Sugar Ray Leonard vs Wilfred Benitez | ON THIS DAY FREE FIGHT | Leonard Becomes Champ with 15 RD KO
Look back #onthisday in 1979 when #sugarrayleonard beat Wilfred Benitez to becoming Welterweight Champion.
Next Up for Top Rank Boxing, Two high-stakes showdowns top the bill on a special Top Rank on ESPN card Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
In the main event, Cuban WBO featherweight king Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez puts his belt on the line against unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza.
In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas squares off against Spain’s Jorge Fortea.
Ramirez-Espinoza and Zayas-Fortea will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.
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Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard would do this generation DIRTY.
Benitez would too
They would all vacant the wbc belts!and fight only on Twitter 😂😂😂
Idk it’s a lot of good talent today if u really box u would kno that
And I’m not taking credit away from em they would fuck up 70% of these younger fighters
Who? Lol there isn’t anybody these guys wouldn’t fuck up. Crawford wouldn’t beat Leonard, no chance, couldn’t touch him
This was one hell of a FIGHT, between two of the most skilled to ever do it!
Benitez was a terrific fighter, he'd hang in any era...great fight and staredown. Shame what has happened to him...help him out Top Rank!!
Two of the very best to ever do it.
In a 2 year span Leonard fought Benitez, Duran, Ayaub Kayule and Tommy Hearns. What a run!!
And Benítez was the best fighting him....
*YOOOOO THIS WAS A GREAT FIGHT!!! BETWEEN 2 LEGENDS!!!* Used to watch this on vhs my pops had it recorded. Great memories.
This was the Golden Era of the welterweight division: Leonard, Benitez, Hearns, Duran, Cuevas, Palomino...
Violent chess
one of the best fights
Where
@@edsers4529right there
This fight in today's boxing would be equivalent to Terrence Crawford vs. Boots Ennis And the insane part is this was a free fight on regular television.
Sugar Ray can crack yo. Super fast hands. Sugar Ray had that mean streak too..
Always liked this fight. Saw it live on ABC .November 30 .1979 .Leonards best punch has always been the left hook. Plus the right hand. Left jab. Great body puncher
Beautiful commentary 👌
Leonard was a master at timing and keeping his feet shoulder width apart or a bit wider at times. Meaning his balance always on point and able to shift weight from back to front leg and vice versa. Benitez getting in Leonard’s face before the fight was a mistake. Leonard was very mean in there and made him pay by hurting him multiple times in first round setting the tone for the fight.
Good observation most coach’s these day advocate circling away from the back hand these guys circled towards it any idea why champ ?
Great fight, and legend is Benitez trained only 2 weeks for this super bout. Imagine if Benitez would have lived a clearer life outside the ring. His peak may have lasted longer and perhaps help his current condition.
That's how you can tell a great fighter. They can just move a little and make that punch miss.
15 rounds is crazy
Can we please get one of Roberto Duran lightweight, or welterweight fights like his first fight against Sugar Ray Leonard, or one of his fights with Esteban de Jesus, or his Ken Buchanan fight? I do hope to see the Sugar Ray v Duran 1 fight in its best quality before I die, as it is my favorite fight.
Mike Tyson watched this at 13 years of age, while in juvenile prison.
Benitez was always fighting out of his natural weight class and this fight is a good example Leonard was always naturally stronger
Thats A good Jab holy smokes
Benitez didn't train for that fight😮or something like that they say
Benitez the 5th king
I watched this live on ABC think was week night a school night but I just watched it again for the first Time in 45 years I was a big Sugar Ray Fan i was little bias then now watching this again I think Benitez over trained or he was dehydrated he looks too frail i think he needed those few pounds he lost below the limit he should have weighted in at 147 lbs he looks too weak here compared to Sugar Ray he did not rehydrate enough but what great fighter he was at a young age..Won the title at 17
Leonard had a physical advantage over benitez so his style was drastically different then how he fought in future fights. Other than this fight and 1st fight with duran, rarely did he fight toe to toe, he was a stick and move fughter, utilizing his superior speed. Howards blow by blow was excellent as usual.
Exactly Benitez look dehydrated before the fight he didn't rehydrate he over trained he is frail
I thought Howard gave Benitez way too much credit. Leonard was the stronger faster better athlete and landed the harder blows. I had Leonard comfortably ahead. Was it ever revealed what the official score cards were?
Yes but he was pretty strong..he could stand toe to toe if he wanted to, just preferred not to. I think even Hagler was a bit surprised at his strength, even of course Hagler was stronger.
@@ckobo84Benitez did a good job of making him miss, even SRL admitted that much. And Benitez was able to land his jab consistently after the 4th. SRL just had too much power & chin for Benitez. Remember Wilfred Benitez beat Duran & went the distance with Tommy Hearns. He gave SRL a very good fight.
He hung in there,scoring,showing he was not gonna be easy.A champion facing such a formidable challenger love the era,Sugar Ray,I always thought he was going up too high in weight.He beat every body except Duran on the square.Eventually,after they were old,that didn't matter to me.All time favorite for skill and absolute courage
Leonard has a Jab like Floyd
Leonard dominated Benitez, who was a great fighter in his own right. I don't know why people questioned Leonard's pedigree up until he fought Duran.
If the ref did not stop the fight with only 5 seconds left, Leonard loses. That was the only way he won.
Surprising that Leonard was bigger than Benitez because Wilfred definitely looked bigger to the eye.
Классика! Спасибо!
What? 15 rounds.they both won
Leonard was the pretty boy, he got a lot of close decisions that maybe shouldn't have gotten.
Why stop it 🤦🏾♂️
WTF, BAD STOPPAGE MAL DETENIDA , NO ERA NECESARIO
思えばここから海童ベニテスの転落が始まる。
Super dry commentator.. Lol Howard . Man probably never threw a punch in his life.
I have NO idea what the hell you're talking about. They were GREAT champions in their time.