Middleweights: Nigel Benn vs Rodrigo Valdez

elmersalsa · Post by **elmersalsa** » 29 Nov 2006, 18:20

2 hard punchers with skill...who wins this one? it is a tough one for me.

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 29 Nov 2006, 19:27

I'm pretty confident Valdez would smack Benn about all over the shop. His defence was tighter, his whole skill set was more conventional and refined, he most likely had a better jaw, and probably had better stamina. Benn was very good, but he has nothing to beat Valdez with, whose solid defence & chin would absorb anything Benn threw at him. Valdez is one of the best traders I've ever seen... I watched him break down Bennie Briscoe with every punch in the book, withstanding or avoiding anything that came his way. Very strong, powerful... But also technically very sound. I think it would be a battle for the first three rounds or so before Benn starts to wilt in the exchanges. You had to box Valdez to beat him - I can think of maybe one fighter who could have stood and traded with Valdez, that's Dick Tiger. Benn was a wild cat, but no Tiger.

I tell you what, Valdez wasn't that far behind Carlos Monzon. A real talent... He could box pretty good, as well as punch. The Esteban De Jesus to Monzon's Roberto Duran. Shame really... I think he'd have smashed Hopkins' era up nicely and made a better name for himself. I urge anyone who doubts Valdez' abilities to watch his knockout over Briscoe at least twice. It's a great fight to watch anyway, but pay careful attention to Valdez' variety of skills, handspeed, combinations and power - and look at some of those punches he shakes off with disdain.

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 30 Nov 2006, 09:18

Valdez would win, better chin. Benn would give it a great go for as long as it lasted

Arbachakov · Post by **Arbachakov** » 30 Nov 2006, 10:04

This would probably play out like Valdez' fight with Gratien Tonna.

Tonna was a very limited, but huge punching Roldan type that tended to make a great effort for a few rounds then give in when he started to lose.

He eventually lost brutally to Valdez, but knocked Rodrigo off-kilter with his wild surges and own formidable power.Badly staggering him at one point if i remember correctly.

Benn's speed, power and awkward hard to gauge attacks would probably give Valdez a great deal of trouble before the superior skilled colombian takes him out sometime between the 6th and 12th.

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 30 Nov 2006, 10:29

dr_devious wrote:Valdez would win, better chin. Benn would give it a great go for as long as it lasted

Valdez' quality chin would help him withstand Benn's barrages, but it wouldn't be the sole factor in the fight. Rodrigo's tightness would be the biggest difference... Meaning the shortness of his punches (to beat Benn to the punch), closeness of his defence (to not let many shots through) and composure (wouldn't start getting wild and leave himself open).