@@Th0ughtZ_ “ it’s actually not, the staredown between (insert staredown that simply happened between two different people and was not definitively “better”) because I’m so cool everybody!! I’m so cool that I have to constantly 1up everyone I encounter!!
Sugar always tries to look out for his fellow boxers. Wilfredo was amazing boxer, sugar was just better. When Benitez fought the hitman he looked great, Hearns was just too damn long but he made The Hitman miss all night mostly.
@@jessicamills7982 supposedly Benitez didn't train hard for this fight either. So Tired of hearing stories of great fighters not training hard enough for key matches. Apparently same thing happened w Ruiz in the rematch w Joshua. Gotta go Hagler mode for every fight.
I used to work for a cable company in the early 80s...I remember PPV starting to take over....since then, personally, I've paid for a total of ONE PPV event in my entire life at the request of a family member. I will never pay for another, Boxing events should be televised and supported by advertisers and it would HELP the sport by making it more popular IMO. Most folks don't even know who the Heavyweight Champ is anymore....those fights are NEVER seen on network tv.
I love these two warriors, but on this night I honestly thoughts that Leonard was going to get schooled by Benitez and was I wrong. Please keep Benitez in your prayers.
Thank you so much for posting this. I had searched for years trying to find footage of it, to no avail. I began to question whether I remembered the fight correctly, I was so young when it took place and so many years have passed. But there it was, that 15th round when they both went all out, leaving nothing in the tank, and Benitez falling to his knee toward the end, exhausted. What a fight! Thanks again!
Benitez was such a great sportsman... he actually scored well in the 15th despite being outboxed most of the fight by talented SRL, great fight. Both guys were obviously in excellent shape.
Yeah he was a good sport that and the fact that he was a even better boxer was why I liked him and that's one reason I didn't care for Duran cause he was a sore loser
Incredible how many time Ray threw that looping right and NEVER connected. Benitez was never fooled by that punch but Ray kept trying until the end. I think Benitez was too conservative throughout. When he opened up he always got somewhere but just didn't have the confidence to follow through. Ray was superior. A real chess match.
Last round exchanges was incredible from the both of em. Amazing watching The Suger Man break down his opponents and feeling him out in the early rounds. Ray began to time his punches to perfection, knowing that when throwing his jab Benitez would throw one right back at him, he would then move underneath or slip that punch and throw his combination with timing perfection. This fustrated benitez and when walking to his corner you see his mentality worsening and he begins to feel less confident compared to Sugars. This is what Ray hitting and not getting hit does to the opponent. Less confidence the harder it is going to fight. Sensational fight
Benitez entered the ring smiling like arriving to a party in his living room, then looked at Leonard like an uninvited guest...Lol Leonard looked like, "I'm here for the belt." Leonard always winked before he whipped their azz...as if to say, "this is not personal." Lol
akil doe Could’ve been because he was banging Sugar Ray’s sister at that time 😂. It was known that the two had been seeing each other for over a year. Also, I think the downfall of Benitez in this fight was that he only trained for this fight 6 days and was in the nightclub in Vegas the night before this fight. He was notoriously famous for not training.
26:58 that left hook right at the end of round 4...reminiscent of the Davy Greene match-so much torque! fight could’ve been over right there had it landed.
I will hand it to Leonard, who outwirked Bentitez most of the fight. Leonard started out faster than Benitez so was ahead. Leonard would have gotten the decosion, but the ref should have let it go to the bell. With 6 seconds Benitez was not in danger, and shoukd have been allowed to go out on his feet. He was defending against Rays punches when the ref stepped in. But wow what a hell of a fight, free too as part of a 3 title fight card.
Do people just come here to say they the first person after the hotboxin episode.. super weird... didn’t say nothing about how good sugar ray really was
He should've been he beat one of the kings and made the other 2 damage near throw there shoulders out place trying to hit him The only one he didn't fight was Hagler
They shouldn't of stopped the fight with 7 sec. That ref had it stopped on a decision bc he stopped it too soon. Wilfred would of lasted 7 more seconds
Back when boxers knew how to move and not rely so much on one punch. Both fighters had beautiful form and Benitez, in particular, was fun to watch with his dancing and weaving. Wonder how this fight would have gone if it took place in Puerto Rico.
Floyd would would have Benitez swinging at air dude. What hand speed r u watchn that makes u think this dude could touch Floyd? Stop. Benitez was a solid fighter tho. Not trying to shit on him but you're talkin crazy
Hard Art Benitez would have Floyd swinging at air too. Benitez defense is too good bro. His nickname back then was El Radar. Benitez is bigger and stronger than Floyd too. “Solid fighter” is an insult when referring to Benitez. Benitez bested Roberto Duran beat a fighter who was 30 at 17 becoming youngest champion ever. And was the youngest 3 division weight world champion too. In his prime he only lost to Ray and Hearns. And both fights were great classics too. Only thing wrong with Benitez was that he was undisciplined and didn’t have good work ethic never trained. El Radar and Floyd is a toss up fight. Wilfred Benitez is right behind the Fab 4. Many ppl dispute it should’ve been called Fab 5.
Sugar ray is a genius in the ring plus he got good footwork fast hands good punching power he could just outbox you with his speed and timing coming in
While crying 😭 Tyson: you made fucking 2 punches sound like one nigga, I looked up to you I wanted to do that, when was that 78 Sugar Ray: 79 Tyson: you know how fast you gotta be to do that!! Sugar Ray: And YOU DONT WANNA GET HIT WITH THAT !
IF people are wondering what in the hell the WEC is ??? It's The World Extreme Cage Fighting Championship. That Logo was NOT shown on the night of the Fight but is a more recent thing as this is a re showing of this fight. WEC was bought out by UFC in 2006 if my memory serves me right.
Yep , I read in a boxing magazine that came out after this fight ( ring or ko boxing magazine) Leonard’s sister said she fell in love with him during her brother’s fight. And after the fight he and Ray would work out together and he would show or teach Ray how to dodge punches when you’re on the ropes ( Benitez’s great talent that Leonard admitted had him frustrated and complaining that he cannot hit him in the head but HE’S RIGHT HERE ! Angelo told him then hit the body ) Benitez and Ray were super talented.
Brilliant boxing performance by Leonard vs a master defensive boxer and counterpuncher in Benitez. I thought Ray dominated the fight. He must have won at least 10 rounds.
+johan cruijff I disagree, Leonard was caught with a lot of rights as he became more aggressive, Jones would have landed a lot of counter rights against Leonard, that`s slightly unfair because Jones had a number of fights reaching his peak at middle while Leonard only had 2 fights at middle but he was quite quick against Geraldo who I think he fought at middle or catchweight, a catchweight fight against Jones would be better fantasy fight.
![Sugar Ray Leonard vs Wilfred Benitez - Legends of the ring [FULL FIGHT]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
