WILFRED BENITEZ RETURNS WITH “BORICUA INVASIONS”
May 29th, 2011 By Manny Caballero
Wilfred Benitez
PUERTO RICAN PARADE WEEKEND HAS FIGHTS BOTH NIGHTS
The “Boricua Invasion” boxing events will be held on the weekend of the gigantic Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City on June 10 & 11. The Puerto Rican community and the media as well will be looking for their next group of pugilistic stars. During that celebrated weekend and parade, Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto both made it a habit of fighting that weekend, and that’s what the Island is looking for, who will step up when Miguel, the current WBA 154 lb. titleholder is gone.
WILFRED FINALLY GETTING SOME PROPS!
But what has me happy is seeing Wilfred Benitez leading the team, one of the greatest fighters in the sport, born September 12 1959 in New York, grew up in what you really call a boxing family having had two brothers that were boxers and trained by his dad Gregorio Benitez. Wilfred is best know for being the youngest champion ever in any division at 17, but it doesn’t stop there he also was the youngest fighter to win three titles (140,147,154) at 22 and at 37 became the youngest boxer to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
A TIME WHEN CHAMPS WERE REALLY CHAMPS!
Benitez fought in an era they still had 15 round fights. I’ve always felt those three extra rounds were what separated the men from the boys.
One of my favorite fights is Wilfred vs. Bruce Curry, in that fight he showed what he was made of, the heart he displayed in round two, wobbling from post to post and then coming back to win is something to be seen. But the bouts everybody remembers are him losing the 147 title to Ray Leonard that he won beating (UD 15) Carlos Palomino. Another was his fighting off of the ropes and putting on a defensive show that frustrated Roberto Duran, winning another UD 15.
THE HOPE KO WAS ONE YOU’D NEVER FORGET!
His one-punch “picture perfect” knockout of 154 lb. champ Maurice Hope sending him to his wedding with a couple of teeth missing, this was one of the best punches ever thrown in boxing history. He lost the 154 lb. title (SD 15) to Tommy Hearns. Not in good health today, Benitez suffers from the residual effects of professional boxing. Benitez finally retired in 1990 with a record of 53-8-1, 34 KOs.
JUNE 10TH ON ESPN THE “BORICUA INVASION” BEGINS
ESPN 2′s Friday Night Fights will air the first “Boricua Invasion” and we’ll get a chance to see two Puerto Ricans face off as Kenny Galarza (11-0, 10 KOs) goes against the so-so Irvin Garcia (17-6-3, 8 KOs). Also that night, big puncher Thomas Dulorme (11-0, 10 KOs) meets the shopworn DeMarcus Corley (37-13-1, 22 KOs)
SHOWTIME HAS “BORICUA INVASION” PART II THE NEXT NIGHT
On June 11th, on Showime’s Sho Box airs the second invasion that night hot prospect Orlando Del Valle from P.R. will be really tested when he faces Dat Yugen (17-1, 6KOs) of Vietnam. In addition, we will get an opportunity to the 6’2, 140 lb. Hector “El Flaco” Sanchez (19-1, 9 KOs) vs. Vincent Arroyo (11-1, 7KOs) in what appears to be an exciting fight on paper. Appearing on the same card will be Jonathan “Mantequilla” Gonzalez (13-0, 13KOs).
Manny Caballero
PROFESSINAL BOXING CAREER I THINK MORE THAN LIKELY THEY CAME
FROM HIS ALL OUT WARS SPARRING IN THE GYM WITH THE GREAT ESTEBAN DEJESUS
WHEN HE WAS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD HIS DAD HAD HIM BOXING DEJESUS EVERY DAY
LEADING UP TO THE ROBERTO DURAN FIGHT IN GIL CLANCYS 28TH STREET GYM IN NYC
THE WHOLE GYM WOULD STOP TO WATCH THESES SO CALLED SPARRING SESSIONS EVEN THOUGH
HE HELD HIS OWN HE WAS TOO YOUNG AND HIS BRAIN STILL TOO SOFT TO BE GETTING HIT WITH THE SHOTS HE WAS GETTING HIT WITH