No Mas! Gael Garcia Bernal Playing Roberto Duran in “Hands of Stone”

Despite being one of the 10 greatest boxers of all time, Roberto Duran is, for most folks, little more than a punchline. A new biopic will hopefully put his career in the proper perspective.

Gael Garcia Bernal will play Duran in "Hands of Stone," based on the career of the great fighter, who spent most of his career as a lightweight, reported Variety. Al Pacino is said to be considering the role of Duran's trainer, Ray Arcel.

Bernal's filmography is a bit spotty, but he's a great actor, and is probably exactly the kind of psycho dedicated guy you need to play a boxer convincingly.

The title is a translation of Duran nickname in the Panamanian's native Spanish, "Manos de piedra," and director Jonathan Jakubowicz promises it will cast light on one of the most confounding mysteries in the annals of the sport, what exactly happened the night of Nov. 11, 1980, when he threw in the towel against Sugar Ray Leonard.

"The infamous 'no mas' fight is the biggest enigma in the history of boxing. This movie will answer that enigma," said Jakubowicz.

Six months after Duran had defeated Leonard in a unanimous decision, the two fighters met again. Midway through the eighth round, Duran just turned his back on his opponent and walked away, allegedly saying, "No mas!"

What exactly he said and why he quit remain something of a mystery, and sadly that fight has defined him for most people. But the fact is the man won titles at four different weight classes, during a career that spanned five decades and is widely acknowledged by folks who know the sport to have been among the all-time greats.

Contact Us