Wilfred Benitez vs Roberto Duran

It was Ice over Fire. Benitez just BEAT him that's all. He was perhaps at his gifted, cool, cocky, confident best against Duran, with no questions about it.

 

Duran was in excellent shape for this fight but it was irrevelant. Post Leonard 1 he was never again the fighter to beat a prime Benitez, if he ever was. Styles make fights. This was not beating a Davey Moore or Cuevas or even going 15 with an over cautious Hagler. Mostly forgotten on this board was how exceptional a prime, focused, inshape Wilfredo could be. He was likely in his absolute prime for Duran, a naturally bigger man and had the speed, skills and style to beat him easily as he did. There was not a thing Duran could do, Wilfredo was simply better and a terrible style match up for him.

The Duran of Montreal v.s. the prime Benitez of 147 would have been an amazing fight.

 

Fair points.

 

Good fight from a technical & styles point of view but not exactly Leonard-Duran I in terms of action.

 

the same post for the fourth time

 

I know, I tried to send it earlier & it kept saying an error occured, every time I checked the thread my post wasnt there, I just assumed it never went through, so I tried again & again (obviously 4 times)... :rofl

 

My FIRST $500 wager on a fight, tho I only took about $280 home with Benitez being the overwhelming favorite.
He clearly waxed Roberto. One judge scored the fight 143-142???
What was he smoking???

 

:rasta

 

Benitez had a style that was unfavorable to Duran, not to mention the size difference. I know that Benitez won his first world title a mere 5 lbs north of Duran's initial world championship class, but Benitez was only 17 years old. Duran would have been a super bantam weight at that age.

Some fighters have other fighters' numbers.

Shane Mosley may have a better career than Vernon Forrest, but he was unable to defeat him. Vernon Forrest could not hang with Ricardo Maryorga.

Diego Corrales looked like an inferior opponent against Floyd Mayweather Jr. How close was Mayweather to ever stopping Jose Luis Castillo?

Duran's lightweight resume trumps anything Benitez did career wise. There is little doubt as to which fighter ranks higher in almost any sense, especially when you add in longevity and higher weight accomplishment.

Duran just couldn't beat Benitez, at his best, head to head. I don't care what version of Duran it is.

 

I disagree with this statement. I firmly believe that Duran at 154 wouldn't be able to beat Benitez because he was pretty much a counter puncher at this point as was already mentioned. He didn't have the footspeed to pressure Benitez. But if this was a prime Duran at lets say 140 then I actually think he has a perfect style do beat Benitez.

 

Duran became a counterpuncher because he was adept at all facets of the sport, and that is what suited him above lightweight. What was he going to do, bully Hagler? Outmuscle Barkley? Duran had to use the tools that made him great.

None of these tools guarantee victory over the larger, well suited opponent, Benitez.

 

Duran would usually eat up such styles at his prime weight...but his effectiveness to do so took a major hit when he moved up past welter.

I think he was in very good shape but I dont think he was in the kind of shape he was for Leonard, mentally or physically we never saw him like that again.

Its a great win for Benitez and he really found a niche at 154 for a little while there.

 

Thats kind of my point. At higher weights he had to utilize his counterpunching ability due to his small frame. I said that if they fought at a lower weight like at 140 I would favor Duran. I agreed with you that at 154 Duran is just not winning against Benitez.

 

Responsiblity of Duran the fighter to show up in shape.

Rumor was as far back as the late seventies Duran's Mgmt. didn't want any part of Benetiz.

Benetiz just neutralized the best of Duran with his style.

 

I agree. No version of Duran would've ever beaten Kirkland Laing either, or Vinny Pazienza for that matter.