BOXING - PANAMA 'S ROBERTO DURAN FIGHTS THE SANDS OF TIME .
PANAMA CITY 1996-08-30
Panamanian boxing legend Roberto " Hands of Stone " Duran climbs into the ring on Saturday in another age-defying attempt to sustain his long career .
Duran , 45 , takes on little-known Mexican Ariel Cruz , 30 , in a super middleweight non-title bout in Panama City .
The fight , Duran 's first on home soil for 10 years , is being billed here as the " Return of the Legend " and Duran still talks as if he was in his prime .
" I want a fifth title .
This match is to prepare me .
I feel good .
I 'm not retiring , " Duran told Reuters .
But those close to the boxer acknowledge that the man who has won championships in four different weight classes -- lightweight , welterweight , junior middleweight and middleweight -- is drawing close to the end of his career .
" Each time he fights , he 's on the last frontier of his career .
If he loses Saturday , it could devalue his position as one of the world 's great boxers , " Panamanian Boxing Association President Ramon Manzanares said .
Duran , whose 97-12 record spans three decades , hopes a win in the 10-round bout will earn him a rematch against Puerto Rico 's Hector " Macho " Camacho .
Camacho took a controversial points decision against the Panamanian in Atlantic City in June in a title fight .