It's interesting that at only 79, Nino Benvenuti now is the oldest living former Middleweight Champion... Good grief, some unfortunate deaths -- although LaMotta---after having an extremely indulgent life style and suffering massive punishment in 106 professional fights---lived to 95.
Benvenuti was an undefeated amateur boxer at 120-0 -- and an Olympic Gold Medal winner... He also won his first 65 professional fights... So if he retired after his 65th professional fight to pursue acting and entertaining -- which he said he strongly considered doing because he knew it was a risk taking his World Title to South Korea... He knew nobody had ever retired with over 100 amateur fights and over 50 professional fights having won them all -- but he finally decided he could knock Kim out and he would be a coward not to try... After his 1st defeat he said future losses no longer concerned him as much.
It's completely amazing that Benvenuti went undefeated for so long as an amateur and professional boxer.. He wasn't smooth.. His head was in the air and he was easy to hit... His stance was a mess.. His jab was loaded and easy to time -- and he threw a zillion of them so just pick one to counter.
It mystified me for a long time how he was able to stay undefeated because he had to work 3 X as hard as his opponents -- jabbing away like crazy just to keep them off him. Benvenuti said he ran 10 miles every day and that was his secret. "I don't get tired. 15 rounds is nothing for me."
Gil Clancy said "This guy has a great record, but he's a mess...Emile (Griffith) will stop him." ... He didn't. Although he almost took Nino's head off with a right hand. Benvenuti's peppering left hand ruled the night. Amazingly enough, the next day the fight was front page news in American newspapers across the country.. The first 4 pages of the sports section were loaded with stories and pictures of the fight and the new World Middleweight Champion.. Benvenuti was a charismatic individual like Ingemar Johansson.. Americans took to Nino at first. When you lose one the magic is gone.
His KO record looks anemic, but he has some devastating 1-punch KO's... Luis Rodriguez said "Yeah I wasn't expecting that punch. I couldn't feel the power all night. But then he got me with one shot and that's the best I've ever been hit." Sandro Mazzinghi suffered only 1 KO loss in almost 70 career fights.. It came at the hands of Benvenuti.. "He got me. I was the best prepared of my life and was winning every round. It was too easy. He set me up."
I would say at his peak he's a Top-10 Middleweight Champion. No boxing master, but he was a winner.
Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
Think he won the Val Barker trophy too.
High quality champion.
High quality champion.
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Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
did Hagler die and I didn't hear about?Kalan wrote:It's interesting that at only 79, Nino Benvenuti now is the oldest living former Middleweight Champion....
or Hopkins?
etc etc etc etc.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
Very close to first class in my book. And why you have to give Monzon some credit for his unexpected ascension to the championship. That was no easy climb.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
He DID win the Val Barker trophy. And for folks who don't know, that's referred to as the "best boxer" award for that particular (1960) Olympic Games.Ezzard wrote:Think he won the Val Barker trophy too.
High quality champion.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
Monzon gets tremendous credit... But he had such a long and dominant reign that people forget it took him 80-something fights and many years to get a Title shot at Benvenuti. It was no 18-month Tyson run to the Title. Benvenuti often gets lost because of Monzon's 2 smashing KO wins over him.BoxBuzz wrote:Very close to first class in my book. And why you have to give Monzon some credit for his unexpected ascension to the championship. That was no easy climb.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
Definitely a marvelous fighter. Probably the best Italian boxer ever or certainly right up there, and definitely an overlooked fighter. He had a fantastic unbeaten run as an Amateur and Pro.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
you don't know http://www.squat about Nino. (You just manage him on the Sim.)gilgamesh wrote:Definitely a marvelous fighter. Probably the best Italian boxer ever or certainly right up there, and definitely an overlooked fighter. He had a fantastic unbeaten run as an Amateur and Pro.
Re: Where does Nino Benvenuti fit in Middleweight History?
I wouldn't have drafted him if I didn't know squat about himBoxBuzz wrote:you don't know http://www.squat about Nino. (You just manage him on the Sim.)gilgamesh wrote:Definitely a marvelous fighter. Probably the best Italian boxer ever or certainly right up there, and definitely an overlooked fighter. He had a fantastic unbeaten run as an Amateur and Pro.
