Wilfred Benitez vs. Manny Pacquiao

:good i like.

 

Fairly good point there, why do you think that is?

Do you not think a very skilled counter-puncher/boxer could do it without going to war?

Marquez always was a sort of 'Mexican technician' he would hang tough with you to get the counters off.

I dont think it wasnt so much as speed advnatge per se, that Leonard and Hearns had over Benitez, it was more them getting off first which helped them win as Benitez waits for a guy to go first and this is a flaw that can be taken advanatge of, as these guys showed. When Benitez, especially against Leonard, started to lead he had sucess.

Do you think a jab would benefit Pacquiao here? I think it might make his attack abit more conventional, which Benitez would like. How do you think Benitez copes with Pacquiao's unorthodox nature? I feel Benitez was a guy who boxed comfortably when his guy was technically correct and Benitez could anticipate better what he was going to do, give him a wild man and he is uncomfortable.

Very good anaylisis there. Seriously good post overrall though.

 

Benitez would easily outbox Paq at 140 or 147.

 

Well speed help's you get off first and it's why Pacquaio is so successful, despite his technical errors his amazingly quick speed lets him get of first and land shots cleaner than he should be able to do. A jab also doesn't make your attacts predictable, if you mix it up with lead hooks/lead straight lefts and vary your punch placement

I don't think Pacquaio's unorthodox, he's a southpaw and amazingly fast but he is predictable 'same move every time' as noted by Floyd Sr. But he can be timed and has an open defense, especially for the right hand. Benetiz is going to time the right for fun much like Marquez did, set traps with his chin sticking out while constantly ready to lean back/slipping and countering, feinting, sitting back and waiting for Pacquaio to rush in and counter him. I do wonder if his radar can have as much success against a quicker man, but Paquaio's lack of height/reach means that whole slipping/countering becomes much easier because Pac has too much range to cover

However, looking at the times when Benitez fought quicker opponents, his defense didn't look quite as great, so I think Pacquaio would land and hurt him to

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kqb7JtLNVw[/ame]

 

In a 15 rnd fight ill take benitez.

 

I don't think there is any evidence to say that he can be. Marquez did not simple outbox in the traditional sense of the word. As you say, he hung with him. He picked himself up off the canvas and traded with him. Sounds cliche and ofc you need it in any match, but you need great heart to beat Pacquiao. Morales and Marquez proof of this. Cotto had the fundamentals i think which he showed early in the fight, but lacked that great heart to match his relentless attack. Pacquiao is a freight train that needs to be stopped in its tracks. You let him build momentum he will destroy you. Not at all saying Cotto or Benitez lack heart, but they do not have that same warrior spirit Morales and Marquez have. Saying this i do not think Pacquiao would run Benitez over, but Benitez would let himself be outworked. He'd likely avoid any trouble or scares, but he wouldnt do enough to match the thousand+ punches coming at him

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFPiNXLr6KU[/ame]

 

The worst fighter in history to attempt to teach slickness to. I doesn't show it but I'm pretty sure Ricky would repeat what Sr told him about that move

 

God, if pac could actually infight and translate that workrate up close....

 

I'd take Beniez by a fairly wide decision.

 

I actually like this, and completely get what you're saying.

This is exactly why I don't think Marquez vs Pac is the exact same as Floyd vs Pac, not just because of Pacquaio's improvements since then, but the reality of needing to take chances and actually exchange to get a pay-off is almost as important as having the technical, slick boxing ability to do it.

I pick Pac in this matchup.

 

I know John Garfield doesn't get into this fantasy fight mess...but I'd almost pay to have his opinion on this one.
Benitez was someone who was a pure counter puncher...if you pressed he fought back with counters...if you laid back, he didn't do much. Pacquiao would press until this reality started to find him repeatedly. Benitez was stylistically much more sophisticated than anyone Pac has engaged with...Benitez was brilliant at the "bait and switch" the opponent thinks that they see something and go for it, then get countered for their trouble. Those small movements to evade then counter in the pocket drove Duran crazy...I feel this fantasy fight in alot of ways would be a synopsis of the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight....
My pick would be Benitez by decision.

 

Benitez is quick, he just dosent use his speed to lead, alot, especially when fighting a fast guy.

But a jab would give Benitez a 'warning' of incoming shots IMO.

I think that can be attributed for him not wanting to be first and hence is amove behind his opponent, rather than any direct weakness to speed. I dont know why this is underlined I cannae get it away.

Marquez did hang with him, but benitez is skilled enough to not have to hang with him.

 

But that skill alone wouldn't be enough to defeat him. Heart and desire to win are underrated attributes, i think. Or they just pale in insignificance to abilities, on paper. Conveniently the prime example of this is Manny Pacquiao. Who has been consistently written off on paper and fails in hypotheticals, yet in reality goes on to beat the living **** out of the opponent