Wilfredo Benitez(1977)vMiguel Cotto(present time)Welter,15 rounds?

Question

How would this dream contest pan out?

Answer 1

I,m going to answer your question with a question. If Benitez beat Roberto Duran do you think that Cotto can beat Duran? wilfredo Benitez was the youngest world champion at 18 years old he turned pro at 14 years old. You know when you saw a great fighter with all the skills it takes to be great fighter and then you look at a fighter say like Cotto it,s hard to get excited about a guy who is so limited I know we don,t have a lot to chose form right now that,s why when we look at Floyed Mayweather we think we are seeing a great fighter were not we just don,t have any one else who has mastered the art . Like when we had a Benitez or a Ray LEONARD or A Roy Jones Jr.

Answer 2

benitez was fast but cotto is fast stronger and a much better all round boxer i think it would be just a matter of time before cotto slowed benitez down then stopped him

Answer 3

Wilfredo Benitez

Answer 4

Benitez was one of the finest fighters of his generation,I remember him winning the world crown at 17 and was a big fan of his before and after the Leonard fight,Super fast,slick,tough,he had everything you'd want to see in a boxing superstar.In a fight against Cotto he would simply control the aggressive punching of Cotto with his slick boxing ability,as the guy above said a real chess match with Benitez having to much for the limited boxing brain of Cotto.Peurto Rico would go wild for this fight!!!

Answer 5

Very good matchup.  Benitez had natural boxing ability and was very clever with great defensive techniques.  He gave Sugar Ray Leonard a very difficult fight and it's probably fair to say he is the one guy that made Leonard miss more with his punches than any other fight he had.  Cotto is an aggressive hard punching fighter that sometimes gets hit a little too much with above average boxing skills.  This fight would probably remind you a little of a matador vs the bull.  Benitez was able to handle Duran at Jr middleweight and fought often against tough competition.  Strength, determination and power advantage go to Cotto.  Boxing skills and defense go to Benitez in this boxing chess match.  Hard call here but I'll take Benitez by split decision.

Answer 6

benitez by the narrowest of margins here in a classic match up.

Answer 7

Ive seen alot of these what if mathces but this is a good one but im going Cotto and in my opion this is definetly a fight Cotto would have taken if he fought in that time hes a through back fighter who wants to take on the best and cbiggest names we as fans should appreciate this more

Answer 8

Benitez was great and could have been greater.  Like Norton, he enjoys the "company" he kept among his peers.  Norton will always be placed above boxers,  some of whom would have beaten him, because he was in the company of Ali, Forman, Frazier and Holmes.   But at no time did Norton EVER dominate any part of the division.

Benitez plays the same role.   He was great but he also enjoys the company of Duran, Leonard and Hearns.  There is also Cuevas and Hagler among them, though Wilfred never fought either of them.  Hamsho stopped him from getting to Hagler.  

Benitez would lead on points.  Assuming he arrives in shape, he will give Cotto trouble for a while.   However, Benitez isn't the only fighter to learn the game at an early age.  Cotto showed signs 5 years ago.  And he's still young.  

Cotto can box and brawl.  He is stronger than Benitez and would miss a lot of punches but never become discouraged.  at some point in the later rounds Benitez would slow down a little.  

For all his defensive ability,  he didn't really have great foot work.  He was just difficult to hit cleanly in the head.    I wonder why so many of the head hunters didn't try for his body.    Cotto would figure this out.   Or his corner would make d**n sure he knew this.  He would slow Benitez down and score a knockdown in the 10th.  Benitez would rise but not run.  This would cost him later in the fight.  

Cotto by KO in 12