Observing the smooth boxing style of junior-middleweight Ossie Duran, it comes to no surprise that he was basically born into the ring. Ossie’s father was a boxer and from the time his son could walk, he had him learning the ins-and-outs of the squared circle.
Hailing from the African boxing Mecca of Accra, Ghana, Ossie “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran has a professional record of 24-8-2 (9 KO) that has been compiled in ten different countries. While fighting abroad has helped match him with world class opposition, it has subjected Duran to hometown injustices.
“I go there and I do what I’m supposed to do but they don’t give me the win when I earn it,” says the 32-year-old Duran. “It makes me feel good though because I fought everyone in their backyard and I wasn’t afraid.”
Duran burst onto the global scene with a third round knockout of 20-1 Jamie Moore in Belfast, Northern Ireland to win the Commonwealth (British Empire) light middleweight title. Duran remained in Great Britain, beating another unbeaten fighter Colin McNeil in a title defense before dropping a controversial decision to Bradley Pryce. The loss prompted Duran to take his talents stateside where he continued to beat quality fighters, including former world title challenger Jonathan Reid.
Riding a three fight win streak, Duran was full of confidence when he faced off with feared knockout puncher James Kirkland. For ten rounds, the two warriors slugged away at each other but it was Kirkland who faded down the stretch. When the scores were read, one card had Kirkland winning by only a single point. Despite Kirkland’s continued success and rise up the rankings, Duran remains the only fighter to have gone the distance with him in a fight scheduled for more than four rounds.
Duran continued to come up winless in his next three fights that were decided by razor thin margins against world class competition. Now based out of Paterson, NJ and training at Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, NJ, Duran’s career is looking up after a dominant victory over Jamaal Davis and a solid team backing his valiant efforts.
