Nino Benvenutti vs. Thomas Hearns

[jowcol]

I'm talking PRIME Middleweight; the cyberboxingzone had a thread a few days ago and everyone over there was amazed that this fantasy matchup had never been laid out there before. My initial reaction was a Hearns victory but the Ron Lipton (the ageless former fighter, referee, boxing historian) analysis sees it otherwise and I have the utmost amount of respect for his insight(s).

Lets get ready to rumble...:bbb :D

[Luigi1985]

I pick Benvenuti, he was at 160 lbs the more proven fighter, he had very good boxing skills, a great jab, great left hook, all in all a very good punch arsenal. IMO he would KO Hearns later in the fight (the fight would be even on the scorecards at that point)...

[laxpdx]

I lean toward Nino, as he was the natural MW, thus more solid at the weight. It would be close nevertheless.

[Longhhorn71]

Nino didn't fight Curtis Cokes when he had the chance, and Hearns was even bigger & more powerful.

Gotta go with The Hitman.

[Loewe]

I pick Benvenuti, he was at 160 lbs the more proven fighter, he had very good boxing skills, a great jab, great left hook, all in all a very good punch arsenal. IMO he would KO Hearns later in the fight (the fight would be even on the scorecards at that point)...

I agree with you. I think Nino was also a better mw than Hearns and is a bit underrated there. I think the key to win the fight for Benvenuti is to work the body constantly, I don´t think he can outbox Hearns but he can outfight him by cutting the distance goint to the body and finish him off late. I think a KO between round 9 and 13 is possible while Hearns has a lead on the cards.

[Loewe]

bump

[red cobra]

Nino Benvenuti, as is forgotten by most fans (outside of the classic forum) was a top motch, if sometimes erratic middleweight champ, who usually avenged a bad performance by being dominant in the rematch. Until Monzon derailed him, he seemed to be coming on somewhat as a puncher, sitting down more on his shots, as shown by his ko's of Luis Rodriguez and Tom Bethea, both in his latter days as middle king. I agree with a similar post, in that Hearns, however, would have given him alot of trouble, and would have had Nino cut and behind on points, but an unexpected power shot or two would have ko'ed Tommy late, like in 12 or 13. If not a clean ko, then a tko for Nino.

[Brian123]

I'll jump on the Nino bandwagon express. He was a polished and powerful figher who seems to have been forgotten for some reason.