Wilfred Benitez is probably essentially the most underappreciated fighter in boxing historical past.
The Puerto Rican puncher rose by way of the ranks in what’s broadly thought of to be the best period of lower-weight boxing from the late 70s to the mid-80s.
And whereas Benitez beat Duran and gave Leonard and Hearns a run for his or her cash, his title has been swept up by his elite firm.
Some, similar to boxing historian Ben Doughty, have made a case for Benitez to be branded ‘the fifth king’.
However his incapacity to land a battle with Hagler meant his membership to boxing’s most revered membership was finally denied.
How good was Wilfred Benitez?
Regardless, Benitez was a precocious expertise of the very best order.
‘El Radar’ turned over as an expert at 15 years outdated, with the assistance of a faux ID, and gained his first 25 fights en path to touchdown a world title shot towards lineal and WBA tremendous light-weight champion Antonio Cervantes in 1976.
Cervantes, who was in his bodily prime at 30 years outdated, had defended his belt a exceptional 10 instances and was being lined up as a possible dance associate for Duran.
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In 1979, Benitez turned a two-weight world champion at simply 20 years outdated when he overcame Mexico’s Carlos Palomino for the WBC and lineal welterweight titles.
Heading into the fifteenth and ultimate body, it felt as if the consequence rested on the final three minutes.
And with seconds left on the clock, Leonard seized the initiative by dropping and stopping Benitez.
The defeat prompted the teenager to maneuver again down in weight, the place he snatched the WBC tremendous light-weight strap from Maurice Hope inside the space.
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One defence later, he was matched up with Duran, recent off his iconic duels with Leonard.
An absence of self-discipline value Wilfred Benitez
Not like a lot of Benitez’s fights, together with his loss to Leonard, the Puerto Rican skilled arduous for his battle with Duran, and he reaped the rewards.
Based on his father and coach, Gregorio Benitez, Wilfred solely banked three weeks of coaching for Hearns, and he paid the value with a majority resolution loss.
Benitez’s lack of dedication started to meet up with him in direction of the again finish of his profession, and by 25 years outdated, he was a spent pressure.
Wilfred Benitez’s profession achievements
WBA Tremendous Light-weight Champion – March 1976 – November 1976
WBC Welterweight Champion – January 1979 – November 1979
WBC Mild Middleweight Champion – Could 1981 – December 1982
Boxing’s youngest ever world champion – 17 years, 5 months, and 23 days outdated.
A 12 months after his defeat to Hearns, he was surprised by the unheralded Mustafa Hamsho after which knocked out inside two rounds by Davey Moore – a fighter who had proved no match for Duran 17 months after Benitez’s masterclass.
By 1986, the Puerto Rican Boxing Fee had revoked Benitez’s license, citing neurological decline as the explanation.
Three years later, docs confirmed the pugilist’s signs had been per persistent traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative mind illness linked to repeated head trauma.
Regardless of this, Benitez returned to the ring in 1990 to battle 4 instances, buying and selling wins and losses with low-level opponents earlier than being pressured to hold up his gloves for good.
A tragic reminder of the numerous dangers that boxing entails.
