BoxRec

Yes Benitez won a unanimous decision over Duran in 15rds.This was at Jr. Middleweight.Duran was still muddling thru his "no mas" faze.BUT,how would this fight play out?Both fighters come in their top shape.Benitez,ultra sharp,excellent skills,excellent stamina.Duran was an animal.He too would be in excellent shape.Heavy handed,granite chin,very underrated boxer.This wouldn't be like the Jr. Middleweight fiasco,in which Duran plodded frustratingly along,unable to catch the quicker,mobile counterpuncher.This would be Duran the "MANIMAL",pouncing like a jungle cat.While Benitez may have had the edge in speed,eventually he would be caught,the only real question in this fight would be"How Will Duran win,by K.O. or decision"?Duran unanimously
zuru

Montreal 1980. Sugar Ray Leonard was faster, slicker even possibly more polished than Benitez. He even took the 147 crown from Wilfred.


Duran humbled the Sugar man that night.

Now if he could humble the Sugar man.

I think he KO's Benitez.

Benitez style would have always befuddled Duran. Benitez by clear cut decision.

I think prime benitez was so good on his defense that duran wouldn't been able to catch him and make any damage. Benitez by MD, UD or SD.

Benitez on points.

I think Duran at 140 would have the speed to keep up with Benitez and his offense would overwhelm Wilfredo. Duran lacked the same pace at 154 when he fought Benitez but at 140 he'd be close to his 135 peak and I think he'd be just too strong for Benitez. Remember how Bruce Curry almost koed Benitez.... I see Duran winning at 140 by points or late stoppage/ko....

Benitez was a defensive marvel and quicker than lightening at 140 but I don't think he could beat Duran in 15 rds.Duran would pound the body and force Benitez to the ropes,he might miss a million head shots but Wilfred's body ain't going anywhere.Benitez also had no power at 140,nothing to keep Duran off him.Duran probably wouldn't look his best but his offensive output would carry him to victory,probably a decision.

At that weight and both in their prime? Duran.

Benitez was a master of fighting off the ropes but I don't think it would work against Duran, who threw too much.

Yes, Duran would just be too busy and too strong for Benitez at 140.

Benitez handled him at Jr. middle, with his defense and boxing skill. Duran went on to accomplish great things after so he was exactly way past his prime.
Sugar Ray in his second fight and Dejesus in their first fight showed how a slick fighter could always frustrate Duran. At Jr. Welter Benitez was even quicker and slicker than he was when he beat Duran. What would be the difference in the fight if they fought at jr welter that would lead to a Duran win?

theone wrote:Benitez handled him at Jr. middle, with his defense and boxing skill. Duran went on to accomplish great things after so he was exactly way past his prime.
Sugar Ray in his second fight and Dejesus in their first fight showed how a slick fighter could always frustrate Duran. At Jr. Welter Benitez was even quicker and slicker than he was when he beat Duran. What would be the difference in the fight if they fought at jr welter that would lead to a Duran win?

The difference would be that Duran would be far quicker at 140 than he was at 154.... I have lots of Durans lightweight fights and the extra speed that he had at that weight is very noticeable. Benitez just wouldn't be able to hold Duran back at 140 like he did at 154. The comparison with Dejesus is interesting but Dejesus was a much more aggressive fighter than Benitez and Duran was less than 100% when he lost to Dejesus.

I'm a big Benitez fan but don't see him beating Duran at 140.

Good point silkov, but i'm still tentavily sticking with my pick. You and some of the others having me swaying, I'll admit. Im going into my fight libary and watch some fights I have of the two to see if my opinion changes.

No one bests Duran 2 out of 3 in lightweight from any point in history. All things being equal.

Duran at lightweight was almost a different fighter to how he was at 154. I'm not saying he was bad at 154 or 160, far from it, but at 135 he was just awesome, a human dynamo who could fight like a maniac but also had great boxing and defensive skills. Duran was much harder to hit at 135 and would have been so to at 140... its a shame really he didn't pick up the 140 crown before challenging Leonard.
By the way a peak Dejesus would have been a very tough match for Benitez at 140 too. I'm not knocking Wilfredo but Estaban was that good, if he hadn't been around at the same time as Duran I've little doubt he'd be regarded as one of the all time greats in his own right.

This is merely a rehash of Silkov's statement but it bears repeating.

I believe Duran had more power in his punches when he was lighter, perhaps his exceptional speed at that weight accounted for it. He was truly "hands of stone" as a lightweight. Though he still was devastating that specific ability seemed to wane as he gained weight. He was such an exceptional fighter that he still did magnificent work in the higher weight classes, but his KO percentages are vastly different. Prime vs Prime in lightweight Duran beats Benitez clearly.

BoxBuzz wrote:This is merely a rehash of Silkov's statement but it bears repeating.

I believe Duran had more power in his punches when he was lighter, perhaps his exceptional speed at that weight accounted for it. He was truly "hands of stone" as a lightweight. Though he still was devastating that specific ability seemed to wane as he gained weight. He was such an exceptional fighter that he still did magnificent work in the higher weight classes, but his KO percentages are vastly different. Prime vs Prime in lightweight Duran beats Benitez clearly.

Duran relied a lot more on his boxing skills at the higher weights and used a mixture of infighting and very clever boxing to beat Moore, Barkely... at the lighter weights he often didn't need to use his skills as he had the speed and strength to steamroll most opponents. And his opposition at 135 was exceptional.
Probably Durans best 'peak' performance imo was in his 3rd fight with Dejesus when he gave a master class in box-fighting...

After "no mas" Duran went through a hard time mentally

He lost stupid decisions at 154 against guys who were nothing short of journeymen.

I just don't think Duran was possibly 100% at the time he & Benitez met.

In fact I don't think we saw the real Duran again until he fought Hagler.

He defeated Cuevas quite easily walked through Moore, but struggled with Benitez, Sims, and Kirkland laing.

These guys should all have been KO'd IMO.

Before "no mas" he would have blown away anyone in the Lightweight/Light Welterweight divisions.

I agree with Duran not being 100% mentally against Benitez... but his fight with Sims came some years later when he was about 36... Duran should have got the decision that night.
Laing was actually an excellent boxer who had the best night of his career against Roberto... if Laing had been a less erratic and eccentric personality he would have won a world title... he was that good.
Duran, even at his peak, always had more trouble with the elusive boxers.

I'll side with the great Wilfredo on this one. Duran was great too, but everyone can be beat. Benetiz by outboxing and moving.

You need to have a chin to beat Roberto. Wilfred lacked this......Duran would eventually catch up to him.....Duran by KO.....

ringsider wrote:You need to have a chin to beat Roberto. Wilfred lacked this......Duran would eventually catch up to him.....Duran by KO.....

I don't recall anyone KOing Hector Camacho. I realize Camacho was a safety-first boxer, but Benetiz was more than that.

ringsider wrote:You need to have a chin to beat Roberto. Wilfred lacked this......Duran would eventually catch up to him.....Duran by KO.....

Rinsider - I don't understand your arguement. Benitez did beat Duran, so he must have had good enough a chin.

Yes, Duran would be quicker at 140, but so was Benitez. Benitez would out-box at this weight as well.