Benetiz vs Cuevas

Benitez's radar would see him through this and he would land some good shots of his own on Cuevas, aside from just plain outboxing him to win a decision.

 

I think Benitez wins a UD over 15, but if he pulls that Half-Assed training bullcrap he did for Ray Leonard, then Pipino gets him on a 8th round kayo.

 

A classic skill vs. power matchup. I think Benitez will be slicking his way to a decision win for much of the fight. Until the effects of Cuevas' freakish power begin to gradually wear El Radar down. Wilfred will win against lots of punchers, but not against this one.

Cuevas by late TKO.

 

Benitez boxes to a UD

 

It's a funny thing but Benitez absolutely turned Duran inside out with feints...But Pipino never ever even paid attention to what the opponent did sometimes...he just threw punches, hard ones...I think Cuevas would get into a groove of coming forward and Benitez would have to get his respect, in which I think he would with his counters. Benitez will start to slow him down with lead right hands/body punches and dipping under and smothering Pipino's hooks... I like Benitez against the prime Cuevas by hard fought unanimous decision. Benitez is more versatile and very slick.

 

Unlike Duran, Cuevas does not become discouraged or fustrated by Benitez' defensive genius. He Pipino just keeps coming foreward & throws punches undeterred. Yes Benitez would make Cuevas miss, sometimes even foolishly so. But there are two things against Wilfred. He doesn't have the power to keep Cuevas off. and Benitez' chin isnt the sturdiest. So unless Benitez fights the perfect fight & not caught by Cuevas at all. a very daunting task. I think Cuevas would eventually catch Benitez & get a come from behind TKO late.

 

Within his stylistic limitations, Pipino was a pretty smart fighter. Although left hook oriented, he left it at home when taking on southpaw former titlist Backus, and simply winged lead rights from the outset, ending Billy's career after three minutes of action. Wilfred could take it to the body, and it's a good thing he was able to, because I suspect Cuevas might forget Benitez even had a head in the early going.

I figured Duran's body punching would be a key factor when he took it to El Radar on the ropes, but Pipino's power was on a different level than that, and he could keep it up for as long as it took.

Although I'd favor a focused and wary Benitez to take the decision, all Cuevas would need is one good shot to the chops, and he could just as easily deliver it in ring center as when Wilfred's back is on the ropes. Benitez displayed superb survival skills against Bruce Curry, but Pipino is a different kind of beast than the psychotic gun toting Texan.

 

I like Pipino early. He would go hard to Benitez' body with his upperhook left and hurt him just as Hamsho did in 83. After that ko time arrives. Pipino fooled a lot of people in his prime, because his hands were a lot faster than they appearred and he punched from such weird angles that he really nailed guys. I was at 5 of his fights in L.A. and he was a lot more than he is given credit for after Hearns. In his prime he was bad-ass, but never really recovered from the damage done in the Shields fight. In his prime he ko's Carlos Palimino and Benitez.

 

I just watched the Curry fight 2 days ago and if it was today in boxing, after the second knockdown when he fell into and through the ropes with his head, it would have been over. I wish it was like yesteryear and fights went on till they were truly over. Boxing is too soft now and that's one reason it is so unwatched.

 

Yeah, I may even go as far as to say that he may take the welterweight version of Hearns in that shape.

 

I like Cuevas in typical bone crunching style, similar to Hilton-benites. Benites cant handle this kind of pressure

 

excellent comments.

 

I think Cuevas was too strong and unorthodox for Benitez at welterweight. Wilfred wouldn't be able to hurt him and Cuevas would eventually land some of his bombs and take him out.

I'm sure many of you have seen the video posted here about Benitiez and his mental status. It's sad to see him as a mental cripple. Interestingly, I saw a video of Pipino on Youtube where he was being interviewed. I believe the video is fairly recent and he looked and sounded great. Hopefully he'll stay that way. Ironically, Benitez, the defensive wizard, now suffers from dementia and Cuevas, the easy to hit type who always took a lot of punishment, is still mentally strong.