Duran vs Benitez and Arguello

[elmersalsa]

Does anybody knows why Duran did not fight Benitez or Arguello in 1978?

Duran was scheduled to fight Benitez on April 1978 in NYC for a 10 rounder for $100,000 and supposed to fight Arguello after that for a lightweight title defense in June oof that same year also in NYC for $300,000. Does anybody knows why these fights never took place?

[joe kurtz]

Can't recall the exact reasons he gave, but it probably had more to do with an inability to make weight rather than anything else. Plus a desire for more money to get into the ring with either one of those guys.

If I'm not mistaken, he was also scheduled to meet Benitez in '77 as well, but pulled out & Wilfredo wound up fighting Bruce Curry instead. In a bout that was almost disasterous for Benitez as he got dropped three times & barely got a controversial split decision from the judges.

Then Duran went onto meet & beat Monroe Brooks & Adofo Viruet in the Garden, but his match up with Benitez never took place there. Instead we had to wait about 5 years until it finally came off in 1982 when were both were a bit faded & ten pounds heavier. And it wound up in Vegas instead of NY where it really belonged.

While most people that I've discussed this with over the years seem to think that an earlier meeting between the two would have resulted in a Duran victory, I'm a strong proponent of styles making fights & I'm of the opinion that Benitez wouldn't still come out on top. But in a much closer, much better fight than what we got in '82.

[dr_devious]

Duran would have cleaned out both Arguello and Benitez if they met in the late 70s

[Borinken25]

I'm a strong proponent of styles making fights & I'm of the opinion that Benitez wouldn't still come out on top. But in a much closer, much better fight than what we got in '82.

I agree with that statement. I think that Benitez just had Duran's number. If you look at the fight, Benitez did a perfect job of frustrating Duran and he did not have an answer for Benitez defense. If you ask me who the better fighter was I say Duran, but Benitez just have the perfect style to defeat Duran. Of course, that is just my opinion.

[Glassjaw]

Benitez was a great fighter, master defensive boxer who packed some power. His ko of Maurice Hope was devastating. Don't sell him short, Duran was only 31 when he fought Benitez, and still had some good fights left in him. Benitez was a great talent. Read an article on him few years back, he was in very bad shape. Reporter claimed he had been taken advantage of and despite his immense physical talents, had was borderline retarded. He is now suffering from dementia.

[bennie]

Not sure about Benitez, but Arguello lost in a real shock to slippery Vilomar Fernandez in his warm-up fight and the Duran superfight was scuppered.
It was a good thing for Alexis, really. He would have walked into Duran and really suffered.

[jj5000]

After Benitez beat Curry in 1978, he had the longest layoff of his career, up to that poing-over 6 months. Maybe he was injured and that scrapped the April bout with Duran?

[elmersalsa]

I'm a strong proponent of styles making fights & I'm of the opinion that Benitez wouldn't still come out on top. But in a much closer, much better fight than what we got in '82.

I agree with that statement. I think that Benitez just had Duran's number. If you look at the fight, Benitez did a perfect job of frustrating Duran and he did not have an answer for Benitez defense. If you ask me who the better fighter was I say Duran, but Benitez just have the perfect style to defeat Duran. Of course, that is just my opinion.

I respect your opinion, but I do not buy that. Duran of 1978 was A DIFFERENT MONSTER than when they fought 4 years later, in which a fat Duran was fighting a weight class 20 pounds his best weight and was also considered washed up by many critics. Benitez fought him at the right time.

[bluerosekiller]

Totally disagree. Benitez still beats him in an earlier meeting. Let's face it, although at that time Duran was, indeed, a momster to most, he did happen to struggle with slick Puerto Rican boxers ala Esteban Dejesus & Edwin Viruet. Plus the Dominican of a similar style in Vilomar Fernandez extended him 13 tough rounds. And Benitez, when in proper shape & focused was a better fighter than all three of those fine fighters combined.
So, IMHO, Benitez outpoints Duran in the Garden. Especially over 10 rounds where Duran would have even less time to find a momentum & catch Wilfredo with anything solid to turn the fight.

[spudder56]

Duran would have cleaned out both Arguello and Benitez if they met in the late 70s

x2

[elmersalsa]

Duran would have cleaned out both Arguello and Benitez if they met in the late 70s

x2

X3 + 1 more

[BoxBuzz]

Yeah, I'm afraid meeting Duran at that earlier time would have taken some wind from Benitez's sails.