BoxRec

Benitez...alot easier than most would think. Benitez would frustrate the hell out of The Hawk; all those punches in bunches he'd be missing would get countered hard by Benitez, who could bang when he wanted to. Benitez was a big, strong Jr welter who would be able to handle whatever shots did get through.
Benitez wide UD.

I say Pryor in a close SD

Another 50/50 fight. I'd say Pryor.

silkov wrote:Great match up... Pryor would match Benitez for speed, he would be firing at Wilfred from all angles... it'd be a great fight but I see AAron being too persistant. The way to beat Benitez was to out hustle him, and with his high octane pace thats what Pryorr would do I believe... winning by clear decision or even a late stoppage... 8)

2x

As usual, Pryor gets significantly over-rated.

Benitez at 140 in top shape wins imo. I heard a rumour he did not even take Sugar Ray seriously and did not train for that fight. Benitez has matched wits with the very best and has done well. I was always amazed at his Defensive reflexes

Benitez (and his father, at a separate time) did say many times that he was almost completely untrained for the Leonard fight, but while that probably was the case (rather than an excuse, for the reason Im about to outline) he claimed to rarely train at a serious level for any of his bouts.

I was reading just the other day how Leonard visited Benitez several years ago, but Benitez could not recognise him (owing to his diminished state), and when they showed their fight on a big screen, Benitez ended his apparent lack of recognition with saying, "Ray, I did not train for that fight."