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SUGAR RAY LEONARD vs. WILFRED BENITEZ (Onsite) 

Description : Here we have the mega rare original Caesars Palace onsite poster from the WBC World Welterweight Title clash between reigning & defending champion Wilfred Benitez & challenger, Sugar Ray Leonard. This poster is one of the most sort after posters from this era, as it pitted together two of the most accomplished boxing stylists of the modern era.

Sugar Ray Leonard fought Wilfred Benitez for the WBC Welterweight Championship on November 30, 1979 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a highly competitive and tactical battle, a joy to watch for all boxing purists, In the 1st round, Leonard rocked Benitez with a left hook that came off a jab and right cross. Late in the 3rd, Leonard dropped Benitez on the seat of his pants with a stiff left jab. More embarrassed than hurt, Benitez got up & just smiled.

Benitez started to do better in the 4th as he started to move up the gears, slipping numerous punches and finding the range with his right hand. "I wasn't aware I was in a championship early because I hit him so easy," Leonard said. "But then he adjusted to my style. It was like looking in a mirror." at times Benitez made Leonard look like a man wailing away under water such was he reflexes & defensive timing.

In the 6th round there was an accidental clash of heads, which opened a cut on the forehead of Benitez. Blood flowed down his forehead and the bridge of his nose but stayed out of his eyes. Leonard was starting to land the harder punches and had Benitez hurt on several occasions late in the fight, but Leonard couldn't put him away. Benitez was very slick. "No one, I mean no one, can make me miss punches like that," Leonard said.

Going into the final round, Leonard led by scores of 137-130, 137-133, and 136-134. The two went toe-to-toe in the fifteenth. Late in the round, Leonard dropped Benitez with a left. He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. The time was 2:54 of round fifteen. No way was Benitez hurt & if was most definitely a very soft stoppage. Years later when both fighters met up to talk about old times, Benitez said that he'd only trained for 2 weeks for the fight, such was his genius & arrogance of youth.

The Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring named Leonard "Fighter of the Year" for 1979.

Postage: £10.00 Special Delivery... £20.00 International.

Condition : Very Good for Age/minor handling*edgewear*very feint drying out wrinkles*framed 4 display purposes only!
Size : 28in x 22in
Price : £1000.00

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