Robert De Niro will be returning to the boxing ring once again in Venezuelan filmmaker Jonathan Jakubowicz’s Hands of Stone. The film stars Edgar Ramirez as Roberto Duran and Robert De Niro as his trainer, Ray Arcel. The Panama-born fighter first entered the ring at age 16 and 12 years later defeated Sugar Ray Leonard to become the WBC Welterweight Champion. During a rematch though, he shocked everyone by surrendering and yelling out “No Mas,” which ended the fight prematurely.
If you’re a fan of boxing, you’re undoubtedly familiar with what is now known as the “No Mas” fight, as it’s one of the most famous events in the sport’s history. Co-starring Ruben Blades, Ellen Barkin and John Turturro, Hands of Stone will look to answer the question of why Duran surrendered and chose not to complete the fight.
For those who remember it, and even those who don’t, this film should be particularly interesting as Duran is considered by most to be one of the greatest boxers in the world and the mystery of why he would surrender is still, to this day, unsolved. There are many theories, of course, but no one knows for sure why Duran uttered those two, fateful words during the fight.
Hands of Stone is currently looking for a release date and as always, we’ll let you know when we hear more.
Tell us, are you a boxing fan and if so, why do you think Duran surrendered?