Benvenuti was an excellent boxer...Doe anyone think he would have the ability to get past aggressive fighters like Zale, Steele, Cerdan, or Walker? These guys are much more highly considered than playboy Nino..and rightfully so, but based on styles could Nino give them a hiccup or two?
As for the title of the thread, no, I don't think so. People on this board are well educated on Nino. They know how good he could be at his best, and he gets the right amount of credit for his achievements, and I think people don't penalize him unfairly for that losses that were mostly due to poor preparation. The almost universal consensus on this board is that he was a brilliant, talented, but erratic peformer who was twice taken appart by a vastly superior fighter in Monzon. As for the hypothetical matches, I favor him against Zale but not Steele. Steele is way more cagey and clever than he gets credit for, and he had a piston of a right hand to boot. I'm certain that Steele could outpoint Nino or stop him, and I would confidently pick Steele to sweep a trilogy between the two. Walker? Cerdan? Haven't seen enough of either to speculate.
He ran his record up to 65-0 as the World LMW champion, which may well have been the longest unblemished streak a title holding professional had ever generated to begin a career up to that time. 120-1 was his amateur mark preceding that. Before turning 30, he was only defeated by SD in Seoul to Kim Ki-Soo [avenging a defeat to Nino in the Rome Olympics], and via MD to Griff at Shea Stadium, evening out their series at one apiece. I think a 1992 induction into Canastota was appropriately early for him. More likely overlooked today than underrated. Yeah, at his best, he may have been able to stay away from Zale as needed for the decision. Better puncher than his record suggests, a fact widely understood here.
