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Wilfred Benítez
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==Professional boxing career== On March 6, 1976, at age 17, with his high school classmates in attendance, he faced Lineal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jrwelt.htm|title=The Lineal Junior Welterweight Champions|publisher=Cyber Boxing Zone}}</ref> and WBA Light Welterweight champion [[Antonio Cervantes]]. Known as Kid Pambele, the champion was 30 years old, had a record of 74-9-3 with 35 KO's, and had made 10 title defenses. The result was a fifteen-round split decision in Benítez's favor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2230186-ranking-the-most-unbreakable-records-in-boxing#slide1|title = Ranking the Most Unbreakable Records in Boxing|website = [[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> Benítez retained the championship three times, and then moved up to the [[welterweight]] division. === Moving up === Benítez challenged Lineal<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/welter.htm|title=The Lineal Welterweight Champs|publisher=Cyber Boxing Zone}}</ref> and WBC World Champion [[Carlos Palomino]] in San Juan. On January 14, 1979, Benítez won a fifteen-round split decision to become a world champion in a second weight division. Referee Zach Clayton scored the fight 145-142 in Palomino's favor, but judges Jay Edson and Harry Gibbs disagreed. Edson scored the bout 146-142 for Benítez. Gibbs also scored for Benítez, 146-142. After outpointing Harold Weston Jr. in his first defense (avenging an earlier draw), Benítez fought [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]] on November 30, 1979. === Fighting Sugar Ray Leonard === {{main|Wilfred Benítez vs. Sugar Ray Leonard}} It was a scientific fight by both fighters, who demonstrated their defensive skills throughout the bout. Benítez suffered a third-round knockdown and a cut on his forehead, which was opened by an accidental head butt in round six. Leonard put Benítez down again in the fifteenth round and the referee stopped the fight with six seconds left in round fifteen. Leonard was ahead on all cards at the time of the stoppage. The scores were 137–133, 137–130 and 136–134, all for Leonard.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Michael Katz; Special to The New York|date=1979-12-01|title=Leonard Stops Benitez in 15 To Win Welterweight Title Butt Hurts|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/01/archives/leonard-stops-benitez-in-15-to-win-welterweight-title-butt-hurts.html|access-date=2021-04-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> === Moving up again === {{main|Wilfred Benítez vs. Roberto Durán|Wilfred Benítez vs. Thomas Hearns}} After that loss, Benítez again moved up in weight, and on May 23, 1981, at age 22, he became the youngest three-time world champion in boxing history by knocking out WBC World Super Welterweight Champion [[Maurice Hope]] in twelve rounds in Las Vegas. The knockout was named one of the knockouts of the year. His next fight became a historic bout. On November 14, 1981, he fought future world champ [[Carlos Santos (boxer)|Carlos Santos]] of [[Ceiba, Puerto Rico|Ceiba]], Puerto Rico. It was the first world championship fight between two Puerto Ricans in boxing history. It was fought 3,000 miles away from Puerto Rico, at [[Caesar's Palace]] in Las Vegas. Benítez won a fifteen-round unanimous decision. His next defense was against [[Roberto Durán]], whom Benítez defeated at Caesar's Palace on January 30, 1982 by a fifteen-round unanimous decision. On December 3, 1982, at the [[Carnival of Champions]] in [[New Orleans]], Benítez lost the belt to another boxing legend, [[Thomas Hearns]], by a fifteen-round majority decision.<ref>[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/modern/benitez.html "International Boxing Hall of Fame"]. Ibhof.com (1958-09-12). Retrieved on 2017-07-14.</ref> ===Career decline=== Benítez's career went downwards after the fight with Hearns, as did his lifestyle. In 1983, he lost a unanimous decision to [[Mustafa Hamsho]]. In 1984, he tried a comeback under the hand of [[Yamil Chade]], but this proved unsuccessful as he was knocked out in the second round by [[Davey Moore (boxer, born 1959)|Davey Moore]]. On November 28, 1986, with his health declining, Benítez went to [[Salta]], Argentina to fight against middleweight Carlos Herrera. Benítez was stopped in seven rounds. But to make matters worse, his money for the fight was stolen by the promoter, along with his documents and passport, and he was stranded in Argentina for over a year. After eventually being tracked down, and after much government huddling and talks, he was finally able to fly back home to Puerto Rico in 1988. In 1990, with his health in increasingly worse shape, Benítez moved to [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]], where he tried another comeback under the tutelage of [[Emanuel Steward]], the [[Kronk Gym|Kronk]] trainer. This also proved unsuccessful, as he went 2-2 in his last four fights. His last bout took place in [[Winnipeg]], Canada on September 18, 1990, six days after his 32nd birthday. He lost a ten-round decision against Scott Papasadora.
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