Davey Moore vs. Wilfred Benitez

Wilfred Benitez 152 lbs lost to Davey Moore 156 lbs by TKO at 1:18 in round 2 of 10

• Date: 1984-07-14
• Location: Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monaco
• Referee: Gerlando Lucia
• Judge: Angelo Poletti
• Judge: Mario Puloni

• Aired On: ABC Wide World of Sports (Main Event)

Notes

• Benitez earned $60,000 to Moore's $110,000.

Bout Summary

Two minutes into the first round, Benitez threw a jab, and Moore fired his right over the top, hitting Benitez flush on the potato. Wilfred crumbled, his ankle broken. He got up shaking his head to try to clear it and blinking wildly, his eyes glassy. He staggered and shook his right leg and retreated to his corner. Moore pounced on him, but Benitez put on a masterful display of defense, ducking and slipping most of Moore's bombs. In the second, Benitez stuck to his corner, and Moore teed off. He missed often but finally caught Benitez with a left hook, then staggered him with another right. That was when Lucia stopped it, 1:18 into the round. [1]

Post-Fight Quotes

• "That was too easy. I want Hearns [the WBC junior middleweight champ, who last month destroyed Duran]. Hagler or Hearns. What I really want is Duran, but he's gone. I'm going to take a bath in Dom Perignon. I want to go to the gym and spar tonight. This was no work. Easy money, and that ain't funny," - Davey Moore said.
• "I didn't get hurt. I'm clean. I should have won. I know I could beat him. I know I can fight as a middleweight and become champ. I will have to continue training," - Wilfred Benitez said.

External Link

• "Moore was just too much" by William Nack (Sports Illustrated, June 23, 1984)