On This Day: Sugar Ray Leonard halts Wilfred Benitez in 15 rounds

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sugar Ray Leonard wins first world title against defensive genius Wilfred Benitez

1. ON November 30, 1979, Wilfred Benitez – the youngest world champion in the history of boxing – entered the Caesars Palace ring in Las Vegas as WBC welterweight king but could not leave with the title, as the brilliance of young “Sugar” Ray Leonard triumphed in the 15th and final round.

2. THE bout was broadcast by ABC in the USA and also featured Vito Antuofermo controversially retaining his world middleweight title against Marvin Hagler via a draw, and Marvin Johnson stopping Victor Galindez to claim the WBA light-heavyweight belt.

3. LEONARD, unbeaten in 25 outings, entered as a 3-1 favourite against Benitez, who was making his second defence, and was three-and-a-half years removed from claiming the light-welterweight title at the age of just 17.

4. BENITEZ, a glorious technician and defensive wizard, earned $1.2 million compared to the 1976 Olympic champion’s $1 million, making it the then-richest non-heavyweight contest in history.

5. THE champion was floored in round three from a timely jab, and was left nursing a gash in his forehead following a head clash in the sixth.

6. RAY decked Benitez again in the final round with a left hook but many felt the stoppage – made with just six seconds remaining – was premature. Some suggested referee Carlos Padilla’s decision may have been influenced by the death of Willie Classen, who died two days earlier as a result of injuries sustained in his fight with Wilford Scypion.

7. THE contest was not a thriller but was nonetheless crammed with quality. “From a technical standpoint, there was more done in this fight than I’ve seen done for a long time,” said Leonard’s trainer, Angelo Dundee. “You saw two smart, scientific fighters—two champions in the ring at the same time. They brought the best out of each other.”

8. “NO one, I mean no one, can make me miss punches like that,” Leonard said about Benitez afterwards.

9. “SUGAR RAY is the best in the world now,” commented Benitez. “I was happy to get a fight with him. He was a great challenger and will prove to be a good champion.”

10. LEONARD was vain about his looks and the first thing he would do after a fight was examine his face for damage. After the Benitez fight, he did not like what he saw. “I looked in the mirror and turned off the light,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. ‘Is that me’?”

[elmersalsa]

I remember that fight like yesterday. It was a Friday night. The great Sugar Ray Leonard graduated that night. I had a lot of respect for the great champion Wilfred Benitez. He really proved that he was great.

[sweetviolenturge]

I remember that fight like yesterday. It was a Friday night. The great Sugar Ray Leonard graduated that night. I had a lot of respect for the great champion Wilfred Benitez. He really proved that he was great.

Me too my friend. It seems impossible that it's been so long because my memory of it is as clear as a bell, you know?
I was actually supposed to fight on an amateur card that night at an armory about 3 blocks from my house. But, the promoter of the card scheduled it at the same exact time as the Leonard - Benitez card. And this was two years before I owned a VCR, so I was in quite a quandary.
I wanted to fight, but I was & still am a massive Leonard fan & I just couldn't miss his shot at the unbeaten, amazingly skilled champ. So, after deliberating about it for a few days I decided to pull out of my fight so I could watch that magnificent card. Which pissed off the promoter & my trainer, but I had to do what I had to do.
Besides, I wound up fighting the guy that I was scheduled to fight a few months later in his hometown & stopped in the first round, So, IMO it all worked out great.

[sweetviolenturge]

I remember that fight like yesterday. It was a Friday night. The great Sugar Ray Leonard graduated that night. I had a lot of respect for the great champion Wilfred Benitez. He really proved that he was great.

Me too my friend. It seems impossible that it's been so long because my memory of it is as clear as a bell, you know?
I was actually supposed to fight on an amateur card that night at an armory about 3 blocks from my house. But, the promoter of the card scheduled it at the same exact time as the Leonard - Benitez card. And this was two years before I owned a VCR, so I was in quite a quandary.
I wanted to fight, but I was & still am a massive Leonard fan & I just couldn't miss his shot at the unbeaten, amazingly skilled champ. So, after deliberating about it for a few days I decided to pull out of my fight so I could watch that magnificent card. Which pissed off the promoter & my trainer, but I had to do what I had to do.
Besides, I wound up fighting the guy that I was scheduled to fight a few months later in his hometown & stopped him in the first round, So, IMO it all worked out great.

[Keko]

Another great performance by the great Sugar Ray Leonard.
Benitez was a great boxer and this was the Sugar was a major fight. A great fight.

[Tony1244]

Now that was a boxing card.They don't make cards like that anymore.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Nice tactical fight, the early headbutt could have been a factor but probably wasn't. I don't think the fight was very close, Leonard was in control throughout. Hagler was victim to one of histories worst robberies.

[Keko]

Nothing to do with this fight but it was much worse decisions.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Nothing to do with this fight but it was much worse decisions.

Semantics. Terrible, terrible robbery. You can't score rounds for bravery. Cosell was all over Vito and some followed that lead. I had it 12-3 hagler, so yeah, one of the worst ever.

[Keko]

Nothing to do with this fight but it was much worse decisions.

Semantics. Terrible, terrible robbery. You can't score rounds for bravery. Cosell was all over Vito and some followed that lead. I had it 12-3 hagler, so yeah, one of the worst ever.

No way 12-3 You're overreacting again typically.

Even on Boxrec has statistics that the media gave scores and it was a little advantage for Leonard. It was a close fight for most people.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Nothing to do with this fight but it was much worse decisions.

Semantics. Terrible, terrible robbery. You can't score rounds for bravery. Cosell was all over Vito and some followed that lead. I had it 12-3 hagler, so yeah, one of the worst ever.

No way 12-3 You're overreacting again typically.

Even on Boxrec has statistics that the media gave scores and it was a little advantage for Leonard. It was a close fight for most people.

Leonard stopped benitez. Obviously I was talking about hagler/Vito. Go ahead and watch it. Tell me the rounds you gave Vito. I can dust off the DVD for a rbr.

[Keko]

Semantics. Terrible, terrible robbery. You can't score rounds for bravery. Cosell was all over Vito and some followed that lead. I had it 12-3 hagler, so yeah, one of the worst ever.

No way 12-3 You're overreacting again typically.

Even on Boxrec has statistics that the media gave scores and it was a little advantage for Leonard. It was a close fight for most people.

Leonard stopped benitez. Obviously I was talking about hagler/Vito. Go ahead and watch it. Tell me the rounds you gave Vito. I can dust off the DVD for a rbr.

Hagler vs. Vito is robbery, forgive my fault. I thought talking about Leonard and Hagler.
I agree for first fight Hagler vs Vito.

[Kalan]

Sugar Ray Leonard wins first world title against defensive genius Wilfred Benitez ... BENITEZ, a glorious technician and defensive wizard

What I would say is that Benitez had excellent talent and speed, but he was far from a glorious technician or defensive genius... Leonard was nearly as talented and a much better technician... I predicted Leonard would knock Benitez out, but it took longer than I figured.. I thought Hearns would stop WB but Tommy fought too defensively.. He was content to win.. I thought Duran would beat WB, but he never showed up -- the NO MAS guy showed up. Duran didn't capitalize on openings and didn’t seem up for the fight.

Benitez ate jabs and was floored with a hard jab by Leonard.. He was a sucker for a straight rights as well.. He fought a bit off his lead foot and his head was slightly forward. He tried to slip almost everything and he was a rhythm fighter.. Leonard had a very good jab and battered Benitez with it.. He had a pretty fair straight right and tagged Benitez with a few. He would follow with tight combinations. It was a battle of attrition as Leonard was no Mayweather on defense. But SRL was obviously a better absorber than Benitez, who started flagging. It wasn’t the greatest technical fight but it was a tremendous battle. Rhythm fighters give you more chances because you can time them better. When you hit them and disrupt their rhythm they lose focus. You never want to give anybody an open shot where you’re teed up.

It was a great fight... Benitez fought like crazy but it was useless. He was weakening. He was so far behind the stoppage didn’t matter at all... It was another 2-point round and Ray had it salted away on 2 cards well before the 15th even started...

[BoxBuzz]

Kalan, you are obviously rested and relaxed, because this makes sense from stem to stern.

Maybe biorhythms?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Kalan, you are obviously rested and relaxed, because this makes sense from stem to stern.

Maybe biorhythms?

Nah, you're just slipping. Benitez not being a defensive genius makes sense to you? Or are you just proud of your work?

[Jaywheel]

Kalan, you are obviously rested and relaxed, because this makes sense from stem to stern.

Maybe biorhythms?

Nah, you're just slipping. Benitez not being a defensive genius makes sense to you? Or are you just proud of your work?

This, most likely.

[BoxBuzz]

So he's wrong again? Damn, I though he had this one right.

Good that we got this corrected or the misinformation would have run rampant.

I was going to let the defensive genius statement get by me.

In my defense, the "excellent talent and speed" statement seemed to atone for that.

Because that talent and speed thing sure comes close to explainin' why a man don't get whacked too often.

So I inadvertently took him seriously, but not literally.

Drat, back to the books for me! Thanks for the redirect.

Yes, Pride it is, going before my fall, bruising every one.

[Syntax Error]

Tremendous performance by Leonard; a fight that showed he was on his way to greatness.

Benitez gave it his all, but he had not met anyone in the ring like Leonard before & Sugar Ray punished him all ways.

The thing is, although Leonard was in control, he was dead tired in there & it's only down to the fact that he had such great stamina in his prime that he was able to perform like that.

[Counter-puncher]

Kalan, you are obviously rested and relaxed, because this makes sense from stem to stern.

Maybe biorhythms?

Nah, you're just slipping. Benitez not being a defensive genius makes sense to you? Or are you just proud of your work?

Benitez-Leonard was far from a great battle, too, for that matter.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Kalan, you are obviously rested and relaxed, because this makes sense from stem to stern.

Maybe biorhythms?

Nah, you're just slipping. Benitez not being a defensive genius makes sense to you? Or are you just proud of your work?

Benitez-Leonard was far from a great battle, too, for that matter.