Wilfred Benitez

HOF'er and talked along the likes of the other 4. Respected by fans and peers and holds the distinction of youngest champ ever. Can't ask for more than that.

 

The Radar, in his prime one of the best ever at seeing the shots coming.

 

Benitez was THE Champion of both of those divisions. I think that should be enough.

 

solid dude

 

Nobody from 140 to 154 in this era beats him. What does that tell you.

 

Did you forget that he got mugged vs Hamsho, Who Hagler destroyed twice?

 

I met him at the international Boxing Hof, I believe it was 1993 or so, he was in bad shape dementia wise back then. To be honest, I'm surprised he is still with us. I say that respectfully.

 

Very good fighter. Great defensive fighter. But not an ATG.

 

Any knowledgeable fight knows a hypothetical fight between A prime vs prime Hagler vs Benitez wouldn't look ANYTHING like the fights between Hagler and Hamsho. Hamsho was a aggressive brawler. Just the type Hagler feasted on.
No aggressive brawler in history beat Marvin Hagler in his prime. They allowed him to do what he wants, that's counter them, and counter them some more until they're stopped.
If you want to get an idea of a fight between Hagler and Benitez. Watch Hagler's fights against Duran and Leonard.
Benitez would be patient, and force Hagler to lead. Something he wasn't as comfortable with. ( See his fight with Duran for a reference)
Benitez was a bigger, stronger, faster man than Duran at Jr. Middleweight/ Middleweight.
If Benitez didn't crash and burn the way he did at such an early age (Mid 20's , Probably because of his father having pushed him so hard at such a young age, he was routinely sparring adult pro fighters in his early teens)
I myself would love his chances against Hagler.
Especially after how Duran made him work to win.

 

I get where you are coming from, but i don't think Benitez even won a fight at middleweight. He may have beat a journeyman or something. Hagler on the other hand was one of the best middleweights of all time. Benitez last decent fight was a lopsided loss to Hearns. He was special in three divisions.

 

Thing is, Wilfred beat Duran in January 1982. And Marvin — who to that point had never fought a big-money PPV fight, which Benitez would have been — found room on his dance card for Caveman Lee and Fully Obel (a second time) in 1983. If he wanted Wilfred, he could have done it.

And it’s not like Hearns kept Marvin occupied for all that time. Because who did Wilfred fight when Hagler didn’t answer his call? Thomas Hearns, of course.

I’m not saying Marvin was scared of Benitez but maybe the Petronellis didn’t like the matchup for some reason. Of whatever. I think Hagler beats Wilfred but I’d have liked to have seen him get that spot and his rightful place in the Fab 5.

 

I don’t think that’s your main point, but to Benitez not having ever beaten a middleweight …

Ray Leonard had never won a fight (or fought one at that point) above 153 pounds when he fought Hagler.

Roberto Duran had beaten journeyman Jimmy Batten in the higher 150s and a couple of other journeyman types at 155 when he fought Hagler.

Thomas Hearns’ middleweight resume when he faced Marvin consisted of wins over Murray Sutherland, Mike Colbert and Jeff McCracken. The last of those was nearly two years before he fought Hagler, and he was four fights removed from his last middleweight bout when he stepped into the ring with Marvin.

My only point being, Wilfred coming off the Duran win was as well qualified or more than these other three to get a crack at Hagler at 160. Shame we never got to see it.

 

COntroversial opinion. He may be the greatest defensive fighter of all time when you take into account the offensive juggernauts he had to go against.

 

Yeah, i get it. Your saying if Wilfred fought Hagler instead of Hearns he would have had a chance. My point was the very next year Wilfred tested himself vs Hamsho and failed miserably. He must have got old over night, and i don't say that sarcastically. After the Hearns fight he didn't do much. The Duran fight showed us alot though.

 

P4P, I think Wilfred outboxes Hagler due to just being the more skilled fighter with a better jab and defense.