Ken Buchanan 43–1 (16 KO) vs. Roberto Durán 28–0 (24 KO) was a professional boxing match contested on June 26, 1972, for the WBA and The Ring lightweight title.

In May 1972, it was announced that the reigning WBA lightweight champion would face the number-one ranked contender Roberto Durán in Madison Square Garden on June 26th, two days before Buchanan’s 27th birthday. Heavily anticipated, Buchanan was given a $125,000 purse, a then-record for a fighter in the lightweight division. Buchanan had first won the lightweight title in 1970 after defeating Durán’s countryman Ismael Laguna, the win propelled Buchanan into one of the boxing’s top fighters and he was named the top fighter of 1970 by the American Boxing Writers’ Association.[3] The 21-year old Durán, meanwhile, was a perfect 28–0 with all but four of his wins coming by knockout and had quickly established himself as a top contender.

The brazen Durán predicted he would knockout the champion out “in 9 rounds or less”, Buchanan however discredited Durán’s impressive record claiming none of the fighters he had beaten previously had been a top fighter asking, “Who’s He Beaten?’ He has a fair record, but he’s not fought anybody. He’s the No. 1 challenger, but who’s he beaten? He’s never fought anybody in the top ten. But the World Boxing Association told me I had to fight him because he’s the No. 1 challenger. As long as he’s legitimate, I’ll fight the man.”

Buchanan entered the fight as a slight 2–1 favorite. The fight drew a crowd of 18,821 and produced a gate of $223,901, a then-record for an indoor lightweight fight.

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