Legendary boxer Roberto Durán tested positive for COVID-19 and has since been hospitalized in Panama City, his son announced on Instagram on Thursday.
Duran, her son said, had mild symptoms similar to a common cold and was in the hospital for observation. He was not on a ventilator or in intensive care, and doctors told the family that his lungs were still in good condition.
He was taken to the hospital as a preventive measure for both his age and a previous lung problem.
Duran, 69, retired in 2001 with an impressive overall record of 103-16 and 70 knockouts. The former WBC welterweight champion was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007. He has several incredible victories to his credit, including one against Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980 at the “Brawl in Montreal,” where he handed him over to Leonard his first loss in his career. to win the WBC title.
Panama had more than 28,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Thursday night, according to The New York Times, and more than 500 attributed deaths. The United States had more than 2.4 million confirmed cases and more than 124,000 deaths, and set a new daily record with 39,327 new cases Thursday alone, according to The Washington Post.
Roberto Duran celebrates after defeating Ricky Stackhouse in a 10-round middleweight fight on February 5, 1988, in the Atlantic City, NJ, Convention Hall. Durán won the fight by unanimous decision. (Focus on sport / Getty Images)
