Best Puerto Rican fighter of all time?

I only ever saw Serrano fight once, so I don't have a lot of first hand knowledge of him. But I seem to recall him not being very highly regarded at the time he was fighting despite his number of title defenses. Most of the boxing mags I read at the time (mostly The Ring and KO Magazine) didn't seem to think all that much of him and I got the impression that he was considered a "favorite" of the WBA and somewhat of a protected fighter by them especially in the case of his fight with Benedicto Villablanca where Serrano was stopped on cuts but that decision was overturned at a WBA "Special Meeting" and Serrano was awarded a technical decision and his title was reinstated.

It was a long time ago and I am going mostly by memory. Does anyone have any info about Serrano? I am remembering things correctly?

 

Benitez on his A game was the BEST Boricua fighter.

 

who is steven de jesus?

did you mean Esteban De Jesus?

Pete Martinez, greatest dominican pitcher in history

 

dejesus, gomez,camacho, benitez...if roger mayweather or manny pacquaio are mexican assassins does this make yayo the boricua assassin?

 

Benitez didn't have a bad chin. Why does everyone say that? If he did, then he had damn good defense because he went 15 with Hearns (MD), 15 with Duran and beat him, and 15 with Cervantes and won (SD).

Usually guys with bad chins don't last 15 with the likes of guys like these, let alone beat them.

 

Agreed. Benitez's chin was by no means great, but when he actually trained his chin was decent. It was still his biggest weakness. But his defense was so brilliant, it didnt really matter most the time in his prime.

I dont think any PR in history was as talented, and brilliant as the Benitez that beat Cervantes, and Duran.

But Ortiz and Gomez were far more consistent than El Radar, and as a result greater.

So in terms of greatness, Benitez is 3rd. The Benitez that beat Duran would have shut out Tito in one sided fashion.

 

Speaking of PR lightweights though, a GREAT lightweight Rican matchup would have been Dejesus vs Ortiz.

 

Agreed! :bears:

 

PRECISELY

Benitez was floored by a jab against Ray Leonard

and the light hitting Bruce Curry put him on his ass three times

 

I see people have allot of faith on Trinidad. I'm a huge fan/Supporter of Tito but he aint #1. I'm very surprised on the results so far.

 

sadly, I am not that surprised

 

Damn you and your facts! ::

What's really funny here is that Double says Benitez "had damn good defense" like it was a revelation and he just realized it as of this topic.::

 

I keep thinking about Benitez. What a shame that we will never know how good he could have been with proper training and discipline. My cousin Legendary knows more about him but I remember reports of El Radar only training for 2 weeks for a fight.

 

Hahaha Yeah damn Cdogg and his facts.
And yeah...I agree I think Double just realised this during this topic, .

 

apparantley he was called "el Radar" because of his interest in missile defense::

 

::

 

jaws just illustrated the example I have pointed out many times here about the difference between someone typing on a message board and someone being actively involved in the sport of boxing.

I knew De Jesus (he went by Steven as well to some friends and acquaintances) when he was training for the rubber match with Duran in Vegas, and spent several days with him in camp there when I was 17, and we shadowboxed and loosened up together once as well

Steven was kind to a degree, but very magnanimous and had a huge ego, and a hair trigger temper that explained for the problems he had after he quit the ring.

I was at the weigh in when he punched Duran as well, De Jesus was not someone you wanted to fuck with.

Steven wanted that fight TOO MUCH, he overdid it, overtrained, and left his fight in the gyms and on the roads.

 

What are you talking about? Jaws knows EVERYTHING there is to know (or to make up) about boxing! ::

 

For fucks sake. Tito is tied for the lead on this poll? And I thought people knew boxing on this board. :flip:

 

What event happened that lead you to believe that?

 

Well you know....I felt like the collective boxing IQ was higher than that anyway. :dunno:

 

Double L ruins it for us all :doh:

 

That's about how REED See's it...

Gomez is REED's FAVORITE Rican Fighter of All Times...REED can Recall Being Slightly CRUSHED when Sanchez Beat Gomez, Particularly THE WAY he Beat him...As a Kid, it was VERY Easy for REED to Buy into Gomez's KO Ratio....He Damn Near Knocked EVERYBODY Out, Literally...

Benitez DEFINITELY Stands Alone in Terms of PURE Talent (w/Camacho Sr. a CLEAR 2nd N this Same Regard), but REED Would Rate Tito Trinidad a STRONG # 3 @ Worst, N the "All-Time" Sense...Alot of Guys wanna HATE on Tito, but the BEST Way to Gauge him is by his IMPACT on his Era...For a Minute or 2, Tito Trinidad was as Big as ANY Fighter N Boxing...Who was HOTTER than Tito Going into the Bernard Fight???:dunno:...



REED:mj:

 

F.Y.I., REED ISN'T Familiar Enough w/Ortiz to Rate him...


REED:mj:

 

At least you admit it.
Though I am sure you do kn quite a bit about him, but just maybe haven't seen enough footage of him to make a better estimate at least that is my guess, cuz you seem to knowledgeable to not know that much about him.


Total Badass though.

 

That's my thought exactly! Im very surprised on the results thus far. The only explanation is people who chose Trinidad never seen the other fighters on that list. It's either that or they are die hard Tito fans.::

 

If you were, Trinidad would be #4

 

he sure was

 

you don't see me voting for Trinidad. get a life.

 

I think all those who voted for Tito should really have the decency to out themselves.:stir: