Roberto Duran on COVID-19: ‘Championship fight … I was able to win as team’

Roberto Duran referred to his battle with the coronavirus as “a world championship fight, which I was able to win as a team.”

Roberto Duran referred to his battle with the coronavirus as “a world championship fight, which I was able to win as a team.”

Duran, 69, was admitted to a Panama City hospital last week after testing positive for COVID-19. He reportedly had mild cold symptoms at the time. His son Robin told a Panamanian television channel that “he has almost no symptoms and no fever.

Robin Duran believes his father might’ve contracted COVID-19 on his birthday, June 16, when a stream of admirers went to his home to wish him a happy birthday.

The Hall of Famer was released from the hospital on Thursday. He posted a video on Instagram showing him being wheeled out and he provided a message.

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Buenas tardes mi gente! Hoy, con el favor de Dios, regresé a casa después de batallar contra el virus COVID-19. Fue una pelea de Campeonato Mundial, que pude ganar en equipo, con el apoyo, cariño y dedicación de un cuerpo médico, que no solamente cuidó de mi persona, sino de todos los pacientes, que cómo yo, peleábamos en el hospital contra este virus, que no conoce de leyendas, títulos mundiales, estatus social, raza, religión, etc… A todas esas personas que siguen en la pelea, les mando mucha fuerza y mis oraciones, a sus familiares para que no pierdan sus esperanzas y sepan que Dios tiene el control. A todos mis fanáticos alrededor del Mundo, les doy las gracias por orar por mi y por todos sus mensajes de aliento. No me cansaré de darles las gracias a todos los doctores, enfermeros/as, que día a día dan lo mejor de si, sin importar el riesgo que toman. Yo seré un ex Campeón Mundial, pero ustedes son los verdaderos CAMPEONES DE LA VIDA. Se les quiere, por favor #quédateencasa, sigue la #cuarentena y bajo ninguna circunstancia dejes entrar a nadie a tú casa. Manos de Piedra.

A post shared by Roberto Durán (@robertoduranbox) on

He wrote:

“Today, with the blessing of God, I returned home after battling the COVID-19 virus.

“It was a World Championship fight, which I was able to win as a team, with the support, love and dedication of a medical team, who not only took care of me, but of all the patients, who, like me, fought in the hospital against this virus, which does not know of legends, world titles, social status, race, religion, etc.

“To all those people who continue in the fight, I send a lot of strength and my prayers, to their relatives so that they do not lose their hope and know that God is in control. To all my fans around the world, I thank you for praying for me and for all your messages of encouragement. I will never tire of thanking all the doctors, nurses, who give their best every day, regardless of the risk they take. I will be a former World Champion, but you are the true CHAMPIONS OF LIFE.”

Panama reportedly has the highest rate of coronavirus infections in Central America, with about 700 deaths and more than 36,000 cases. Panama has a population of about 3.9 million.