Norris vs Benitez @ 154

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnnsynzWUNI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvuRVDhGOWc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4h_mhnXTIs&feature=related

I dont see his chin breaking. :huh

I bet you're upset they had a rematch and Terry not only won but won every round. :yep

Terry breezed thru this fight becuz he was flawless. How else would you explain it?

 

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Benitez, during his peak years, before his fast and steep decline as a fighter, was the defensive genius par excellance, bar none of boxing since the era of Nicolino Locche and since then, up to today. In saying this, I'm not discrediting any of the defensive masters of the present day, but Benitez was uniquely gifted, and accomplished the incredible feat of topping a great like Antonio Cervantes at the unheard of age of 17..before he was 25 he was made not only mortal again, but as I said, probably experienced as abruptly sudden and steep a downturn as any fighter I've ever heard of. Near the twilight of his great skills, in '83 or '84 perhaps, Norris may have been too much for him, but the Bemitez of the Duran fight or the Hope fight would have been ever too much the cool genius for Terry, with the radar working and the counters scoring. I'd give it to Benitez by a 15 round decision, 10 to 5 or 9 to 6 in rounds.

 

Buddy McGirt did it back when Brown was actually in his prime and at his best weight and he didn't have to get knocked out in 4 rounds to get the message either unlike Norris. :good

 

Greatenss is regaining the title from the man who took it from you. Ray Robinson proved it. It just shows what Terry would have done had he taken him serious the first time.

 

What a terrible post. But at the same time, what imagination!!

It's a good thing for your boy he never got the chance to step in the ring with Terry the way he did for Hamsho or Moore. I personally have never been impressed by him since but give him credit tho; he would get in the ring with pretty much everybody, even people he had no business being in the same vicinity

 

Looking at Wilfred's record, I can see the reason for being so impressed. he does have a great who's who of victims: Cervantes, Bruce Curry, Weston, a knockout of Shields, Palomino, Duran, Hope, Santos, while Norris has Mugabi (a win so impressive, viewers mistakenly believed him to be shot)

Then there's the big one-Leonard himself. Terry won the big one. Wilfred never did which is the reason some people wont give him his due. Personally, I rate him around # 75. Ring ranked him around 74 back in 1984 so I'm about right.

As I said he has some wins to be proud of for someone so passive but his lack of fire cost him against the top compeition: Leonard, Hearns, Hamsho, and Moore.

Just by Terry beating leonard, that alone overshadow's any of Wilfred's accomplishments including the winning of the three titles although he did lose one big fight, to Jackson. But afterwards, Terry kept his head cool long enough to make the record for title defenses, beating 12 world champions in the process.

Did Wilfred REALLY experience a steep decline in 1983-84? :huh I can't believe this kind of talk. Fighters dont just have steep declines at the age of 25. Not without taking sustained punishment they don't which for Wilfred, didnt happen until after 1984.

 

the way he figured out Leonard and Hearns?

 

The stare down sends shivers down my spine. It's incredible.

I realize that Benitez didn't train as often as he should, but I think he simply lost to Leonard because he fell short in certain areas. His handspeed was nowhere near the level of Sugar, and of course there was a big descrepenancy in power. It was just great that they both fought one another whilst both undefeated and near around their respective physical peak. Otherwise we'd all be asking the "what if" question.

In regards to Norris vs Benitez, I've never been terribly impressed with Norris' body of work. There's no many peak great fighters on his resume, and the only one who closely resembles that would arguably be Julian Jackson, who stomped him. Fast hands, good power at 154lb, but he didn't have the discipline or ring intelligence of Ray.

I'd go with Benitez by MD.

 

Leonard and Hearns are both infinitely superior to Norris. That's not up for debate.

This genuinely made me laugh.

 

You're right, it's not up for debate when Terry already proved his superiority in the ring. I'm definitely convinced he's on a whole other level. You can console yourself all you like but we Norris fans got what really counts-the win! :yep

Yeah I'm sure that human chihuahua in your pic gets alot of laughs around here.

Ring magazine said it; Wilfred Benitez #74 a good 25 years ago before he met up with Moore, Hilton. I think it's a good place for him. He certainly doesnt belong up there with guys like Roy Jones, Norris and Hagler.

 

Norris sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

Well i go with Norris, i like how he can move and hit at the same time more than anything against the counterpuncher. The only thing that makes me think about picking Benitez is that he was a lot stronger at this weight and does actually have some punch in him, and then there is Terry's chin. Anyway i pick Norris personally.

 

that's what happens when you wind up in the hall of fame, set the record for defenses in your own division, humble a legend, and **** off the fans like you-you stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Good choice Teeto. Terry would win easy