Wilfred Benitez vs Carlos Palomino: 35 Years Later

[elmersalsa]

Anybody remembers this fight? In San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico's master, the great Wilfred Benitez, at 20 years old, takes the WBC World Welterweight Crown from champion Carlos Palomino by UD in 15 rounds. It was a great fight. What you remember of that fight? Benitez and Palomino were terrific.

[SenorPipino]

Anybody remembers this fight? In San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico's master, the great Wilfred Benitez, at 20 years old, takes the WBC World Welterweight Crown from champion Carlos Palomino by UD in 15 rounds. It was a great fight. What you remember of that fight? Benitez and Palomino were terrific.

I remember Benitez doing a lot of rope-a-doping---laying on the ropes and then blocking and avoiding most of King Carlos' punches.
As usual, a masterful defensive performance by Benitez.
I recall Palomino absorbing a constant array of jabs from the challenger. Nothing hard but enough to disrupt any rythym Palomino was trying to establish.
The dethroned champ later said he had trouble seeing Benitez because of a strong sun glare during the afternoon outdoor bout. The same sun didn't seem to effect Benitez.
I don't remember my scorecard but it was something along the lines of 10-5 or 11-4.
Surprisingly, even though it was in Puerto Rico, the one-sided bout only ended in a split decision ( doublecheck those scorecards elmersalsa) win for Benitez.
I believe it must have been C.J. Ross' first fight as a judge.

[Counter-puncher]

Anybody remembers this fight? In San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico's master, the great Wilfred Benitez, at 20 years old, takes the WBC World Welterweight Crown from champion Carlos Palomino by UD in 15 rounds. It was a great fight. What you remember of that fight? Benitez and Palomino were terrific.

I remember Benitez doing a lot of rope-a-doping---laying on the ropes and then blocking and avoiding most of King Carlos' punches.As usual, a masterful defensive performance by Benitez.
I recall Palomino absorbing a constant array of jabs from the challenger. Nothing hard but enough to disrupt any rythym Palomino was trying to establish.
The dethroned champ later said he had trouble seeing Benitez because of a strong sun glare during the afternoon outdoor bout. The same sun didn't seem to effect Benitez.
I don't remember my scorecard but it was something along the lines of 10-5 or 11-4.
Surprisingly, even though it was in Puerto Rico, the one-sided bout only ended in a split decision ( doublecheck those scorecards elmersalsa) win for Benitez.
I believe it must have been C.J. Ross' first fight as a judge.

Benitez only really went to the ropes in the last couple of rounds, the vast majority of the fight was contested from ring-centre.

[Ambling Alp II]

I thought it was a really good fight too; back when fights like this were on free TV. Underrated fight.

[scartissue]

Anybody remembers this fight? In San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico's master, the great Wilfred Benitez, at 20 years old, takes the WBC World Welterweight Crown from champion Carlos Palomino by UD in 15 rounds. It was a great fight. What you remember of that fight? Benitez and Palomino were terrific.

I remember Benitez doing a lot of rope-a-doping---laying on the ropes and then blocking and avoiding most of King Carlos' punches.
As usual, a masterful defensive performance by Benitez.
I recall Palomino absorbing a constant array of jabs from the challenger. Nothing hard but enough to disrupt any rythym Palomino was trying to establish.
The dethroned champ later said he had trouble seeing Benitez because of a strong sun glare during the afternoon outdoor bout. The same sun didn't seem to effect Benitez.
I don't remember my scorecard but it was something along the lines of 10-5 or 11-4.
Surprisingly, even though it was in Puerto Rico, the one-sided bout only ended in a split decision ( doublecheck those scorecards elmersalsa) win for Benitez.
I believe it must have been C.J. Ross' first fight as a judge.

It was actually referee Zack Clayton who scored for Palomino and he was the one who said the sun was in his eyes. However, one of the most remarkable jobs of counter-punching I have ever seen. Benitez was brilliant in that fight.

[King Carlos]

Clear win for Benitez. Not an outclassing, though.