Wilfred Benitez vs Roberto Duran: 35 Years Later

[elmersalsa]

At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, 35 years ago today, the great Puerto Rican boxer Wilfred Benitez beats by unanimous decision against the great Roberto Duran of Panama

It was 15 dull rounds. Not too much action. Thanks for the low performance by The Hands of Stone. He looked totally flat. Ironically, it was The Radar's last great win in a solid performance. His career went to a steep decline after losing his crown in his next defense against the great Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.

What really happened to Duran that night that fought like he wasn't in the fight?

Your comments.

[Tomasino]

At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, 35 years ago today, the great Puerto Rican boxer Wilfred Benitez beats by unanimous decision against the great Roberto Duran of Panama

It was 15 dull rounds. Not too much action. Thanks for the low performance by The Hands of Stone. He looked totally flat. Ironically, it was The Radar's last great win in a solid performance. His career went to a steep decline after losing his crown in his next defense against the great Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.

What really happened to Duran that night that fought like he wasn't in the fight?

Your comments.

He had likely been drinking and overeating during training and then had to cut weight over the last few weeks. With the science of cutting being poorly understood in Duran day, he would have been badly drained come the fight. Add to that Benitez was an excellent counterpuncher which Duran did have trouble with even at his peak. Just a guess.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Style wise Wilfred was bad match for Duran..........Roberto would have had to been in top shape and very motivated to beat a defensive/counter punching master like Benitez even if he came in at 80/90% ready that was not going to be enough.

[Kalan]

Style wise Wilfred was bad match for Duran..........Roberto would have had to been in top shape and very motivated to beat a defensive/counter punching master like Benitez even if he came in at 80/90% ready that was not going to be enough.

For me, Duran should beat this guy.. Benitez got hit with jabs and straight rights and that's why I thought Leonard would stop him.. Benitez leaned in little and tried to slip everything. Duran at his best had one Hell of a jab and a good straight right.. like he showed with Davey Moore, Barkley, De Jesus III, Leonard 1, Lampkin and others.. If Duran had a good 1st round he fought brilliantly. If he had a bad 1st round he generally didn't recover.. Almost like he didn't give a crap.

[elmersalsa]

I think that the weight class was too much for Duran's frame. He didn't look impressive against Nino Gonzalez and Luigi Minchillo. He had to get accustomed to the weight first before fighting someone as fast like Benitez. I don't think he was accustomed to the class yet. I think he rushed too fast to fight for a title in my opinion.

Plus, he was coming from the No Mas funk. His professional and personal life wasn't that stable. He was an outcast for many people. In a boxing exile. Even a guy like Kirkland Laing beat him. That was embarrassing.

[elmersalsa]

It was a great win for The Radar, though. You cannot beat him being 80%. You gotta be at your very best.

[Chuck1052]

During his peak years, Wilfredo Benitez was a truly great fighter with terrific boxing skills. Roberto Duran was at his peak as a lightweight and wasn't quite as good when he moved up in weight despite remaining a formidable fighter. Duran also was more of a natural lightweight. As a result, I believe that Benitez would still be a handful for Duran even if the latter had trained hard for the bout.

- Chuck Johnston

[elmersalsa]

Ironically,after watching this fight, Benitez never again won a significant bout. His career was over by the age of 24 after losing to The Hitman.

Davey Moore, a Duran victim, demolished him in 2 rounds in '84.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Ironically,after watching this fight, Benitez never again won a significant bout. His career was over by the age of 24 after losing to The Hitman.

Davey Moore, a Duran victim, demolished him in 2 rounds in '84.

Demolished is a stretch. He got floored, but the fight ended because benitez hurt his ankle. I had the same recollection as you until someone pointed it out to me and I rewatching it.

[Kalan]

Regardless Benitez was done...ankle or no ankle... For me he was a little like Roy Jones. Flawed technically with his stance and defense, but gifted enough to get away with it against most opponents he was likely to meet. It took somebody like Leonard, who had a good jab and straight right, to expose him. When somebody shows you how it's done---everyone starts to think they can beat you with the same strategy... They can't, because they lack the weapons.

[Keko]

Radar was better that evening but I think Duran should have a maximum of 147 and more and more of it for him.
Duran was real was the best at 135 and this is his category.

[montrealsuper]

That was not the real Duran - it was about half of the real Duran - who knows? could it have been a thrown fight? possibly

[Ambling Alp II]

Or much more likely it was because the difference in ability between the two was close enough that Benitez' style made the difference.

[handsofstone]

I'm planning on watching this fight soon, is it pretty boring then?

[elmersalsa]

I'm planning on watching this fight soon, is it pretty boring then?

It was a very boring fight. Not too much action. Duran was as flat as he can ever be. In his next fight, he lost to Kirkland Laing! Who the hell was Kirkland Laing?

It seemed that after the No Mas, Duran was just fighting through the motions. He looked flabby in his next 5 fights after No Mas. Guys like Nino Gonzalez, Luigi Minchillo, Laing and Jimmy Batten lasted the distance with him? Really? If those guys were lightweights or welterweights in the 70s decade no way in hell those guys last 5 rounds with the Hands of Stone.

[Counter-puncher]

I'm planning on watching this fight soon, is it pretty boring then?

It's exciting if you would like to watch Duran getting punched repeatedly in the facea

[handsofstone]

I'm planning on watching this fight soon, is it pretty boring then?

It's exciting if you would like to watch Duran getting punched repeatedly in the facea

Is it a clear Benitez win CP yeah?, if even at least one of them boxes well, i'll be happy, I'm gonna watch his fight with Hearns after it

[Counter-puncher]

Yes mate despite the scoring, Benitez looks very fluid and relaxed

[elmersalsa]

Yes mate despite the scoring, Benitez looks very fluid and relaxed

You meant Wilfred looked Super relaxed. He knew that Duran didn't had it that night. He even was stronger than Duran in the inside fighting, which was Duran's terrain. Duran couldn't do nothing with Benitez. It was a one-sided beat down. As a matter of fact, the Hands of Stone couldn't even hurt him. Duran couldn't even intimidate Benitez. I believe that Duran rushed in to fight a championship bout too soon. He should have taken more fights at 154 before challenging a sensational champion. The WEIGHT was his worse enemy that night. Not The Radar.

[Ambling Alp II]

Oh yes, that's it. It was the weight. Poor Roberto, it's always something isn't it?
Benitez was confident because he always thought he could beat Duran. He had been pushing for the fight for years.

[elmersalsa]

Oh yes, that's it. It was the weight. Poor Roberto, it's always something isn't it?
Benitez was confident because he always thought he could beat Duran. He had been pushing for the fight for years.

Here comes Ambling Alp. The Hands of Stone's biggest hater!

[davie]

Oh yes, that's it. It was the weight. Poor Roberto, it's always something isn't it?
Benitez was confident because he always thought he could beat Duran. He had been pushing for the fight for years.

Here comes Ambling Alp. The Hands of Stone's biggest hater!

I appreciate there were many reasons (many self inflicted) that held Duran back during his career. But there is no fighter in the history of the sport, who gets so many excuses made for him, by this forum.

It seems like he never simply just lost a fight.
He had a bad camp, over ate, wasn't fully acclimatised to the weight or someone stole his luck pants

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Oh yes, that's it. It was the weight. Poor Roberto, it's always something isn't it?
Benitez was confident because he always thought he could beat Duran. He had been pushing for the fight for years.

Here comes Ambling Alp. The Hands of Stone's biggest hater!

I appreciate there were many reasons (many self inflicted) that held Duran back during his career. But there is no fighter in the history of the sport, who gets so many excuses made for him, by this forum.

It seems like he never simply just lost a fight.
He had a bad camp, over ate, wasn't fully acclimatised to the weight or someone stole his luck pants

They're pointless, great performance by Benitez. Duran's resume was done after the first two Leonard fights, anything after was icing on the cake. I will admit that many make excuses for Duran, but the Leonard fought the wrong fight bullshit is at the top of the excuse list.

[Ambling Alp II]

It's not an excuse. It is a crticism of Leonard. He lost the fight to Duran fair and square.
Duran lost to Leonard fair and square in the second fight. He also lost to Benitez fair and square. And to DeJesus for that matter.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It's not an excuse. It is a crticism of Leonard. He lost the fight to Duran fair and square.
Duran lost to Leonard fair and square in the second fight. He also lost to Benitez fair and square. And to DeJesus for that matter.

Agreed, you have to admit that as many people use the fought the wrong fight line as the out of shape line. The fact of the matter is two of the greatest fighters who ever lived split back to back fights.