De Niro double creates Hands of Stone portrait
By Dafydd Young
QUEBEC (Canada), retiree, Germain Courchesne who,in his golden years in Veracruz, Panama, emerged from his chrysalis as a union organizer to launch a new career as an artist, is expanding his creative talents.
Two years ago he made his acting debut in the first Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presentation of the CanadaPLUS Club. Then, after reading in Newsroom of the search for Canadian extras for the movie Hands of Stone, he went to a casting session, and ended up being selected as a “double” for Robert De Niro, who plays Ray Arcel the trainer of world legendary boxing hero Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran, in the movie.
Courchesne was uniquely qualified to appear in crowd scenes of Duran’s victory over, SugarRay Leonard in the Montreal Olympic Stadium on June 20, 1980, because he was there.
After his experience with the film he has parlayed his contacts into regular stints with local film productions.
In between times he returned to the easel and created a portrait of Duran, which he presented to the boxing legend at his restaurant La Tasca De Duran where it now hangs alongside souvenirs of the great one’s career, and videos of some of his fights,
In 2002, Duran was chosen by The Ring to be the 5th greatest fighter of the last 80 years and the Associated Press voted Duran as the #1 lightweight of the 20th century. Many consider him the greatest lightweight of all time. He held world titles at four different weights –lightweight (1972 –79), welterweight (1980), light middleweight (1983–84) and middleweight (1989). He was the second boxer to have fought over a span of five decades. The first was Jack Johnson.
Duran finally retired in January 2002 at age 50 with a professional record of 120 fights, 104 wins, with 69 KOs.He is played by De Niro in the movie, which is now in post-production. Panama singer and actor Ruben Blades is also in the movie as Carlos Eleta, a Panama businessman.
La Tasca De Duran is on Calle Alberto Navarro, close to the new hotel El Principe. You will find Duran there on most Friday’s and Saturday’s after 9 pm. Best to reserve, as it is a popular hang out. Don’t be afraid to ask the legend to pose for a photo.
