We all know that Wilfred's natural talents were very rarely matched by his discipline and focus. As a result,it was only when he wanted something that he would train properly.So it was as a challenger that his best performances were displayed. As in the Cervantes,Palomino and Hope fights. With this in mind,would his bout with Thomas Hearns have ended any differently if the champion/challenger roles had been reversed ?
Some fighters are better as challengers than as defending champions. Emile Griffith comes to mind. I think Benitez would have been more inspired vs Hearns as a challenger. Whether he could have surmounted Hearn's size and reach advantages would have been the question.
His performance against cervantes was a master class and only one tier below the truly great performances in history by my book. It was very difficult for him to ever match that performance, especially considering he was a teenager.
Interesting question. Cervantes and Palomino were both at Hiram Bithorn in San Juan, where he boxed accordingly to attain split decisions. (For Bruce Curry I, it certainly may not have hurt in the MSG scoring that Wilfred was a Bronx native going against an invader from Texas either.) El Radar clamored for a return with SRL, but Duran was now in the picture for Ray, and this is clearly where the best business was to be conducted. Angelo Dundee was providing color analysis (with Dick Stockton calling the blow by blow) for CBS when Benitez came back from his loss to SRL against Johnny Turner in Dundee's Miami. Angie actually conducted the prefight interview with Benitez, where Wilfred good humouredly admonished him, "I want your fighter! I want to get him back in the ring, and beat'imup!" SRL's first defense was coming against Boy Green just two weeks later, but then Montreal was on the horizon. Still, in the immediate aftermath of Montreal (when Ray was in a brief limbo), Leonard supplied his own commentary for Wilfred's next match after Turner, working with Dick Enberg on NBC's resurrected "Friday Night Fights," when Benitez took on former SRL victim Tony Chiaverini, who had since revived his career by obtaining Dundee's services himself. Even with Ray no longer holding a title (at a time before it was apparent there would be an immediate rematch with Duran in New Orleans), Wilfred seemed very interested in a second match with SRL. He was never good at projecting the acrimony Duran seemed to exude naturally though. During the post fight interviews, he and Ray chatted like boyhood pals. ("Howya doin?") Wilfred also came over to Dundee administering to his charge, puts his arm around Angelo's shoulder with the cameras and microphones broadcasting live and says, "I am the Dragon, no?" (A bemused Dundee simply turns to Enberg and repeats, "He's the Dragon.") While Benitez never projected the fiery animosity of a Duran, it was clear that he would have been highly motivated for a rematch with SRL, more so with an opportunity to dethrone Ray at 147 or 154, and this may be the most interesting non rematch of SRL's career. Also, Wilfred would continue with the WBC Title at 154 for nearly a year after SRL-Finch, and Benitez-Leonard could have been a fine unification alternative at 154 to SRL-Hearns I, but Tommy was then the one with the veneer of unbeaten "invincibility." Could a properly motivated El Radar have somehow turned the tables on Ray? I doubt it. The self proclaimed "Dragon" wasn't that terribly improved in Weston II and Curry II, and while his power could be dreadfully underrated, it wasn't sufficient to dent SRL. Beyond that, Ray had simply acquired too much additional experience to allow a reversal in outcome a second time around. I think Wilfred does go the distance with SRL (as he clearly should have been allowed to do in 1979), but any improvement in his own performance might be offset by Ray's own progress (especially after Hearns I). For any rematch, I'd have advised Benitez to attempt utilizing his switch hitting ability, to see how SRL responded to the southpaw approach. Hearns-Benitez II? Wilfred's only chance would be to go after Tommy, slipping his way in to belabor Hearns inside to the body, and keeping on the front foot to maximize the cumulative effect of his own power as the rounds wore on. Laying back on the ropes against that kind of height, reach and speed might've been a good conservative strategy for survival, but hardly for winning. And now Hearns had championship round experience. Now, what if the first bouts Benitez had with Hearns and SRL had Wilfred challenging at 147? He'd have to outlast an inexperienced Tommy and induce Hearns to fade late. Wilfred's chin is an issue here though. In 1982 and 1983, Tommy was boxing to win. Before and after that period, he was shooting to kill. Benitez was a master survivor, but would even get up to try if hit with the same wreckers which floored Duran and Cuevas? Somehow, Ray either needs to get to Palomino and win the WBC Title from Carlos before Benitez challenges at 147, or Carlos manages to successfully defend against Wilfred first (through a Zack Clayton accomplice, by catching Benitez with one of those flush hooks, or through Palomino defending in the friendly confines of the Olympic Auditorium rather than Hiram Bithorn). To dethrone SRL, Wilfred would have to challenge Ray as a minimally experienced champion (hard to manage after going the championship distance with the likes of Carlos). Previously, I was convinced Benitez was a classic underachiever. I'm not so certain of that now. I think his questioned chin and understanding of his limitations in taking a shot compromised his potential. (Not that it has done him any good in retirement. Horrific outcome for somebody who seemed to be a terrifically likable guy. **** Gregorio Benitez.)
