Wilfred Benítez vs. Roberto Durán

The New Beginning

Date	January 30, 1982
Venue	Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada
Title(s) on the line	WBC super welterweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Wilfred Benítez Roberto Durán Nickname El Radar Manos de Piedra ("Hands of Stone") Hometown San Juan, Puerto Rico Panama City, Panama Purse $1,400,000 $500,000 Pre-fight record 43–1–1 76–4 Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm) Weight 152 lb (69 kg) 153 lb (69 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition WBC super welterweight champion
Result
Benítez wins via UD (144–141, 145–141, 143–142)

Wilfred Benítez vs. Roberto Durán, billed as The New Beginning was a professional boxing match contested on January 30, 1982, for the WBC super welterweight title.

Background

In December 1981, it was announced that the reigning WBC super welterweight champion Wilfred Benítez would defend his title the following month against former lightweight and welterweight champion Roberto Durán, who was moving up in weight in pursuit of becoming a three-division champion.

Just over a year prior to this fight, Durán had shockingly quit in his second fight against Sugar Ray Leonard, giving him only his second loss in 74 fights. The loss had damaged Durán's reputation, but he returned in August 1981 and picked up two wins against unheralded opponents before landing the title fight against Benítez with hopes that a victory would not only restore his status as one of the boxing's top fighters but lead to a third fight with Leonard. On the day the fight was announced Durán would state "I'm looking for Leonard, that's my goal" and hinted at retirement should he be unable to defeat Benítez declaring "If I lose, that's it. What more am I going to do in boxing?" The 23-year old Benítez, meanwhile, had become the youngest 3-division world champion of all time less than a year prior and was also looking for a potential fight with Leonard, who had given Benítez his only defeat in 45 fights, claiming "I'm going to beat him (Duran) and then get my chance at the only man who has a victory over me in my career."

Durán entered the fight as a sizeable underdog, with Las Vegas oddsmakers initially listing the odds 11–5 in Benítez's favor. Come the day of the fight, the odds were lowered to 8–5.

The fight

Benítez controlled much of the fight and ultimately won a fairly close unanimous decision with scores of 144–141, 145–141 and 143–142. Durán got off to a good start and won the first two rounds on two of the judge's scorecards, but Benítez took control in the third, utilizing his superior defensive skills, a jab to the head and hooks to the body to earn the victory. Durán admitted that he tired as the fight went on and revealed the he had not trained hard for the fight stating "I couldn't do what I wanted. I wanted to confuse him a little more and wanted to be faster, but my body wouldn't let me." and "I was not in the gym as often as I should have been." Benítez echoed Durán's assessment of himself declaring "I thought Duran fought as well as he could but I don't think I lost more than one or two rounds. Duran has been one of the greatest fighters in history but if he hopes to continue fighting he has to take better care of himself and train harder."

Fight card

Weight Class	Weight		vs.		Method	Round	Notes
Super Welterweight	154 lbs.	Wilfred Benítez (c)	def.	Roberto Durán	TKO	8/15	Note 1
Heavyweight	200+ lbs.	Michael Dokes	def.	Lynn Ball (c)	TKO	1/10	Note 2
Super Featherweight	130 lbs.	Edwin Rosario	def.	Ezzard Charles Adams	KO	3/10
Featherweight	126 lbs.	Juan Meza	def.	Antonio Guido	TKO	9/10

^Note 1 For WBC Super Welterweight title
^Note 2 For NABF Heavyweight title