The weaknesses of Wilfred Benitez

Nice post. I think Benitez could be dampened a bit by similar class fighters using superb tactics. Leonard and Hearns (well, their trainers) wrote the book on how to combat Benitez.

 

i think his main defect was his dad who was a twat

 

His dad WAS a twat,indeed. Benitez had all the gifts,and his lack of discipline was his main weakness. If only he'd had the application of,say,a Ray Leonard,he'd have accomplished as much as he did,easily.

 

Spot on:good typical moody rebelious teenage son (Don't tell me what to do)/strict father relationship, did'nt he having out fighting for cash/gambling at 14 or so, i suppose no choice considering the back ground as in the typical poverty stricken backgrounds they all hailed from.

As i said earlier if he'd come on a little later & was say raised elsewhere he'd have been nigh on unbeatable, He actually toyed with Leonard in some of those rounds when he was minded too, absolutly incredible talent. I've never seen leonard look so intence & jumpy in a fight. But boxing came too young for Wilfred.

 

He was so gifted at such a young age, and that win for the title over Cervantes intoxicated him so much that he simply felt he was from a different galaxy than ordinary pugs. He was one of those fighters whose arrogance I actually appreciated and thought it was rather cool because he was so theatrical about it, as in that GREAT staredown...the greatest of all time IMO, with Sugar Ray Leonard. It bit him in the ass eventually though, as it made him a bit lazy on the training side and being on his guard was concerned.

 

oh yeh, the best arrogant staredown ever that you just had to laugh with it, go watch the hope fight again & watch his actions once the bell rings to end the round He'd just stop/spin around & stroll back with that head up "I'am so bored" look on his face, you could imagine him reading a newspaper between rounds:smoke

 

he made hope look like a right mug didn't he and he just seemed to end the fight when he wanted to.

 

He always seemed to be at his best when challenging for a title. That was when he had most incentive to train. I've said for years,that if Hearns had been the champion when they fought for the light-middle title,instead of challenger,Benitez would probably have won.

 

One of the really, really sad cases in history I looked up his name on Google to see what is happeneing w/ him and they had different articales. One told aboutthe average day for him in the rest home. It was haeartbreaking. Also, I remember readinga ll that about him not training back in the day, (the main article that porported that was I believe in the Aug. 1981 Ring Magazine interview with Wilfred on the cover and they also had an article on Duran in the issue). He said he didn't train but never looked out of shape and when Jimmy Jacobs was asked about the training, Jacobs just said to look at him and decide for himself. I think the claim is bogus and gave an instant excuse for if he lost.:viking:viking

 

Work ethic / discipline.

 

Being half ******ed.

 

Maybe he was an Idiot Savant.

 

If above is connected to moronic behavior/incredible boxing skill

yes

If not, no.

 

of course that's what it means..in no way do I think Benitez was an "idiot".

 

Well I always thought of Wilfred and brother Frankie as classic morons meselfe.