Duran was in fine shape going into the Benitez fight. He was on weight in no time during camp. He was probably 185lbs before the first Leonard fight, but got the weight off easily a couple of months before. I read in the biography "Hands of Stone" that he was in great shape.
I've always felt that for a brief period vs Maurice Hope, Duran, and even given an experienced, awesome Tommy Hearns a decent fight, this was Benitez at the height of his powers. He peaked physically while still having the genius, radar thing going on. Benitez was stronger and quicker than Duran and took it away from him.
Exactly. Expert consensus was that he was peaking at 154, which tho surprising given what was behind him was quite believable in his performances for a short time.
Well, if size & style are the true factors here, than Benitez was too cagey for the smaller Duran, and Hearns was too cagey and spry for the smaller Benitez at the end of '82.... Benitez didn't really punish Duran at all; he just beat him often in the center of the ring.... Hearns put a lil' mo hurt on Benitez in their bout, but not a whole more... Both fights were very tactical and somewhat boring........ MR.BILL
I had Benitez winning 11-4. He put one of the finest boxing clinics in history that night. Duran WAS in shape, but he was just no match that night for the motivated El Radar.
Yes, but Duran peaked at or before Leonard I. That's when the partying and general disinterest took over, leading to the spotty performances punctuated occasionally by excellence. That was damn near as good as the talented Benitez ever looked. He was also taken over by the party-bug but was not made of the resiliant stuff that Duran was.
According to Raymond Arcel, his boy Duran began putting on too much weight during his off time prior to the rubber match against DeJesus in '78.... Arcel sensed a problem was brewing with Duran at 135 pounds.... I believe Duran was sending a message to Arcel that his days of straining to make 135 were coming to an end..... And, that too, became true as well... Now when Duran started having trouble making weight at 147, it became clear that Duran had peaked and perhaps softened up a bit...... I still thought Duran was able to hang well at a trained 154, but in truth, Duran never should have exceeded 154..... MR.BILL
The big payday for Leonard I pretty much stopped his hard training. The Leonard camp knew this and pitched for the immediate rematch, knowing Duran would not sniff a gym in the meantime. Also, I read he trained 2 weeks for Benitez and less than a week for Hearns. Well, it showed.
:deal Yeah, but SRL just KO'd Bruce Finch on HBO in Feb. '82 and his eye was ****ed up from the '81 Hearns fight..... SRL underwent surgery in May of '82 and that caused his retirement---for a couple yrs.... MR.BILL:deal
Just watched the Duran-Benitez fight for the 1st time... it was just Benitez speed & fluidity that beat Duran... Roberto looked as if he was starting to click into gear in rds 6 & 7 where he landed some big punches & pressured Benitez, Benitez didnt look as comfortable... but he just couldnt sustain it, his timing looked off most of the night. I think the Montreal version of Duran might have brought the sort of pressure & constant activity to possibly beat this very good version of Benitez, it would still be a close fight but I see peak Duran making Benitez very uncomfortable.
benitez was just to good that night thats all there is ti it.i like duran a lot but there can be no excusess he was beaten and thats it