Benitez-How Much Punching Power Did He Have?

Ask Maurice Hopes dentist.

 

His power was in the punches you didn't see imo.

 

Give him a few moments to recover before you ask him though :good

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlZan4-_Uhc[/ame]

 

Weight lifting wouldn't have done anything.


I think he was a pretty decent puncher. When he set down on his punches he could sting most guys, but he was usually so focused on moving, rolling, ducking, deking that he rarely gave himself the chance to show how he could hit.

 

janwalsh,

I was lucky enough to see Wilfred Benetiz fight Bruce Curry (twice) at MSG.
When his punches landed, you couldn't hear anything.
No mass-force behind them.
He also, had a unique shape.
Small upper-body, like a lightweight, thin waist, but a larger lower torso and thick calfs, like a 150 lb. fighter.
If he could get torque in his lower body, he could punch a little.

Harold Weston, who fought him to a 10-round Draw at the Garden said,
'Benetiz couldn't break a frozen 'candy cane stick' against a New York City park bench in the dead of winter'.

 

No, he could puch with power. Ask Mo Hope. He's a safety first fighter, and they seem to not be into throwing bombs, just stick and move. Its a beautiful thing to watch.

 

I'm a Benetiz fan.
But (2) fights and 20 rounds with Bruce Curry, and (2) fights and 25 rounds with
Harold Weston.
You have to believe Harold Weston.
Yes the Knock-out of Maurice Hope was brutal.
But on the overall and complete fight record, I'll go with Harold Weston's
assessment.

 

Hope was a full-fledged Jr. MW and went crashing down hard.

When Hearns moved to pro he learned how to punch.

Benetiz just didn't visualize himself as a puncher.....he was "El Radar"....and
that mindset was how he fought.

 

On Wilfred Benetiz;

Early career; 11/22/73 thru 8/3/77
33-0-1 (26 KO's)
Despite his young age, a very good puncher, at Junior Welterweight

Mid-Career; 8/4/77 thru 3/16/80
7-1-0 (2 KO's)
Below average puncher, at Welterweight

Late career; 3/17/80 thru 9/17/86
12-4-0 (4 KO's)
Light puncher, at Junior Middleweight

 

In his early career he was thought to be a bit of a puncher, believe it or not. And with his accuracy, timing and speed he really could get guys out of there.

 

Oh, what a special fighter Benitez was!! Like all defensive masters, he chose to sacrifice power for speed and accuracy..and like joebeadg said, it was a thing of beauty to watch Benitez.

 

thats a pretty interesitng thing. i feel that some guys go into boxign with the 'im a boxer' mindset. i think paulie malignaggi coudl punch if he wasnt a poor counterpuncher and less of a mover. he always had dodgy hands but still.

tony oakey to me punched hard in the most literal sense but couldnt or wouldnt ko a guy. to sloppy and diminutive for the division. could of been a middleweight or a light middlewieght...also has NO shoulder muscles.


benitez coudl get the stoppage. but he was such the slippery mover that he never gave himself a chance to build off. but i dont think he was a secret puncher. had some sting but that was it. the mo hope punch was a perfectly timed shot and an example of his accuracy but no i dont think he could punch

 

Also, in the end terribly mis-managed by his father.
Putting him in their with Mustapha Hamsho, just crazy!!
After the loss to Tommy Hearns, he could have easily went down to
Welterweight, and re-gained a Title.
His father should be SHOT.

 

To be fair to knock out Hope clean was no mean feat.Hope was a good champion with no chin issues, know one ever did that to him.