personality
Kevin Mitchell

Profession
Boxer, Super-Featherweight

Date of Birth
29 Oct 1984

Personal best:
Hands of Stone - The life and legend of Roberto Duran

“I am Duran,” the man used to say after fights, as if the statement spoke for itself. Pure and simple, nothing more or less, just the exclamation that there was not another human on this earth like him. In the ring, there wasn’t. With his blend of skill and ferocity, the greased back hair and sharp beard, the man they called Cholo (for his mixed Indian heritage) had the best boxers of his generation against the ropes. Duran in full flow was a curious but riveting combination of in-your-face chaos and relentless beauty. As a person he lived just as freely, without caution."

(used by kind permission of Milo Books)

Background:
Roberto Duran is a retired boxer from Panama who was regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. ‘Hands of Stone’ was the nickname given to him during his boxing career. Roberto held world titles at four different weights - lightweight (1972-79), welterweight (1980), junior middleweight (1983-84) and middleweight (1989). He retired with a professional record of 119 fights, 103 wins with 70 Kos.

Kevin Mitchell says:
"I read this book on a flight over to America - I was so nervous because I was on my way to my first professional boxing fight and a mate gave it to me to read. It gave me something to focus on and helped me stay calm and relaxed before my fight. It’s such a powerful and inspirational book and a perfect example of how someone who came from nothing turned his life around through boxing. Roberto found something in his life that he could channel his anger into as a boy trying to survive and support his family from a very young age."