Roberto Duran and Ken Buchanan will be amongst more than 80 former champions gathering in Cardiff next week for the WBC Night of Champions event.
Joe Calzaghe, Miguel Cotto, Vitali Klitschko, Erik Morales and Nigel Benn are also amongst confirmed guests.
Duran won Buchanan’s world lightweight crown after a controversial low blow in Madison Square Garden in 1972.
“I’m particularly looking forward to seeing my good friend Roberto Duran,” Buchanan said of the Cardiff event.
Despite a long and colourful pursuit, Scotland’s Buchanan was never given a rematch with the Panamanian legend.
For many the highlight will be seeing Buchanan and Duran back together, following their infamous meeting 38 years ago.
 |
It’s great to have so many talented boxers together under the same roof
Ken Buchanan on the WBC Night of Champions
|
Edinburgh’s Buchanan, who spent the first five years of his career in Wales working with Eddie Thomas and Howard Winstone, went into the fight as the WBA champion, having upset the great Panamanian Ismael Laguna nearly two years earlier.
Duran had just turned 21 but was undefeated in 28 fights.
He dropped Buchanan early and controlled the early rounds and there were few signs the bout would turn into one of the most controversial in boxing history.
At the end of round 13, Buchanan claimed he was kneed in the groin, but referee Johnny LoBianco did not see any infraction and the fight was stopped before the 14th round could begin.
Buchanan says he still suffers groin pains from the Duran fight
|
The Scot, who claims he suffers groin pains from the punch to this day, launched a long and fruitless pursuit of a rematch.
Most bizarrely, at the age of 50 in 1995 he packed in his job as a joiner to fly to New York and attempt to confront Duran.
Ending up in a bar in Harlem, he was recognised from the 1972 fight and welcomed into a local bed and breakfast.
He spent a fruitless two weeks seeking Duran in the local gyms and bars, before eventually flying home and recovering his job.
Cardiff hosts Night of Champions
“I am very excited about the festival, it’s great to have so many talented boxers together under the same roof,” said Buchanan.
“It’s looking to be a fantastic weekend.”
The Night of Champions at the Cardiff International Arena on 31 July is the culmination of a three-day boxing festival in the Welsh capital.
It begins on Friday with the premiere of the movie of the life of Welsh great Howard Winstone, “Risen”.
The next night sees a high-quality amateur boxing night with Team GB taking on the rest of the world.
Barry’s European bantamweight bronze medalist Andrew Selby faces Chinese star Jiawei Zhang, while Cardiff welterweight Fred Evans also faces a formidable challenge against 2009 US National champion Errol Spence.
{loadposition 111}
