Leonard vs Benitez, Hagler vs Antuofermo: 30 years later

[elmersalsa]

What a magnificent night of boxing was back then. On November 30, 1979, the great Wilfred Benitez, defended his WBC World Welterweight title against the great Sugar Ray Leonard. Both were undefeated at the time. In a great chess match and battle of masters, Leonard proved to be the better man, stopping Benitez just 8 seconds left of the 15th round.

But the best fight of the evening was when a feared and ducked bald headed middleweight contender finally had his chance for the World Middleweight Crown owned by Vito Antuofermo, of Italy, via Brooklyn, NY. It was an excellent contest that ended in a draw and Antuofermo with cuts all over his rugged face, kept the crown.

What was your scoring back then in those two fights?

[BoxBuzz]

Can we possibly imagine Vito fighting his way to an inconclusive draw with Monzon?

Hey...I'm just askin' here.

Anyway that aside it was a truly great night for boxing.

Did Hagler really win that fight? Was the fix in? I thought he won, though I did not think it an obvious robbery.

Could Benitez have finished his fight? Any thoughts on that?

Those were thoughts I had at the time as I recall.

[Idisagree]

Can we possibly imagine Vito fighting his way to an inconclusive draw with Monzon?

Yes, in fact he would have defeated Monzon by a wide margin

Hey...I'm just askin' here.

Anyway that aside it was a truly great night for boxing.

Did Hagler really win that fight? Was the fix in? I thought he won, though I did not think it an obvious robbery.

Yes Hagler won that fight.

Could Benitez have finished his fight? Any thoughts on that?

Yes he could have finished the fight, but he was losing, so it does not make any difference.

Those were thoughts I had at the time as I recall.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Nothing like Boxing in Primetime on ABC.

I had hagler winning 12-3, definitely one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.

Leonard up 8-6 with a KD heading into the fifteenth. Would have loved to see that fight without the headbutt induced cut.

[Goodnight, Irene]

What a magnificent night of boxing was back then. On November 30, 1979, the great Wilfred Benitez, defended his WBC World Welterweight title against the great Sugar Ray Leonard. Both were undefeated at the time. In a great chess match and battle of masters, Leonard proved to be the better man, stopping Benitez just 8 seconds left of the 15th round.

But the best fight of the evening was when a feared and ducked bald headed middleweight contender finally had his chance for the World Middleweight Crown owned by Vito Antuofermo, of Italy, via Brooklyn, NY. It was an excellent contest that ended in a draw and Antuofermo with cuts all over his rugged face, kept the crown.

What was your scoring back then in those two fights?

Oh, right, I forgot --- this was when Boxing was, "glorious." No better example than here, of course. What'd we get which was so much grander than Boxing this decade?

I'll tell you. A seriously hindering cut ended any intrigue to Leonard-Benitez, & Hagler was robbed blind.

Glorious.

[BoxBuzz]

What round did that cut happen?

As far as ever seeing the words Vito defeats Monzon......Would be just like

Dewey Defeats Truman......sure the words are there...but there is no possible "there" there.

[boxerbob]

i claim leonard won his 1st world title on the 1st of december british time

as its my birthday you see

[SaadOffTheDeck]

What round did that cut happen?

As far as ever seeing the words Vito defeats Monzon......Would be just like

Dewey Defeats Truman......sure the words are there...but there is no possible "there" there.

It's been a long time, it was in the first half of the fight. 4th or 5th round is an educated guess.

Vito would have a shot against Monzon if judges gave him rounds for headbutting Carlos gloves like they did in Vegas against Hagler.

[Goodnight, Irene]

What round did that cut happen?

As far as ever seeing the words Vito defeats Monzon......Would be just like

Dewey Defeats Truman......sure the words are there...but there is no possible "there" there.

Like Saad, I haven't seen it in some time (even though I own it on an old VHS tape). It was early, I think it was around the third or fourth.

[BoxBuzz]

Any of us might have had a shot vs Hagler than night. Think the judges would have run out and held Vito up if he would have kissed the canvas? Or would the ref have told Vito to get up, and warned Hagler for "hitting".?

[elmersalsa]

I just saw the tape of both fights and it brought to me great memories. I hope next decade we have fighters like these.

Was the clash of heads on Benitez a factor? I had Leonard winning by one point at the time of the stoppage. Benitez was winning the last round. What a technical bout! Maybe one of the top 3 I have ever seen according to technique and slickness.

I think the judges snubbed on Hagler. It was a robbery, but Vito fought extremely well.