Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benitez (right) defeats Roberto Duran by unanimous decision. This photo was autographed by Benitez.
Statistics
Real name	Wilfred Benitez
Nickname	El Radar, Bible of Boxing
Weight	Welterweight
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Birth date	September 12, 1958
Birth place	New York, NY
Style	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	62
Wins	53
Wins by KO	31
Losses	8
Draws	1
No contests	0

Wilfred Benitez (born September 12, 1958 in New York, New York), is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history. Wilfred Benitez (right) beats Roberto Duran by unanimous decision. ... Roberto Duran (b. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... New York, New York redirects here. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left) versus Rafael Ortíz Boxing, also called pugilism (from Latin), prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science[1] is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists in a...

Early history

Benitez, a young prodigy who was managed by his father Gregorio Benitez, was a member of one of Puerto Rico's most famous boxing families, his brothers Frankie and Gregory Benitez having also been top contenders in the 1970s. The Benitez troop was largely directed by their mother, Clara Benitez. Young Wilfredo was nicknamed "The Radar". He grew up going to a neighborhood boxing gym in New York, where he learned from watching his brothers and other local, renowned fighters practice their skills. Template:A year The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Dona Clara Benitez is the sacrified mother of 3 time former world champion Wilfredo Benitez. ...

During the early stages of his professional career, Benitez often traveled to the Virgin Islands and New York for fights. He divided his fights between those locations and Puerto Rico. The proximity of those two locations to Puerto Rico helped him start to become a household name in the island while building an international following at the same time. His speed, combined with punching power and surprising ring maturity for a 15 year-old, were enough to make him a world-ranked boxer by both the WBA and WBC, then boxing's only world-title recognizing organizations. NY redirects here. ... World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level. ... WBC logo mark “WBC” redirects here. ...

Professional boxing career

Benitez won consistently over relatively unknown fighters, and in 1976 he lured the far more experienced, two-time world champion and now fellow Hall of Famer Antonio "Kid Pambele" Cervantes of Colombia to San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium, to defend his World Junior Welterweight championship. Benitez stunned the boxing world by beating Cervantes. Wilfred won a fifteen round split decision, becoming the youngest boxing world champion in history, at the age of seventeen. 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Antonio Cervantes (born December 23, Colombian boxing trainer and former two time world Jr. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Hiram Bithorn Stadium (Estadio Hiram Bithorn in Spanish) is a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. ...

Benitez retained this championship three times, and then the lure of a million dollar fight with 1976 Olympic champion Sugar Ray Leonard made him move up to the welterweight division. First, he challenged world champion Carlos Palomino in San Juan. Benitez won a fifteen round decision to become world champion in a second weight division. After a defense against Harold Weston Jr, which ended in a Benitez unanimous decision win, Benitez and Leonard signed for a fight in Las Vegas in November, 1979. It was a scientific fight by both fighters, who demonstrated their defensive skills throughout the bout. Benitez unsuccessfully tried overcoming a third round knockdown, and a cut which was opened on his forehead by a head butt in round six, and the fight came to an end when the referee stopped the fight with six seconds left in round fifteen. The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is an American former professional boxer. ... Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. ... Carlos Palomino (born August 10, Mexican former boxer who was a world champion and also a college degree holder. ... This article is about the city of Las Vegas in Nevada. ... For the song by The Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ...

Wilfred Benitez and his mother Clara Benitez.

After that loss, Benitez again moved up in weight, and in May 23, 1981, he became the youngest three-time world champion in boxing history by knocking out world junior middleweight champion Maurice Hope in twelve rounds in Las Vegas. The knockout was named one of the knockouts of the year. Wilfred Benitez and his mother Clara Benitez (smiling, left). ... Wilfred Benitez and his mother Clara Benitez (smiling, left). ... Maurice Hope (born December 6, 1951 in St. ...

His next fight became a historic bout. The match against future world champ Carlos Santos of Ceiba, Puerto Rico, was the first world championship fight between two Puerto Ricans in boxing history. Ironically, the fight was fought 3,000 miles away from Puerto Rico, in Las Vegas. Benitez won a fifteen round unanimous decision. Next came another Hall-of-Famer, Roberto Duran, whom Benitez defeated in the same hotel in 1982. Soon thereafter, at the Carnival of Champions in New Orleans, Benitez gave up his belt to another boxing legend, Thomas Hearns, after a fight that featured knockdowns from both fighters, when he lost a fifteen round unanimous decision. Carlos Santos (born October 1, 1955 in Ceiba, Puerto Rico) is a former boxer of note. ... Image:Ceiba seal. ... Roberto Duran (b. ... The Carnival Of Champions, as Don King nicknamed it, was an important boxing event held in New Orleanss Superdome on December 3, 1982. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Thomas Hearns (born October 18, 1958, in Memphis, Tennessee), is an American 7-time world champion professional boxer. ...

Career decline

Benitez's career went downwards after the fight with Hearns, as did his lifestyle. In 1984, he tried a comeback under the hand of Yamil Chade, but this proved unsuccessful. In 1987, with his health declining, he went to Buenos Aires, Argentina to fight middleweight Carlos Herrera. Benitez was stopped in seven rounds. But that wasn't the worst part of the trip. His money for the fight was stolen by the fight's promoter, along with his documents and passport, and he was stranded in Argentina for one year. After much government huddling and talks, he was finally able to fly back home to Puerto Rico in 1988. A touching public moment in his life came when, upon leaving the airplane that brought him back, he handed his seven year-old daughter an Argentine toy doll he had bought for her before his fight there, and told her he hadn't forgotten her one single day during his time away. 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Yamil Chade (born c. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Buenos Aires (disambiguation). ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Two years later, Benitez moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he tried another comeback under the tutelage of Emanuel Steward, the famous Kronk trainer. This also proved unsuccessful, as he won one fight and lost one in this last comeback. He returned to Puerto Rico, where he is now living with his mother Clara, on a $200 a month pension provided by the World Boxing Council. Benitez now suffers from an incurable, degenerative brain condition many believe was caused by the blows he took in the ring. Nickname: The Old Pueblo Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Pima Mayor Bob Walkup (R) Area    - City 505. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Emanuel Steward (born 1944) is a boxing trainer who is in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. ... Kronk Gym is a legendary boxing gym located in Detroit, and led by equally legendary trainer Emanuel Steward. ... WBC logo mark “WBC” redirects here. ...

In 2004, Benitez was diagnosed with diabetes. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

Benitez has been a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 1996. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Antonio Cervantes (born December 23, Colombian boxing trainer and former two time world Jr. ... World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level. ... This is a chronological List of World Super Lightweight/Light Welterweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF... Antonio Cervantes (born December 23, Colombian boxing trainer and former two time world Jr. ... Carlos Palomino (born August 10, Mexican former boxer who was a world champion and also a college degree holder. ... WBC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below: White blood cell World Boxing Council The WBC, a music group Westboro Baptist Church Wilkes-Barre Connecting Railroad White Blood Cells (album) Washington Bible College Widcombe Baptist Church World Baseball Classic World Boardgaming Championships Womens Business Council... This is a chronological List of World Welterweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983... Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is an American former professional boxer. ... Maurice Hope (born December 6, 1951 in St. ... WBC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below: White blood cell World Boxing Council The WBC, a music group Westboro Baptist Church Wilkes-Barre Connecting Railroad White Blood Cells (album) Washington Bible College Widcombe Baptist Church World Baseball Classic World Boardgaming Championships Womens Business Council... This is a chronological List of World Super Welterweight / Light Middleweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF... Thomas Hearns (born October 18, 1958, in Memphis, Tennessee), is an American 7-time world champion professional boxer. ...

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• List of male boxers
• List of WBC world champions

list of famous Puerto Ricans in alphabetical order by last names, where applicable. ... This is a list of notable male boxers. ... List of WBC world champions is a table showing the world champions certificated by World Boxing Council (WBC). ...

Further reading

External links

• Benitez record from boxrec.com
• Ian Palmer's Tigerboxing.com article on Benitez
• Benitez's website