Duran challenges Benitez instead of Palomino

The Duran that faced Palomino was a wee bit fleshy, not the Montreal Duran, but he was far more up for that fight than he would be for any version of Benitez IMO.

Benitez still wins a decision, as he's slightly darker than Duran, that is after all what you want to here is it not PP?

 

Fighters like Duran seem made for Benitez' style. Wilfred was much harder to hit as cleanly as SRL was, so Roberto would always have a much tougher fight with Wilfred. Benitez would never try to trade with Duran. Benitez by close UD.

 

Benitez would not fight Duran's fight like Ray did,and Benitez was faster than Duran. Wilfred wins a 15 round decision over Duran similar to how he beat Duran a year or two after this fight would have happened.

 

Duran beats Benitez in 1979. Too much for Benitez at that point.

 

Duran was at his most effective when he could do at least one of the following three things:

1. Bully a guy.
2. Go to war inside with him.
3. Counter him.

I don't think Benitez ever gives him a chance to consistently do any of those. As such, it would always be, at best, an extremely difficult fight for Duran.

That said, the version of Duran from Montreal or from the Palomino fight would almost surely do better than the version of him that stepped into the ring against Benitez.

 

From the first Curry fight to the Leonard fight...how do people feel about Wilfredo's welterweight form overall?

 

Pissed about and coasted with lesser opponents.

No dishonour from the Leonard fight; stupid stoppage anyway.

I think he proved he still had a lot to offer post-147 with Maurice Hope.

 

I think he lacked motivation there outside the ring..Young, unbeaten maybe a little arrogant didnt think he needed to train that hard...his training habits for some of his fights at welter seemed to be stuff of legend in regards to the shortness and lack of intensity in his training camps but Ive read plenty of reports he teared it up in training for the Duran and Hearns bout.

I dont know if Benitez had the mental strength back then...He had the skills, size and style but I dont know if he was matured enough in 79 to take on an animal like Roberto. You cant underestimate the mental aspect of Roberto's performance in Montreal.

 

some people do seem to think Wilfred Benitez best weight was 154 since he trained and looked almost more complete as a fighter at 154. Beating Duran and going 15 with Hearns in a good effort did not hurt that thinking. 154 was a good weight for him.

 

I give Benitez a good chance here and am glad to see others do too.

 

As Flea summed up he was almost disinterested but at times he showed excellance i.e the Palomino fight, Weston II etc...

The Palomino fight IMO is one of Benitez's best performances he just out classed Palomino in every department at all times. The 14th round where he goes to the ropes offering to fight in Palomino's office and then he trades with Palomino and makes him look like a bum, it was pure poetry and just amazing.

Good points about the mental strength. At times he looked brilliant against Leonard but he coasted, was it because he didnt want to try his best so he would have an excuse? Is that why he trained little, tp have an excuse?

Sorry to bring this thread up, just it is interesting.

 

One rap on Benitez was that he didn't take a particularly good punch on the chin. Like Palomino, Duran would have been going to Wilfred's body, where Benitez could take it extremely well. Duran was better defensively than Carlos, and he didn't start slowly like Palomino was notorious for doing.

I don't think Wilfred had the physical or mental maturity at 147 to beat the Duran of Palomino and Montreal. He could be out hustled, and I think Roberto would be just the man to do it. The best version of Benitez was the one who decisioned Duran at 154. Although it was a clear UD win, it wasn't a complete scorecard blowout.

 

People forget Carlos Palomino lost a split decision to Wilfred in Puerto Rico around the same time Duran beat Carlos far more convincingly.I think Lobotomy's assessment is dead on.