December 1976 (Mexico City) Wilfred Benitez, just crowned the 'new' WBA Light-Welterweight Champion, in March 1976, is having problems getting to down to 140 lbs. The 'Wunderkind' just turned 18 years-old, and decides to move up to 147 lbs. Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles, returns to the ring, after his 'thrashing' by John H. Stracey in December 1975, one-year earlier. The 36 1/2 year-old Napoles, will be 'twice' the age of Benitez. Wilfred Benitez at 5' 10" will be taller than 'Mantequilla' who is 5' 7 1/2", but Napoles will have a slight reach advantage at 72" to the 70" for 'El Radar'. Jose Napoles can still punch, as in 1975 he did floor both Challengers, Armando Muniz and John H. Stracey. Jose, despite the age of 36 1/2, will be the stronger fighter here, and just maybe, he might be able to land an 'early bomb'. How does the fight go ?
Napoles was able to get to the tall Curtis Cokes with heavy punches. Wilfred will need to get beyond 6 rounds to win. Wilfred by decision in 15 rds....but goes down twice early.
LH71, I could agree with that, Wilfred didn't punch hard enough to stop or hurt Jose Napoles, even at age 36+.
To steal and twist a quote from Ali when talking about Foreman's win over Frazier, "John Stracey only buried the corpse that Armando Muniz had already killed." I am a huge fan of Jose Napoles and if the subject was prime for prime Napoles-Benitez, then I have no hesitancy in picking Napoles. However, with the parameters set forth, a 1976 Napoles-Benitez bout, then it's easy for me to pick Benitez. Muniz ruined Napoles and Stracey finished the job. Taking a year off would not have helped Napoles in the least. Especially not against a razor sharp kid whose jab and fast combos would have opened up Napoles eyes like a can of tuna. Mantequilla's eyes were gone and he should have lost to Muniz the first time if not for an influential clique who saved his title in the true robbery of the century. It wasn't just paper-thin tissue about the eyes at this point. He also had muscle damage due to the depth of his cuts, which is why he never atempted a comeback. Now, let's talk the Benitez of the Palomino-Weston-Leonard fights against the Napoles of the Cokes-Cokes-Griffith fights. Wow!!!! Scartissue
scartissue. But didn't the 'faded' Jose floor John Stracey and Armando Muniz in those 1975 bouts. He was still a danger in the early rounds, and Wilfred's 'chinny-chin' was as fragile as a 'LLadro' figurine. Forgotten History, Before Wilfred Benitez defeated a 'sleep-walking' Antonio Cervantes in March 1976. He had a 'near-disaster' with 'journeyman' Chris Fernadez, before escaping with a 'close' 10-Round Decision in December 1975. And in the bout before that, in October 1975 - Omar Realico floored Wilfred, and was on the verge of stopping him, before the Referee jumped in, and gave Wilfred a 'Standing 8-Count. And the Referee interupted several other times, when Realico shook Wilfred and had him in trouble.
Yes, Napoles still had the punch, but I just feel his eye damge went beyond what he could produce. I too feel that the chin was not the greatest part of Wilfredo's armor but it takes a bad rap sometimes. When you think of it, he did go 15 with Cervantes, Palomino, Duran and Hearns without a knockdown (or was one credited to Hearns, can't recall now) and I don't believe the Leonard fight should have been stopped in the 15th (but did incur 2 KDs). All in all, Napoles' eye damage outweighs his talents by the age of 36.
I didn't realize "Mantequilla" had that bad of a problem. The left eye does look pretty bad here. This content is protected
