Benitez at his best was an amazing talent, but in Puerto Rico its been said that he didn't have the heart and dedication to be a true great. Waste of talent. But when he was on he was great. He probably doesn't have the power to hurt Forrest, but he's slick enough to befuddle him and take a decision.
I actually think Vernon could win this one. In a strange way, Benitez's style is perfect for Vernon. His tendency to back up would give Vernon plenty of room to use his long right hand and his educated jab, and Benitez's tendency to rest on the ropes would give Vernon all the chances he'd need to demonstrate his surprisingly effective inside game. I know Benitez is considered the better fighter all-time, but I think as he was against Hearns, he'd be out-boxed against Forrest, although it's difficult to imagine his not going the distance as he did with Hearns.
Benitez via wide UD. Forrest is actually made for him. And Double, Forrest isnt a FRACTION as good as Hearns.
So. That doesn't mean that stylistically, and due to his height and physicality, that he wouldn't present Benitez with similar problems. This isn't Benitez at 140 towering over most of his opponents. This is Benitez at a significant height disadvantage against a tall boxer-puncher with good power and great fundamentals. He's not losing to Benitez.
Forrest is the one who's giantly overrated. He had ONE special night in his whole career, and other than that beat nobody and did nothing. Lost twice to a bum in Mayorga, and got a gift decision over a washed up Quartey. Benitez is far different from Mosley stylewise. Forrest would have hell trying to land his right on El Radar. And all the while Wilfred would be beating him to the punch, and piling up the points. Leonard and Hearns were able to beat Benitez because, among other things, they were insanely fast and were able to beat Will to the punch. Forrest has nowhere near the speed, and talent that Leonard and Hearns had. R.I.P. and respect to Forrest but... the man wasnt a great fighter, period. He just had ONE great fighter's number, thats it. I'd compare him to Ken Norton, but thats an insult to Kenny.
:doh: You're like a broken record of a parrot who is biased against fighters from previous eras. "Squawk!! Fill-in-the-blank (fill in the name of any pre-90's great) is hugely overrated. Squawk!!!" Do we get to look forward to the next month or so of you trying to "prove" that Benitez was nothing special like Ray Leonard? I can't wait! Forrest was nothing more than a good fighter who had Shane Mosley's number.
I mentioned a moment ago in the Forrest-Margarito thread how I have sometimes seen Forrest as a poor man's Hearns. I thought Benitez deserved a draw with Hearns when they fought, & I think, with his elusive half-steps & upper-body slips, he'd negotiate a way around Forrest's longer jab, & height advantage. I could see Forrest succeeding early, because a fighter like Benitez doesn't like taller, rangier opposition --- but Benitez is & was so very under-rated, for mine. A beautiful fighter, whose own ill-discipline was only partly responsible for his somewhat over-looked place in history. I think, in the closing rounds, his counter-punching really does a number on a Forrest frustrated into errors, plagued by Benitez's elusiveness. Benitez in a 9-3 decision, for mine. It might appear, in viewing, a little more competitive than the scorecard indicates, but not dramatically so.
In the same way I'd pull out my cock from Kelly Brook - with a smug grin and feeling of easy contentment.
I've always thought of Forrest as a really, really poor man's Hearns. Benitez did well & truly good enough against him to convince me he handles Forrest. It wouldn't be especially competitive, IMO. Not with the Benitez of vintage.
