Saul Canelo Alvarez vs Wilfred Benitez at 154 lbs, 15 rounds, both prime.

I can see Benitez winning, I think it is about 50/50 in reality. But not sure there are any/many that would make Canelo look like a clown. Like him or not, the man can fight and fight at the highest level.

 

I don't think he has a better chance than Duran did.

 

perhaps....I think he has a legitimate chance to go one better than Palomino and take an SD rather than drop one. At 154 I would take Canelo over Duran.

 

Canelo once fought at 140 I think definitely started at 147, it's not fair to compare Benitez at his best weight against Canelo at a weight he was not at his best and still green,

 

It’s not relevant to the thread.

We’re looking at the versions of Canelo who fought Floyd and Lara etc at JMW.

 

We’re also looking at Benitez as being peak in 81 and 82, but apparently shot in 83.

 

That’s what the TS is looking at though. Although to be fair, he should have just asked for opinions on a match up at 154, without using the word ‘prime’

I agree that Canelo wasn’t in his prime back then.

 

We’re looking at the best versions of each guy from that weight class.

Not many people are going to put forward the version of Canelo who fought Floyd.

 

Canelo simply is not impressive to me in general, I think Canelo is just not enough to compete with true ATGs it is not any one thing- they are simply a higher pedigree of fighters.

 

You do know Cervantes is a JR welterweight right?

 

That's it right there.
The Canelo that fought Mayweather or Lara would have a world of trouble with the Benitez that fought Hope or Duran.
How could it be otherwise? Benitez had fought Cervantes, Hearns, Palomino, Duran, Leonard.

 

Yes. It’s strange to mention him in support of how Benitez would fare at 154.

 

I wouldn't if Duran's in shape and focused.

 

Canelo can fight no doubt,but a Benitez that was prime was elite level now he was never prime at 154 but assuming he took care of himself and was prime for this fantasy matchup he was something to see

 

Canelo was pretty much 100% prime by the time he fought Liam Smith.