Roberto "Manos de Piedra" (Stone Hands) Durán is one of the few boxers in history to win world boxing titles in four different weight divisions—lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight. Born in the poverty-stricken barrio of Chorillo, Panama, on June 16, 1951, Durán only received a third-grade education, after which he became a "street kid," making his living selling newspapers, shining shoes, committing petty theft, and doing whatever else he could to earn some money for his mother and eight siblings. Clearly one of the most talented boxers to enter the ring, Durán is also well known for his contributions to the poor and his loyalty to family and friends.

Durán eventually followed an older brother into boxing and turned professional at the age of 16. A wealthy ex-athlete, Carlos Eleta, befriended Durán and arranged for his...