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- 6/21/2025
Wilfred Benitez defends his WBC Super Welterweight title against Carlos Santos on HBO.
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CreativityTranscript
00:00:00So there is nothing left but you can't get.
00:00:03Wolf and Benitez on our right, Carlos Santos on our left.
00:00:06Benitez yellow trunks, red stripes, yellow and red shoes.
00:00:09Carlos Santos red trunks, red shoes, red socks.
00:00:12It's sartorial vision.
00:00:15And still remaining very calm.
00:00:16Both fighters very calm.
00:00:18Round one, the Super Weatherweight Championship.
00:00:21Showboat in Las Vegas.
00:00:23Long range to start the fight here.
00:00:25Santos up on his toes.
00:00:26Benitez flat-footed backing off a little bit in the center of the ring.
00:00:29Nobody has thrown a punch yet.
00:00:30We're in the first round in Las Vegas.
00:00:35Santos with a short-flicking right hand that comes up short on the chin of Benitez.
00:00:39We are in round one.
00:00:40Fight just underway.
00:00:41Carrying on to the audio portion while we await the solving of the video problems
00:00:45that have plagued us for about a half hour now.
00:00:47Neither man really throwing any punches right now.
00:00:49Just going to dance in the ball range to the center of the ring.
00:00:52Santos ham high, chin tucked away.
00:00:55Benitez kind of a pawing kind of motion right now.
00:00:58Crowd getting a little bit antsy, a little bit early.
00:01:01Santos up on his toes still.
00:01:02Both men just kind of feeling each other out.
00:01:04Benitez obviously waiting for Santos, seeing what crowd he will take.
00:01:08Benitez charges in with the left hand, and they tie each other up in the center of the ring.
00:01:12Hernandez separates the two.
00:01:13Santos back in long range.
00:01:14Back on his toes.
00:01:15Benitez starts to move in with the right-hand lead.
00:01:20Backs away now.
00:01:21Benitez in the corner right above us now, and just kind of keeping flat-footed and waiting
00:01:25for Santos to do what he is going to do.
00:01:29Only a couple of punches thrown in the pipe.
00:01:31One in chain and no damage.
00:01:32First round, Super Wilderweight Championship.
00:01:35Barry, I feel that Benitez is really ready to throw all kinds of bombs.
00:01:40He seems to be very, very well set and ready to every punch he's going to throw.
00:01:44He seems to be going to be a real bomb.
00:01:46Benitez on a flicking left hand that scored under the arm of Santos.
00:01:50Not a lot of damage at all, though.
00:01:51Still in the first round.
00:01:52He's still very much in the sparring session right now.
00:01:55Santos up on his toes, dancing.
00:01:56He's very cautious right now.
00:01:58Benitez just kind of waiting for him to come to it.
00:02:00I also feel that Santos is aware of that because he's sitting at long range and doing a lot
00:02:06of dancing and feeling him out.
00:02:08Santos still at long range.
00:02:09Right-hand lead.
00:02:10Scores to the chest of Santos.
00:02:12Santos fights.
00:02:12Not a punch with the right hand.
00:02:13Comes up a little bit short on the cheek of Benitez.
00:02:21Can't get over how strong Benitez appears to him.
00:02:25We welcome the video portion of this show now.
00:02:29First time we have had that.
00:02:30Fortunately, we got it.
00:02:31We really haven't missed this thing.
00:02:32We're in the first round, and now we have both picture and audio.
00:02:35So, welcome to Las Vegas, the showboat, and the Super Weatherweight Championship of the
00:02:39world.
00:02:39Delighted that we could bring it to you.
00:02:41And, of course, with profound apologies for having lost the video portion.
00:02:44Left-hand lead by Santos.
00:02:45Scored pretty good that time.
00:02:46Benitez countering to the left hand.
00:02:48Again, Benitez right now seems content to counterpunch off of Santos' lead.
00:02:56Neither man has done any damage in the first round.
00:02:59Both men still looking very confident.
00:03:01Benitez, of course, you would expect so.
00:03:02Benitez, owner of three world championships, Santos, in just his 25th fight, and the first
00:03:08time he has ever attempted to go any more than eight rounds.
00:03:11But I found what Benitez tonight, he's changed his style.
00:03:15He was always a side-to-side.
00:03:17His arms moving in a fist-like fashion.
00:03:19He's changed his style tonight.
00:03:20That fight gets a well-deserved round, I should say, gets a well-deserved move from the fans.
00:03:30I think they stretched the fans to their limits in terms of killing each other out.
00:03:34But I gave the round to Santos.
00:03:38Benitez was just too close to waiting.
00:03:45And I believe that he waited too much.
00:03:48He just stood in the middle and let the challenger circle him.
00:03:52And one thing we know is that he's not following Jimmy Jekyll's hopes, if not his order.
00:03:58He has not established his superiority.
00:04:01If anything, Santos going back to the corner must feel well.
00:04:04Hey, I'm in with the champion, and nothing happens.
00:04:07Benitez is basically a counterpuncher.
00:04:17And Santos is trying to make him lead, and he's not comfortable leading.
00:04:20That's true.
00:04:22So we start the second round here.
00:04:23And you heard Larry Merchant and Jose Torres agree that the first round went for the challenger, Santos.
00:04:31Santos continuing on his toes at long range.
00:04:35Remember, he has never gone more than eight rounds.
00:04:37And we'll see if that does not become a factor later on.
00:04:39Should it go that far?
00:04:45Flicking left-hand lead and the right-hand counterpunch again by Benitez.
00:04:47And that's what Benitez has been content to do so far.
00:04:50Counterpunch off the looping lead.
00:04:53I think that Santos is reaching too long with that left.
00:04:55He's not waiting to get in close.
00:04:57But as you can see, he doesn't want to get in close.
00:04:59Because Benitez looks very effective tonight.
00:05:02With the left-hand and the kidneys of Santos thrown by the champion, Alfred Benitez.
00:05:08It appears to be to me that there's a slight fear in the part of Santos.
00:05:12He just doesn't want to go in.
00:05:17And as Jose Torres said in our long conversation before the fight,
00:05:21that he had to be aggressive and had to take the fight to Benitez.
00:05:25And as you mentioned, Alfred, he's not yet done that.
00:05:27That's right.
00:05:29Well, in the second way, Benitez has his right-hand cocked to throw.
00:05:32And he's really got all the power in there already.
00:05:35He's just waiting for the opportunity.
00:05:38Well, Benitez, of course, just showed a great right hand to Maurice Hope.
00:05:42And it was the literal interpretation of the one-punch knockout.
00:05:47And when an orthodox boxer fighting a southpaw,
00:05:50the greatest punch is the right hand.
00:05:52Quick with the right hand.
00:05:53Benitez is going to do that.
00:05:55You see it coming short.
00:05:55Well, I think you just saw a right hand score right to the nose of Santos thrown by Benitez.
00:06:01It didn't do any serious damage, but it could be a sign of things to come.
00:06:04He has a cocked and ready to throw.
00:06:10Santos continues to be cautioned, have a lot of caution,
00:06:12and just kind of circle Benitez, who just sits and waits.
00:06:17Santos is doing right, keeping his left hand high.
00:06:22Because it looks like it's going to come.
00:06:25Right hand of the body, probably the hardest punch of the fight thrown by Santos.
00:06:30But very, very minimal damage to Benitez, who has been expressionless.
00:06:35Right hand lead by Benitez, shoots over the head of Carlos Santos.
00:06:38Right hand lead is really, is not the wise thing to do in boxing, but he can get away with it because he's very, very quick.
00:06:48Benitez almost talking to himself, saw him slam his gloves together there as if to say, come on now, let's get getting.
00:06:55Benitez is waiting right now to get him into the counterweight and throw that right effectively.
00:06:59Santos is moving to his left, which is a wrong thing to do with Benitez because he's going to run right into that right hand.
00:07:18He should be moving the other way.
00:07:19We'll probably act in a negative fashion.
00:07:23We'll try to have a listen in at Benitez's corner.
00:07:30No pierda la calma.
00:07:33No pierda la calma.
00:07:36No pierda la calma.
00:07:38No pierda la calma.
00:07:41Keep the calm.
00:07:47Keep cool.
00:07:49No get the punch to the bullet.
00:07:51No pierda la calma.
00:07:55He has to take the title from you just wait and wait for the chance that's also a formula for a very very dull fight
00:08:21Well Benitez has certainly heated his corners advice through the first two rounds
00:08:24He has waited for Carlos Santos and there really has been very little damage done
00:08:29Benitez keeping a stoic expression on his face
00:08:31He has not changed the expression on his face since the moment he walked into the ring
00:08:36You can see the picture developing though the way he's talking him just waiting
00:08:42Cobra and the Mongoose here
00:08:45And it is Benitez who is the Mongoose
00:08:47Santos is retreating
00:08:49He feels the same way
00:08:53Again a right hand lead by Benitez
00:08:56No score but no damage
00:08:59Santos claimed it was a little low but it was right square right in the midsection
00:09:04Santos just seems to be trying to figure out how to get inside of Benitez
00:09:07And has just been unable to do that
00:09:09And is not about to throw caution to the wind
00:09:12That was a very quick on his feet
00:09:14He moved in
00:09:15He retreats and advances very very quickly
00:09:18But remember he has never gone more than eight rounds
00:09:21So conditioning could tell a tale here
00:09:23Well this is why apparently he's taking it easy
00:09:25That is sure of knockout
00:09:28He doesn't accept a knockout punch
00:09:30He's just not a one punch knockout man
00:09:32And Benitez has improved in his last fight with Maurice Hope
00:09:35Can definitely do that
00:09:37Left hand whistle by the chin
00:09:38That's a wise thing for Santos to do at the southpaw
00:09:39To throw the left hand in
00:09:40But he better wait till he gets in close to do it
00:09:41Because you can't reach
00:09:42As it extends
00:09:43As it extends
00:09:44You're losing your power in the extension
00:09:46Well I think we mentioned on the tail of the tape
00:09:47That Santos does have a four and a half inch reach advantage
00:09:49But he is not even close enough to be able to utilize that
00:09:51Crowd getting a little bit changed
00:09:52He's been up on his toes the whole fight
00:09:53And Benitez just taking his time
00:10:13on his toes the whole fight but he
00:10:17says you're taking his time don't
00:10:28know it doesn't have a very good
00:10:29job he just really calls it out he
00:10:31doesn't put anybody's body behind
00:10:33it alone quick right and jab out
00:10:40take one back back to the right
00:10:41hand of his own so a fair change
00:10:43there
00:10:49very very steady tonight he's
00:10:51lost all that activity that he's
00:10:53played in most of his fights you
00:10:55know the side to side the bob and
00:10:57weave the pistol like course of his
00:10:59hand well as he said at age 23 he
00:11:01has eight years of professional
00:11:03boxing experience and there's
00:11:05nothing that replaces experience
00:11:09there's nothing that's going to
00:11:11take a look at that he has fought
00:11:13since the opening bell and that is
00:11:15to try and stay away and quick
00:11:17jab out now and then and we come
00:11:19to the end of the second round and
00:11:21the crowd is not too happy so far
00:11:25i wish that the video hadn't
00:11:29returned
00:11:31i think
00:11:33is
00:11:35that now
00:11:37benitez
00:11:39we have one world championship
00:11:41boxing coming up here on hbo on
00:11:43december 12th 10 o'clock eastern
00:11:459 central schedule 15 rounder this
00:11:47one for the wbc featherweight title
00:11:49and a good one salvador sanchez and
00:11:51he is just terrific making his
00:11:53seventh title defense this time
00:11:55against british champion pat
00:11:57the wbc featherweight title right
00:11:59here on hbo larry merchant i'll be
00:12:00along for that one and we'd like
00:12:01you to join us too jose i agree
00:12:03with what you said but i also
00:12:04think that he's a little annoyed
00:12:08because he's running away a lot
00:12:10yeah i think that he has the
00:12:11sense that he has to take charge
00:12:13he hasn't taken charge no matter
00:12:15what his father's trainer says i
00:12:17think he's going to move out and
00:12:19take charge pretty soon so let's
00:12:24see if santos does do that he
00:12:27starts on the fourth round in
00:12:28the same fashion as he has the
00:12:29others still up on his toes still
00:12:30dancing pretty well but really
00:12:31unable to get inside of wilfred
00:12:33benitez
00:12:39conversely benitez has been unable
00:12:40to do any damage to santos does
00:12:42score with the left hand right
00:12:43there but again nothing serious
00:12:45well i think benitez is really
00:12:47studying him and it takes a
00:12:49little while and i think he'll
00:12:52become active very shortly
00:12:53getting a little impatient with
00:12:55these two as there has been
00:12:56minimal action through the first
00:13:00free exchange santos respects
00:13:02benitez very very much and
00:13:03this is the reason i've seen
00:13:04much action not to try to get
00:13:06inside on benitez that bad but
00:13:07did so unsuccessfully but he
00:13:08does get inside he seems to
00:13:10lunge a little bit which means
00:13:13he has no power when he's
00:13:14lunging on the left hand but
00:13:15he does get inside he seems to
00:13:16lunge a little bit which means
00:13:18he has no power when he's
00:13:19lunging on the left hand
00:13:22he has no power when he's
00:13:23lunging his feet are not
00:13:24firmly implanted on the
00:13:25canvas it's a beautiful ring
00:13:27isn't it sorry 20 foot ring
00:13:30all red white blue that would
00:13:33have to be the sponsor's
00:13:34advantage of the bigger ring
00:13:35yeah it's the fight just has not
00:13:39picked up since the opening bell
00:13:40and you can't blame the
00:13:41champion for it it's just the
00:13:42fight that his man is giving
00:13:43him right now but he just seems
00:13:44to be stalking santo from the
00:13:45right hand to the top of the
00:13:46head just went to the fight
00:13:47santo shakes his head as if
00:13:48he's been hit low and he's
00:13:50claimed that twice but i
00:13:52disclaimed that I don't believe
00:13:53that at all but he's just trying
00:13:54to get him into the rope to get
00:13:55him into the corner of the
00:13:56ropes will be a different
00:13:57fight whistling left hand
00:13:58caught the cheek of santo's
00:13:59that time from beneath it and
00:14:03another left hand and now
00:14:04beneath that seems to be
00:14:05picking up the pace just a
00:14:06little bit may have it figured
00:14:07out.
00:14:08yes in many cases i have done
00:14:24this before when a fight is
00:14:26rather dull like this i would
00:14:27step in try to break them push
00:14:30them apart and say come on
00:14:31fellas let's fight and that's
00:14:32what this referee should do
00:14:33right now.
00:14:35third and it is the referee
00:14:36always an important factor
00:14:38in the ring a right hand by
00:14:39beneath that for the wild
00:14:41right now the other right
00:14:44hand towards the face of
00:14:45santo's and beneath that
00:14:46thought he was four hand
00:14:47against the challenge of
00:14:49santo's but he's still
00:14:51has not changed the expression
00:14:52of his face.
00:14:54beneath his took uh santo's
00:14:56best left hook there and
00:14:58didn't just look at him.
00:15:05he's still on his toes still
00:15:07dancing but beneath that
00:15:08started to convert himself
00:15:09a little bit here really has
00:15:13been unable to get inside at
00:15:14all.
00:15:18We would bring you some
00:15:23replays of the highlights of
00:15:25these rounds but there
00:15:26haven't been any highlights as
00:15:28yet.
00:15:29There was a strange exchange
00:15:30early in that round.
00:15:32Jose maybe you can explain it
00:15:34to me.
00:15:35Suddenly Santos came in to
00:15:37Benitez he was willing to
00:15:39stand there and exchange
00:15:40with him.
00:15:41Benitez has been trying to
00:15:42get him to do that and he
00:15:43got out of the way as if he
00:15:44didn't want that all of a
00:15:45sudden.
00:15:46What are his thought
00:15:47processes?
00:15:48I think that Benitez is
00:15:49having a little trouble
00:15:50with the awkwardness of
00:15:51these guys with the
00:15:52fans at Townsport.
00:15:54By the way I also want to
00:15:56hear of the fact that I
00:15:57think that Townsport is
00:16:00having a deal with his
00:16:02cup.
00:16:03He's not complaining about
00:16:04seeing his low.
00:16:07I think that he's having
00:16:08a deal with his cup.
00:16:09I think I see now.
00:16:10He's accommodating his
00:16:11cup.
00:16:12Perfected stuff.
00:16:18So we start the fifth
00:16:19round here and Wilfred
00:16:20Benitez starting seemingly
00:16:21at least to pick up the
00:16:22pace a little bit in round
00:16:23four.
00:16:25Benitez is going to open up
00:16:32right now.
00:16:34Benitez still looks very
00:16:35much better.
00:16:36He's going to open up right
00:16:37now.
00:16:38Benitez still looks very
00:16:40much better.
00:16:41much in control.
00:16:42Very much in charge here.
00:16:43Either man has been hurt.
00:16:44We're in a fifth round.
00:16:48I really feel he's
00:16:51clearly that Benitez could
00:16:52press this fight more and
00:16:53get him into the rope.
00:16:54I don't know why he's
00:16:55hesitating.
00:16:56He's hesitating.
00:16:57He's going to open up right
00:16:58now.
00:16:59He's going to open up right
00:17:00now.
00:17:01He's going to open up right
00:17:02now.
00:17:03Benitez still looks very
00:17:04much in control.
00:17:05Very much in charge here.
00:17:06Either man has been hurt.
00:17:07We're in a fifth round.
00:17:08He's going to open up right
00:17:09now.
00:17:10He's going to open up right
00:17:11here.
00:17:12That's a great boy and get
00:17:13him into the rope.
00:17:14I don't know why he's
00:17:15hesitating.
00:17:16Of course you heard his
00:17:17corner say earlier.
00:17:18Fifteen rounds.
00:17:19Maybe what he's thinking
00:17:20is.
00:17:21And there's pretty good
00:17:22exchange right there.
00:17:23But he's getting the
00:17:24better of it.
00:17:25I think he's decided to go
00:17:26now.
00:17:30And a good left hand of
00:17:31this section that brought
00:17:32the right hand of Santos
00:17:33down.
00:17:34Of course the jab was
00:17:35on the left from the head
00:17:36of Wilfred Benitez.
00:17:37Unquestionably the harder
00:17:38puncher here.
00:17:39Santos.
00:17:40Best punch as far as I can
00:17:41see at this moment from
00:17:42these rounds is his left
00:17:44uppercut left hook.
00:17:46That seems to be the only
00:17:47power punch that he has.
00:17:48But he has to get in closer
00:17:49to do it.
00:17:50His jab is nothing at all.
00:17:53He says again gets inside.
00:17:54But he says working the
00:17:55body as well as to the head
00:17:56when he does get inside on
00:17:57Carlos Santos.
00:17:58That was definitely low by
00:17:59Santos.
00:18:00That spurred Hernandez.
00:18:01Tells him to keep him up.
00:18:05He says very workmanlike in the
00:18:07range.
00:18:08He sort of knows what needs to
00:18:10be done and gets it done
00:18:12regardless of what the crowd
00:18:14thinks about it.
00:18:15There's no question about the
00:18:16fact that Carlos Santos is
00:18:17quick on his feet.
00:18:18Steps back and in quickly.
00:18:22This makes it a tough target to
00:18:26hit.
00:18:27But he says that forward with
00:18:28a couple of punches.
00:18:29But.
00:18:30He says.
00:18:31He says very workmanlike in the
00:18:32range.
00:18:33He sort of knows what needs to
00:18:34be done and gets it done
00:18:35regardless of what the crowd
00:18:36thinks about it.
00:18:37There's no question about the
00:18:38fact that Carlos Santos is
00:18:39quick on his feet.
00:18:40Steps back and in quickly.
00:18:46This makes it a tough
00:18:47target to hit.
00:18:48But he says that forward with
00:18:49a couple of punches.
00:18:50They have not come in
00:18:53combination and they have not
00:18:54caused any damage.
00:18:55He says now right in the
00:18:56corner.
00:18:57Back to the center of the
00:19:00ring again.
00:19:01Jose made a very good point
00:19:02there.
00:19:03I believe that his cup doesn't
00:19:04fit properly.
00:19:05He's being disturbed by it.
00:19:06Might be too tight or too
00:19:07loose.
00:19:11The fighter doesn't need
00:19:12anything else to think about
00:19:13it.
00:19:14Other than the business at
00:19:15hand.
00:19:16And the brown five.
00:19:18We had a couple of other
00:19:19fights earlier today.
00:19:20Larry you want to talk about
00:19:21these.
00:19:22There were two fights today.
00:19:23Alex Ramos.
00:19:24The unbeaten young middleweight
00:19:25from the Bronx that defeated
00:19:27Norberto Sabotar in a ten
00:19:28round fight.
00:19:29It was even more one sided than the
00:19:30judges saw it.
00:19:31He knocked him down twice in one
00:19:32round.
00:19:33A good fight for Alex Ramos who
00:19:34we've seen here on HBO.
00:19:36And in the WBA Junior Welterweight
00:19:38Championship Aaron Pryor who is
00:19:39definitely behind in the fight.
00:19:40He's definitely behind in the fight.
00:19:41He's definitely behind in the fight.
00:19:42came back in the seventh round to stop.
00:19:43The one Johnson.
00:19:44Both of those fights had more action than this
00:19:45one does.
00:19:46And both of those fights had more action than this
00:19:49one does.
00:19:50And the one of the judges saw it.
00:19:51He knocked him down twice in one round.
00:19:52A good fight for Alex Ramos who we've seen here
00:19:53on HBO.
00:19:54The one that was out there.
00:19:55The one that was out there.
00:19:56And the one who had a championship.
00:19:57Aaron Pryor who was definitely behind
00:19:59in the fight.
00:20:00Came back in the seventh round to stop.
00:20:02The one Johnson.
00:20:06Both of those fights had more action than this one does.
00:20:09In fact that graphic had more action than it has.
00:20:14The waiting.
00:20:15The waiting had more action.
00:20:17The waiting had more action.
00:20:22Carlos Santos comes out to beat the champion, Wilfred Benitez.
00:20:25Round six, scheduled for 15, super runaway championship.
00:20:29We're at the showboat here in Las Vegas, Nevada.
00:20:33And now, Benitez presses it and is going downstairs to the body, generally, of Wilfred Benitez.
00:20:39By the way, he was told when his father was going to the body.
00:20:44Benitez is a very disciplined fighter.
00:20:46I mean, he just looks at every part, the part of a champion.
00:20:49I think that Santos was also told to start fighting because now he's starting to come in a little more, rather than retreat.
00:20:56I think he respects Benitez as a puncher.
00:20:59He would have to if he saw the fight with Mauricio.
00:21:03He's not going to be too careless.
00:21:04No question. He's afraid of that, right?
00:21:05He has a good right hand in his face by Benitez, but Santos presses in.
00:21:19Neither man really has shown any signs of being hurt.
00:21:22That's what he can't wait for himself, but Benitez is a challenger.
00:21:25That brings the crowd to the elbow to his feet.
00:21:28But again, Benitez does not take a backward step, but it was a good, clean punch.
00:21:31And it could give Santos the crowd, but if that, I believe, is a push.
00:21:41And they are calling it a knockdown.
00:21:43I don't think it was a knockdown.
00:21:43No, I don't think it was a knockdown at all.
00:21:45We'll see it on the replay, but I doubt it.
00:21:47I do not think that was a knockdown, and yet they went on with a count, so that will be called a knockdown.
00:21:52But very, very iffy.
00:21:54Santos has not hurt.
00:21:58And I believe Benitez knows that.
00:22:00He is not really going after it.
00:22:03That's the first time Benitez has been hit squarely.
00:22:05I think he's a little humiliated about that.
00:22:07I kind of woke him up.
00:22:08Yeah.
00:22:08If you've noticed now, Santos has changed his style.
00:22:19He's now an orthodox boxer.
00:22:21He's jabbing with the left hand.
00:22:24Benitez has pretty well out of the space as Santos goes down, then comes up.
00:22:29As soon as the right-hander Santos goes down, he comes up to the head.
00:22:32Santos has gone back now to his southpaw position.
00:22:35He's trying to confuse Benitez.
00:22:36And Benitez is not easily confused right now.
00:22:42Santos backing up.
00:22:43Benitez slicking the left hand in his face.
00:22:47Benitez really kind of almost jumping at his hand.
00:22:50And again, a combination of right hand and a left-hander.
00:22:52That lunging left of Santos is not effective at all.
00:22:58He's got to get any closer.
00:23:06Benitez is circling a little bit more now.
00:23:10Going left to right a little bit more than he was early on.
00:23:13Trying to set up that right hand.
00:23:17As we come to the end of the sixth round.
00:23:19We're going to take a look at some of the action in that round.
00:23:22For the first time, we had some action worthy of taking another look at.
00:23:26First, we saw that Carlos Santos landed his best punch of the fight.
00:23:31A straight left hand.
00:23:34And that seemed to wake up Benitez a little bit.
00:23:37I think Benitez is a champion.
00:23:39He's been a champion.
00:23:41I think he's concerned about how he looks in here.
00:23:44Let's take a look at the straight left hand thrown by Santos.
00:23:49There it is.
00:23:50A hard left hand as Benitez tried to duck under it.
00:23:55Now let's take a look at that knockdown and see if it was indeed a knockdown.
00:24:02The punch didn't look like it landed at all.
00:24:05It landed on his right shoulder, just grazing the chin.
00:24:10And as Santos was moving, it just seemed to knock him off balance.
00:24:13Is that the way you saw it, Jose?
00:24:16Or now?
00:24:16Now, DG, I saw that way.
00:24:18But in the fight, I saw the referee seems to be confused.
00:24:23There's a situation now in the ring where the referee is more concerned about putting that mic on.
00:24:29And it's dangling down for him.
00:24:31And it's a bad situation.
00:24:34Meanwhile, he is back.
00:24:37And the fight goes on.
00:24:38That was a potentially bad situation, as you mentioned, Arthur.
00:24:41And there's a good right hand that scores and snaps the head of Santos' back.
00:24:56Benitez has been very patient and yet seeming very much in control at this juncture in the fight.
00:25:01Benitez is trying to cut the ring off now and trap him in the rope.
00:25:10Another good right hand lead by Benitez.
00:25:12He just hasn't been able to come back in combination.
00:25:14That's changed.
00:25:15And Benitez gets the best of that.
00:25:17And Santos backs off.
00:25:18That might have hurt Santos a little bit.
00:25:23Neither man is marked.
00:25:24We're in the seventh round.
00:25:25Left hand by Santos.
00:25:42Raises on the chin of the champion.
00:25:45Benitez now is back to the ropes.
00:25:49Santos looks very much like a European fighter.
00:25:51He's always backtracking and he's just a little too respectful of Benitez.
00:25:57Well, and in fact, he did fight for a couple of years in Milan.
00:26:01Well, that's probably it.
00:26:02He's learned that Italian style of that European style of boxing.
00:26:14And Benitez still stalks him and missed with about four punches there.
00:26:17And there's a right hand to the head by the champion.
00:26:25Neither man has really been hurt.
00:26:27And that would include the alleged knockdown in the last round.
00:26:34I personally feel that Benitez is more effective with his other style of boxing.
00:26:39Side to side, piston-like motions.
00:26:41He seems to be coming down too flat-footed now.
00:26:46And in fact, has been flat-footed since the beginning of the fight.
00:26:50He's trying to keep Santos in the middle of the ring, which is out of character for him.
00:26:58Santos is a very good defensive fighter, I'll say that.
00:27:01But you can't win fights on the defense all the time.
00:27:07You've got to be the aggressor.
00:27:08Santos hasn't embarrassed himself, but it just seems he just doesn't have the horses to beat Wilfred Benitez.
00:27:15By the same token, Benitez has been able to get one punch in, but has not been able to come back behind that punch.
00:27:19Roberto Duran certainly must be encouraged by what he sees here tonight.
00:27:27He doesn't see Benitez having any fire in his eyes or coming out of his nostrils or anything.
00:27:33Let's listen to his corner, Jose.
00:27:35Okay.
00:27:49You know, Larry, I have to harken back to the Larry Bonds-Sugar Ray Leonard fight that we saw in the same kind of incident where Leonard didn't look like Sugar Ray Leonard, but just because of his style.
00:28:18Well, right now, Santos is fighting like what they used to call a stink-out artist.
00:28:24He's not in there to win.
00:28:26He's in there to live.
00:28:30Well, he has done that.
00:28:31One out of two, that ain't bad.
00:28:41I personally feel that Benitez can do it at any time, and when he decides that he wants to do it, he can do it.
00:28:48The only thing that does jump out of me is the fact that Benitez has not been able to come back behind his punches.
00:28:57He hasn't been able to punch in combination.
00:29:00Santos tries to get Benitez in the corner, but when he does, he backs him back out.
00:29:04I think his corner ought to find out what's disturbing him with that supporter that he's wearing, because it seems to annoy him all the time.
00:29:15Now, he wants Benitez to come to him.
00:29:17He won't engage him.
00:29:20Now, the referee has admonished Santos to go in and fight.
00:29:24And then, Hernandez said to him, fight, fight.
00:29:28And that's exactly what Arthur McKinney was saying before.
00:29:31You've got to say, at some point, get it on.
00:29:37Benitez, you might have seen.
00:29:38There's a straight right hand in the face of Santos by the champion.
00:29:41And again, Benitez scoring with one punch, but then being unable to come back behind him.
00:29:48And Santos is wild with the right hand over the hand of the champion.
00:29:53There's no one who can bother way better than Benitez.
00:29:56Benitez has got one right hand in his chin that time.
00:29:58Benitez is back to the ropes, and Santos did wing him, and that was up on the back of the challenger thrown by Wilfred Benitez.
00:30:13What Benitez just did then, I feel that he can do with Will.
00:30:17But he just looks like he's getting a workout.
00:30:24And Benitez back against the ropes again.
00:30:26And now Santos seems to have caught fire.
00:30:32Another right hand scores on the champion.
00:30:34But Benitez just says, come on, give me your best shot, pal.
00:30:38And the best has not been enough so far for the challenger, Carlos Santos of Puerto Rico.
00:30:42Benitez has just changed the southpaw now.
00:30:45I found that with Benitez, if he gets slightly hurt, he changes the southpaw because he feels his power as his left hand.
00:30:51Benitez still with his back to the ropes.
00:30:53That's something Jose Torres talked about earlier.
00:30:55But he likes to fight like that, and it takes a lot of fight out of his opponent, his version of the rope-a-dope.
00:31:03Benitez is very happy that he's pushing him in the corner because Benitez wants to engage him.
00:31:07And he hasn't been able to do it all night.
00:31:10This is why he's sticking to that corner.
00:31:13Santos still being cautious, not wanting to take any chances, having a respect for the champion.
00:31:18Benitez stays in the corner and the brown days.
00:31:20Benitez looks a little disgusted.
00:31:24Well, and I think he should be.
00:31:25One of the things we're definitely seeing here is how uncomfortable Benitez is when he is forced to lead.
00:31:33He only wants to counterpunch.
00:31:35He goes against the ropes in the hopes of encouraging his opponent to come to him.
00:31:40But as a champion, he ought to be able to have some of the versatility to go to his opponent.
00:31:46He is absolutely unwilling to press the attack for more than one punch.
00:31:51I think he's unwilling because he feels very uncomfortable.
00:31:55Every time he makes a move, Santos moves back in an awkward situation.
00:31:59Because Santos, fighting southpaw, he's moving to the right.
00:32:04And it's very uncomfortable for Benitez to follow through.
00:32:11They are a little concerned in the corner of Benitez, telling him to rest.
00:32:16And oddly enough, after what I've said, Santos had the best of that exchange in the corner.
00:32:23Of course he did.
00:32:26But not by much.
00:32:27So we go to the ninth round here.
00:32:29And once again, it is not particularly a crowd pleaser.
00:32:32But the challenger is still there.
00:32:40Again, Santos content to stay at long range and get up on his bicycle.
00:32:48Benitez tries to press it with the left hand.
00:32:50Santos bounces off the ropes.
00:32:51He is very quick.
00:32:52I feel Benitez is going to get started now, though.
00:33:05He's going to have to.
00:33:07He's been in college.
00:33:08Now that he's losing the fight, I don't mean it that way, but...
00:33:10He'll be losing fans.
00:33:12He's been in college by his corner to press the fight, to press it more, to put more pressure
00:33:18on Santos.
00:33:19They are screaming at him in his palace.
00:33:24And Benitez does try to do that.
00:33:26Now he gets Santos in the ropes, but Santos jumps right out of there again.
00:33:29Now he's definitely a European fighter.
00:33:32There's no question about that.
00:33:34Back in the corner again, and Santos gets the better of that exchange.
00:33:37But again, no damage.
00:33:38Santos right back at him again.
00:33:41And when I say that, Barry, about European fighters, I don't mean to discourage him.
00:33:45The defensive fighters, they're good fighters, but they're on a defensive line.
00:33:48And it's pretty tough to win a fight, obviously, even more so as a challenger.
00:33:55Again, Santos snucks in with one punch and gets out.
00:33:58Well, that's his best punch.
00:33:59Now, left hook uppercut is his very best punch.
00:34:02He doesn't throw a jab right at all.
00:34:04He doesn't throw a left cross.
00:34:06It's a hook combination.
00:34:08Neither man has really been hurt here, even though there was a knockdown back by the champion
00:34:13on the challenger.
00:34:14But look to all of us, more of a push than a knockdown.
00:34:28And Benitez stalks him and finally gets him, but misses two wild punches.
00:34:32There's a left in the stomach.
00:34:33Pretty good punch by Santos that time that backs Benitez away.
00:34:39Santos does seem to at least come out even in those exchanges in the corner.
00:34:42I've never seen Benitez fight this way with such a wide stance.
00:34:47His stance is a very, very wide stance.
00:34:50And he's going to have his opponent come in for that style to be effective.
00:34:54Again, Benitez stands in the corner back to the ring post.
00:34:58Takes a left hand from Santos.
00:34:59Stays right in there once again.
00:35:02Santos tries to measure it.
00:35:03Tries to measure it.
00:35:04Flicks the jab.
00:35:05Misses with two.
00:35:06Misses with a left hand.
00:35:07And out of all those punches, he didn't score with one.
00:35:10And he scores with a combination there.
00:35:12A right hand and a left hand right back.
00:35:13And now Benitez gets out of there.
00:35:15Santos chases it.
00:35:16Benitez turns Santos around.
00:35:18And he comes away.
00:35:19A right hand with a hand by the champion at the bell.
00:35:21Well, we have to say this much for Santos.
00:35:30He's never gone.
00:35:35Tonight's presentations of hopscotch on the East Coast and Central Regions
00:35:38and Rump Cut on the West Coast and Mountain Regions
00:35:40will begin immediately following the conclusion of tonight's championship boxing coverage.
00:35:44Both of those movies, of course, will be seen in their entirety.
00:35:48As I was saying when I was so nicely interrupted,
00:35:54that was the ninth round and it was...
00:35:58Santos showed that the distance certainly hasn't bothered him at all
00:36:02and there's no reason it should have since both of them have crammed about a round and a half of action
00:36:08into the ninth round so far.
00:36:10How have you roughly scored the fight so far, Larry?
00:36:13How do you see it?
00:36:13I have Benitez ahead about five rounds to four.
00:36:19Second is a half.
00:36:20So it's still a contest.
00:36:2210th round.
00:36:23Santos maybe getting his confidence a little bit here.
00:36:27He got hit with a good shot at the end of the round.
00:36:30Last punch of the fight that right hand by Benitez was a good punch.
00:36:33Well, Santos really fighting a smart fight.
00:36:39As we mentioned, it's not a crowd-pleasing fight.
00:36:41It's not the kind of fight that's going to win you a lot of fans.
00:36:44But purely from an aesthetic sense, it's a smart fight.
00:36:48It seems strange that Santos, the only time he will engage Benitez
00:36:52is when Benitez stands in the corner and he does come in.
00:36:54So it would be wise if Benitez to do that, stay in the ropes, in the corner, and lead the attack.
00:37:00Looking left-hand scoring that time by Santos.
00:37:09So Santos getting a lot of balance there.
00:37:11It's one of the few times in the fight he has been.
00:37:13Santos gets out of there once again.
00:37:20Santos is very quick and has not been hurt, maybe for that very reason.
00:37:26I really can't give much credit to a player, though, who fights defensively.
00:37:30He's on the run all the time.
00:37:32He has to be at least aggressive at some time during the run.
00:37:40That was a good thing.
00:37:41He was on the defense, but threw a good jab and scored.
00:37:45While the other caller was aggressive, Benitez.
00:37:48Benitez, I'm questionably, the harder puncher,
00:37:50but Santos really is scoring more effectively than Benitez.
00:38:01Neither man is really marked.
00:38:04We're in the tenth round.
00:38:08Santos looks like a more confident fighter right now.
00:38:10He's very quick.
00:38:12No question about it.
00:38:15That was a good jab.
00:38:16He's got a long reach, an 84-inch reach.
00:38:18Came with a left-hand with stomach also behind that jab.
00:38:23Benitez is starting to think that he's in a fight here.
00:38:26Yeah!
00:38:26Yeah!
00:38:26Yeah!
00:38:27Yeah!
00:38:28Yeah!
00:38:28Yeah!
00:38:29Yeah!
00:38:29Yeah!
00:38:30Yeah!
00:38:30Yeah!
00:38:31That's where Santos is using the jab more effectively in this round than he has
00:38:34and is punching to the body with some effectiveness.
00:38:36He's a nut down, catching the champion on the side of the head.
00:38:40And again, Benitez goes into the corner.
00:38:42That's where Santos has done the most damage.
00:38:44Benitez is starting to come alive, and I can't help but wonder if the crowd might be sensing upset here.
00:39:00Benitez is starting to come alive, and I can't help but wonder if the crowd might be sensing upset here.
00:39:05Well, I think Santos is becoming alive.
00:39:08His confidence has definitely grown.
00:39:10He's using his jab better.
00:39:11He's growing to the stomach pretty well.
00:39:12Scores in the left hand of the head against the champion.
00:39:16The champion a little red around the nose right now.
00:39:19Well, after the 10th round, I have this fight scored dead even, and there is a worried look along with a spot of red under the nose of Benitez, and he is getting aggravated.
00:39:35This round was Santos' best round.
00:39:39I mean, he hit Benitez with clean shots.
00:39:42I still don't think that Benitez is that worried.
00:39:44I don't think he's that worried.
00:39:45Well, he may find himself in about the 16th round here soon, and he won't be worried, but he may be without a title if he doesn't wake up.
00:40:03Santos' corner says fight exactly the way you're fighting.
00:40:07You're fighting a perfect fight.
00:40:08Do not change.
00:40:10Keep that same style.
00:40:12Keep boxing exactly the same way.
00:40:14That's the instruction that Santos is getting, and he's much more confident now.
00:40:19In the other corner, of course, they're more worried.
00:40:22Santos, the first one off his stool and into the center of the ring, and we're in round 11, and the champion seems to be getting a little bit more aggressive here, and with that, perhaps, a little bit more concerned.
00:40:31Toward the end of that round, there was a little bit of blood showing from the nose of Wilfred Benitez.
00:40:41Like the way Santos was hit then with two rights and came up smiling.
00:40:50Benitez might have pressed the fight a little bit more now, but Santos still staying with him pretty well, doing what he has to do.
00:40:56And that is when you take a punch, get out of it.
00:41:02And the crowd has really come alive here.
00:41:07The crowd is definitely in favor of Santos.
00:41:10They're all screaming Santos.
00:41:11And that has changed greatly since the opening introductions.
00:41:14As you heard, a left hand snapped ahead of Benitez, backed by Santos.
00:41:21Every time they exchange, Santos is coming away, the better.
00:41:32Santos still on his toes, still being somewhat cautious, but I would prefer to think of that as careful rather than cautious.
00:41:38Benitez keeps blinking his eyes as though, you know, the salt and the perspiration of the perspiration is entering his eyes, plus a couple of punches.
00:41:49Benitez is trying to press the fight a little bit more, but is being more careless than he was in the early rounds also.
00:41:57And Santos may now be thinking that Benitez can't hurt him.
00:42:03Santos has gained a lot of confidence in this last two rounds.
00:42:06And there's a right hand that hooks Santos to the left hand also.
00:42:12Santos smiles and says no, but the legs buckled a little bit with that right hand by Benitez.
00:42:19And a right hand misses that time, and so does the left by Benitez.
00:42:23First time either man has been hurt.
00:42:27Benitez is putting everything now into both the left and right.
00:42:33Santos' legs do seem to be back under him now, but they did walk.
00:42:36And a left hand by Santos, downstairs on the champion, Wilfred Benitez.
00:42:52And Santos' corner is saying get the punches up.
00:42:55A left hand clicks off the nose that time, and the challenger thrown by Wilfred Benitez.
00:43:00And a right hand goes, and the right hand goes, and the right hand goes, and the right hand goes, and Santos is in trouble.
00:43:11Tries to get out of there, tries to get back in the middle of the ring.
00:43:13Now the legs don't have any snap in them.
00:43:16That's the first indication of a fighter when the legs go.
00:43:20See the way he turned to the corner?
00:43:21We'll take a look at some of those flurries, and Santos definitely went back to his corner with rubber legs.
00:43:34That first flurry, Santos went away smiling, but the second flurry put a different look on his face altogether.
00:43:46I think it's very, very hard for Santos to recover because I think that now Wilfred is sure.
00:43:55There it is, a right that is just high on the head, and a right that came straight through.
00:44:05This is the first time that Santos has permitted himself to be in the corner.
00:44:10This is the 11th round.
00:44:11Perhaps he was a little bit tired, or perhaps he got a little cocky himself at his success of the previous few rounds.
00:44:19Now the legs will tell a story.
00:44:21And they do not seem to have quite the snap that they did have.
00:44:25Benitez goes right after him as if to say enough of this.
00:44:28And a right hand, and both men throwing nothing but punches here.
00:44:32Neither man doing a lot of damage right now.
00:44:35After all that, there was very little damage done.
00:44:40Very little damage done in that exchange, although it was a great exchange, at least for the purpose of being crowd-pleasing.
00:44:46I believe being hurt, Santos is being hurt, has given him a little life.
00:44:53He didn't get hits out of this, it likes a change.
00:44:57That's what happened.
00:44:59You should not take no chances on Benitez.
00:45:01Santos, for the most part now, is flat-footed also.
00:45:03He gets up on his toes on occasion, but he is more of a flat-footed fighter now than he has been throughout the fight.
00:45:09And Benitez stalks it, and the crowd picks up the rhythm of Benitez stalking the challenger, Santos.
00:45:15Santos' legs are rubbery even now, and he hasn't been hit.
00:45:22The starch is gone.
00:45:28He's not retreating as much as he did, though.
00:45:30He wants to fight, he wants to engage.
00:45:33The big feel of it is the last gasp here.
00:45:35Benitez!
00:45:41Benitez still the patient fighter now.
00:45:44Benitez seems to be back in control after having lost it through the tenth and part of the eleventh round.
00:45:52Benitez is looking for one punch now.
00:45:58Santos has lost a lot of the steam.
00:45:59That's not so much in his hands, but certainly in his leg.
00:46:05It looks like to me, since the cobwebs are now out of Santos' head,
00:46:11he now seems he's going back to his other style.
00:46:14Takes a right hand right on the button once again from the champion, Benitez.
00:46:18That one did not seem to sting as much as the ones at the end of the last round.
00:46:21Santos, a looping left hand misses.
00:46:25That's a dangerous thing to do, because if Benitez comes across with his powerful right,
00:46:29that'll be the end.
00:46:35Remember, this is already four rounds further than Santos has ever fought.
00:46:45He's never gone more than eight.
00:46:50And here he is now, coming down to the end of round 12.
00:47:01Neither man is marked.
00:47:02The redness around the nose of Benitez has disappeared.
00:47:07That Santos is really tricky, though.
00:47:09He moves to the left and right.
00:47:11Quick left hand slowed him up a little bit right there.
00:47:18And we come to the end of round 12.
00:47:22I want to remind you once again that tonight's presentations of hopscotch on the east coast
00:47:25and central regions and rough cut out on the west coast and in the mountain regions
00:47:28will, of course, begin following the conclusion of this super well-to-weight championship fight
00:47:32from here in Las Vegas.
00:47:33Both of those movies will be seen in their entirety.
00:47:42Benitez was peering across the ring,
00:47:45trying to see just what kind of trouble his opponent is in.
00:47:50We have to say this to Santos.
00:47:53For a fellow who has never fought a ranked fighter in his life,
00:47:56he's done pretty well against one of the best athletes in boxing.
00:48:01Here's the boxing of Flurry early in the round.
00:48:17Nothing of any consequence happening there,
00:48:20but it was almost as if Santos wanted to wake himself up
00:48:24from the previous round's troubles.
00:48:28We're in round 13 now,
00:48:30and the challenger,
00:48:32having done well to go this far,
00:48:33and really is about as good a fight, I would think, as he could fight.
00:48:38And it's not all lost yet.
00:48:43Santos seems to me that he's a little confused
00:48:46about whether he wants to remain a southpaw
00:48:48or off the docks.
00:48:50He seems to be dead center.
00:48:51Took a pretty good right hand there
00:48:52and now fights his way off the ropes.
00:48:54But he's got to get out.
00:48:55There's a left hand right to the button
00:48:56and what's more the legs of Santos left.
00:48:58And yet another left hand.
00:48:59But Santos gets out,
00:49:00takes a right hand to the top of the head
00:49:02by the champion.
00:49:05Santos takes a pretty good punch.
00:49:07That was a good right hand,
00:49:08but he just threw right to the head.
00:49:10And set up with a couple of pretty good lefts
00:49:11when he had him against the ropes.
00:49:17Santos does not see,
00:49:18hurt.
00:49:23I think that Benitez is still trying
00:49:24to knock this guy out with one punch.
00:49:26That's right.
00:49:30He might be able to do it.
00:49:33He certainly did it against Maurice Hope,
00:49:35just a crashing right hand.
00:49:37That came to the 12th round.
00:49:38And now he's in 13 against Carlos Santos.
00:49:40Once more, gets him on the ropes,
00:49:42bangs away to the body.
00:49:43Not much damage there.
00:49:44It seems to me that Benitez ought to just,
00:50:06just change his style and become a little more aggressive.
00:50:09He seems to be holding back.
00:50:11Waits for Santos to get on the ropes.
00:50:13Banging away to the body now of Santos.
00:50:15Santos comes off the ropes.
00:50:17There's his right hand over the top of the head of Santos.
00:50:19He's just ducked under that.
00:50:26Benitez can't get set with that right
00:50:28because the guy's too looser.
00:50:32I'm awkwardly soft.
00:50:34He's very awkward.
00:50:35He moves too much to his left.
00:50:40Santos again.
00:50:42Now back flat-footed.
00:50:45Benitez waiting to try to get him into the ropes.
00:50:47That's where he's done the most damage.
00:50:49Santos clicks out a right-hand jab
00:50:51and then gets Benitez off in for a moment.
00:50:52The crowd starts to boo a little bit here again.
00:50:57Santos misses a right hand,
00:50:58just coming up a little bit short
00:50:59to the cheek of the champion.
00:51:01Santos is moving in the wrong direction.
00:51:03He should be going the other way with a right hander.
00:51:05He's going to go right into it.
00:51:08Now it's Benitez on the ropes.
00:51:10And he will likely try to turn Santos around
00:51:12if Santos comes after him, but he doesn't.
00:51:14In that round, it seemed to me, Jose,
00:51:33that Benitez has virtually agreed
00:51:36that this is going to be a 15-round fight.
00:51:40He just doesn't want to extend himself.
00:51:44He had a few opportunities
00:51:45to get on top of Santos, and he backed off.
00:51:49I think also that he still finds Santos awkward.
00:52:03He said, his father says
00:52:06that he doesn't wait for him to move out.
00:52:09He wants him to press in
00:52:11and keep himself inside,
00:52:14punch him to the body,
00:52:15not to step out, not to box.
00:52:18Which is what we were just saying,
00:52:19that every time he gets on top of him,
00:52:21he backs off.
00:52:22Exactly.
00:52:25So it comes to round 14 now here in Las Vegas.
00:52:28Benitez must feel that Santos can punch also,
00:52:51because maybe this is the reason
00:52:52why he's not coming in fearlessly
00:52:54like he should be.
00:52:56Santos has snapped his head back
00:52:58on a couple of occasions,
00:52:59but that has not happened since the 10th round.
00:53:09Santos is running out of rounds,
00:53:11running out of time.
00:53:12That was the right hand
00:53:20that didn't have anything in it
00:53:21and really caught Benitez,
00:53:23but it just didn't have any steam behind it.
00:53:25Benitez now looking to sneak a punch.
00:53:27That's what he's doing.
00:53:28Watch it.
00:53:29He's taking a sneak a punch.
00:53:30That was another right hand
00:53:31that caught Benitez,
00:53:32but it just did not have the power
00:53:34that it might have had earlier.
00:53:39Benitez even bait to Santos
00:53:41Benitez just can't get that right in closer
00:53:58because the guy moves very well.
00:54:05Santos again gets off the ropes.
00:54:09And it is on the ropes
00:54:10that Benitez has been able
00:54:11to do the most damage.
00:54:21He's confused, Benitez.
00:54:23You can see his eyes
00:54:24that he's confused.
00:54:25I'm speaking to not get on the run punch
00:54:27because he's confused.
00:54:29Santos really pressing the action
00:54:31a little bit in this round,
00:54:32but he just,
00:54:33even though he scored with punches,
00:54:34they did not seem to have
00:54:36what they had on,
00:54:37what they had on them earlier
00:54:38in the fight.
00:54:38Again, Santos gets the better of the exchange,
00:54:49but with little effect.
00:54:52Benitez seems to want to just end him
00:54:54with one punch.
00:54:56And he really can't do that.
00:54:57He has to have a series of punches.
00:55:02Benitez's mouth face just dropped
00:55:03and Benitez just picked it up.
00:55:05Almost spit it out, though, really.
00:55:06It wasn't a hit out.
00:55:08It's a sign of getting a little uncomfortable,
00:55:11a little tired.
00:55:16And again, Santos scores
00:55:17right to the head,
00:55:18but once again,
00:55:19the punches just didn't seem
00:55:20to have the zip anymore.
00:55:21This is Carlos Santos.
00:55:39He's now gone almost twice as far
00:55:41as he's ever fought before in his life.
00:55:44And this is always an interesting point,
00:55:45Jose in a fight.
00:55:47He has to know that he's behind.
00:55:51Will he come out
00:55:52and stand flat-footed
00:55:53and punch with Benitez?
00:55:56Or will he be satisfied
00:55:57to go 15 rounds?
00:55:58If this fight were being held
00:56:09in Puerto Rico,
00:56:10how would the fans react?
00:56:12If we get into the green,
00:56:13they make them fight.
00:56:17So our consensus is
00:56:18that he's got a punch, right?
00:56:20Yes.
00:56:23So Carlos Santos
00:56:25with three more minutes
00:56:26to try to do something
00:56:26about getting the Super Welderweight Championship
00:56:28from the shoulders
00:56:30of Wilfred Benitez.
00:56:41He took a right hand there
00:56:42and another left
00:56:43and once again,
00:56:44the legs are wobbly
00:56:45on Carlos Santos.
00:56:46A whistling right hand misses.
00:56:48Santos stays in there
00:56:49and punches,
00:56:50takes another right hand.
00:56:51He doesn't have much left.
00:56:54Seems when Santos is hurt,
00:56:56he comes in.
00:56:56Santos does not have much
00:57:01in the legs
00:57:02any longer here.
00:57:04And I would have to think
00:57:05at this juncture
00:57:05that Benitez might be able
00:57:06to put him away
00:57:07with one punch.
00:57:11I don't think that Benitez
00:57:12is feeling too fresh
00:57:13himself.
00:57:14I think he's feeling
00:57:15his tiredness.
00:57:16He's getting...
00:57:17He's also tired.
00:57:18Santos took a pretty good shot
00:57:25from Benitez
00:57:25to start this round.
00:57:29The crowd booing
00:57:30I think not so much
00:57:31at Santos
00:57:31but at Benitez
00:57:32for not coming after him
00:57:33and not putting him away.
00:57:34He has a very bothersome style
00:57:43at Santos.
00:57:44He's annoying any fighter.
00:57:46And he does have an ability
00:57:48to make you look bad
00:57:49and he has done that
00:57:50with Wilfred Benitez
00:57:50on occasion here tonight.
00:57:52Well, but he makes
00:57:53a very boring fight
00:57:54because he's not aggressive
00:57:55at all.
00:57:55He just seems to be happy
00:57:57to stay and go to distance.
00:58:02Benitez starts to come after him
00:58:04and there's a right-hand
00:58:04right on the top
00:58:05of the head
00:58:05of the challenger
00:58:07Carlos Santos once again.
00:58:11Santos does not have
00:58:12on his hip
00:58:13but does score
00:58:13with the left-hand
00:58:14on the side
00:58:14of the head
00:58:15of the champion.
00:58:17Benitez is quite surprised
00:58:18that he stays there
00:58:19toe-to-toe with him
00:58:20and he really comes back well.
00:58:23Too bad he didn't do that earlier.
00:58:25In a case of
00:58:26too little too late
00:58:27as Santos again
00:58:28scores on the champion.
00:58:32Now Santos wants to score
00:58:33the one-punch knockout.
00:58:35Which he would almost
00:58:36have to do.
00:58:36There's a little swelling
00:58:37on the cheek
00:58:38of Wilfred Benitez
00:58:39but nothing to worry about
00:58:42at this juncture
00:58:42with a fight.
00:58:46You can't understand
00:58:47why Benitez
00:58:48is not going in there
00:58:49and finishing
00:58:50fast and furiously.
00:58:56Inside the 30-second mark
00:58:57as you see
00:58:58it's 20 seconds remaining
00:58:59in a fight.
00:59:00Benitez is pounding
00:59:01on Santos.
00:59:02And scores.
00:59:03Benitez is off the ropes.
00:59:05Bounces back,
00:59:06tries to do what he can.
00:59:10Benitez is giving
00:59:11everything that he has
00:59:12mustering up
00:59:13all the strength he can
00:59:14and just can't seem
00:59:15to do it.
00:59:15And so the challenger
00:59:17Carlos Santos does go
00:59:19the 15 rounds
00:59:20and the crowd booms
00:59:21and as I mentioned
00:59:22I believe really
00:59:23that they're booing
00:59:23Benitez's inability
00:59:25to put his man away
00:59:26rather than the effort
00:59:28that the challenger put up.
00:59:29It was a game effort
00:59:30I think Arthur
00:59:30on the part of
00:59:31Carlos Santos.
00:59:32Yes, but it seemed like
00:59:34during the whole fight
00:59:35he just was satisfied
00:59:36to stay in there
00:59:37with the champ
00:59:37and if he had done
00:59:39more what he did
00:59:39in the latter rounds
00:59:40he would have been
00:59:41better off
00:59:41would have been
00:59:41a more interesting fight
00:59:42for all of us
00:59:43and for the fans
00:59:44and he might have
00:59:45even done better
00:59:46because he seems
00:59:46like he takes
00:59:47a pretty good shot.
00:59:48So you would have
00:59:49to think that the verdict
00:59:50will go to
00:59:51Wilfred Benitez
00:59:51but what does that mean
00:59:52would you say
00:59:53for somebody like
00:59:53Carlos Santos now?
00:59:54He showed fairly well.
00:59:56Well, he'll still be ranked
00:59:57there's no question
00:59:57about that.
00:59:58I mean, he's a good fighter.
01:00:02How did you see
01:00:02it for a story
01:00:03to find your long life?
01:00:04I had a 9-6.
01:00:06I would say that Benitez
01:00:08got the better of it.
01:00:11When you summarize
01:00:12the fight in total
01:00:13Benitez really
01:00:14won the fight handily.
01:00:16And yet there was a time
01:00:17that you could start
01:00:18to see the worm
01:00:19turn just a little bit.
01:00:21When Santos did get
01:00:21a couple of good punches
01:00:22into the 10th round
01:00:23his confidence did soar.
01:00:24Yes, true, but Barry
01:00:25you can't win
01:00:26fights retreating.
01:00:27You can't win fights
01:00:28being on the defense.
01:00:29You've got to make a fight.
01:00:30You've got to be
01:00:30the aggressor sometimes.
01:00:32When you're getting tired
01:00:33and you want to rest
01:00:34then you're a defensive fighter.
01:00:36And we have a little
01:00:37altercation going on
01:00:38in the ring between
01:00:38a couple of the handlers
01:00:39of these two men.
01:00:41Had nothing to do
01:00:42with the two fighters
01:00:43but two of the handlers
01:00:44got into it.
01:00:45It seems like it's
01:00:45Benitez's father
01:00:46and one of the handlers
01:00:47in the other camp
01:00:48in Santos' camp.
01:00:50Gregorio Benitez
01:00:50of course who used to be
01:00:51the manager
01:00:52and is still the trainer
01:00:53of the champion
01:00:54Wilfred Benitez
01:00:55and now cooler heads
01:00:56start to prevail
01:00:58and they all back off
01:01:00and the only people
01:01:01not involved
01:01:02were the two fighters
01:01:03who probably couldn't
01:01:04have done anything
01:01:04about knocking out
01:01:05even Gregorio Benitez
01:01:06at this juncture.
01:01:07there's Jim Jacobs
01:01:08wearing that stylish cap.
01:01:11He is the manager
01:01:12of Benitez.
01:01:14So we're awaiting
01:01:15the official decision
01:01:16although most of the people
01:01:18here do not feel
01:01:18that the decision
01:01:19is in any great doubt.
01:01:20It's only a question
01:01:21of by how much.
01:01:25Wilfred Benitez
01:01:26looking only at times
01:01:28the part of the awesome
01:01:29champion that he looked
01:01:30to be when he defeated
01:01:31Maurice Hope
01:01:32for the junior
01:01:33welterweight title
01:01:34earlier this year
01:01:37and he had that
01:01:39awesome right hand
01:01:40which put Hope down
01:01:40although Hope
01:01:41had extended himself
01:01:42pretty well
01:01:43early in that fight
01:01:45and tonight
01:01:46he got
01:01:46an untested challenger
01:01:48at Carlos Santos.
01:01:49Really he was
01:01:50an unknown quantity.
01:01:51We didn't know
01:01:51what he had
01:01:51coming into the fight.
01:01:53Benitez has to be
01:01:54a little disappointed
01:01:54in himself tonight
01:01:55because he's a greater
01:01:56fighter than he showed
01:01:57tonight.
01:01:57He changed his style
01:01:58entirely and I don't
01:01:59understand why.
01:02:00I said this before
01:02:01I think he was a more
01:02:02effective fighter
01:02:03when he went side to side
01:02:04piston like motions
01:02:05keep on the move.
01:02:07This settling down
01:02:08into a wide stance
01:02:10seemed to destroy
01:02:11his power.
01:02:12If he had shortened
01:02:13up his stance
01:02:14as the other fellow
01:02:14getting close
01:02:15but he never did
01:02:16getting close
01:02:16he could have had
01:02:17more power.
01:02:19Let's look ahead
01:02:20for just a moment
01:02:21Arthur and look ahead
01:02:22to Wilfred Benitez
01:02:24fighting Roberto Duran
01:02:25which we'll be seeing
01:02:26incidentally right here
01:02:27on HBO
01:02:28January 30th.
01:02:29What is he going
01:02:29to have to do?
01:02:30I'll let you answer
01:02:31that as soon as we finish
01:02:32well.
01:02:32Let's get the official
01:02:33decision.
01:02:33It is unanimous
01:02:35and I will read
01:02:36the point totals.
01:02:38Ladies and gentlemen
01:02:39Paul Smith
01:02:40judging at ringside
01:02:41sees it 147-138.
01:02:44Dave Moretti
01:02:46judging at ringside
01:02:47145-139.
01:02:49Hal Miller
01:02:50sees it 145-140.
01:02:53A unanimous decision
01:02:54in favor of the winner
01:02:56and still
01:02:58the super runaway
01:03:01WFBC champion
01:03:02of the world
01:03:03Wilfred Benitez.
01:03:08Well certainly not
01:03:09a surprising decision
01:03:10and that is just about
01:03:11the margin that you
01:03:12had set Arthur
01:03:12just about the way
01:03:13you saw the fight.
01:03:14It seemed to me
01:03:16at the end of the fight
01:03:17here Benitez
01:03:18is doing more exercise
01:03:19after the fight
01:03:19than he was doing
01:03:20during the fight
01:03:20jumping around
01:03:21and almost doing
01:03:22handstands.
01:03:23It's a lot quicker
01:03:23I'll say that.
01:03:25Larry Merchant is in the ring
01:03:26and we'll be talking
01:03:26with Wilfred Benitez
01:03:27the champion
01:03:28in just a moment.
01:03:28No one was cut
01:03:33they're both
01:03:34very clean looking
01:03:35both men
01:03:35very clean looking
01:03:36and Benitez now
01:03:37of course
01:03:37is going to have
01:03:38to get ready
01:03:38for Durant
01:03:39in something
01:03:39of a hurry
01:03:41and I believe
01:03:44right now
01:03:45Larry Merchant
01:03:46is ready
01:03:46with Wilfred Benitez
01:03:47so let's go up
01:03:48to the ring
01:03:48at Larry Merchant.
01:03:49Benitez
01:03:49Wilfred
01:03:50why was he
01:03:52so difficult
01:03:52for you to fight?
01:03:54Listen
01:03:55he's a Puerto Rican
01:03:57and a Puerto Rican
01:03:59to fight
01:04:00has to
01:04:02a Puerto Rican
01:04:04to fight
01:04:05with the champion
01:04:06is better
01:04:08than you
01:04:08because
01:04:09all the Puerto Rican
01:04:12fighters
01:04:12are very good
01:04:13you saw him
01:04:14he was up out
01:04:16too
01:04:16and
01:04:18he fight me
01:04:19right hand
01:04:19left hand
01:04:20I know how good
01:04:21it is
01:04:23it is
01:04:23he is
01:04:25and
01:04:26you saw the fight
01:04:28I made my
01:04:30best work
01:04:31for
01:04:31for
01:04:32this fight
01:04:33I was training
01:04:35only
01:04:35I trained for this fight
01:04:37when I came here
01:04:38when the
01:04:39when I
01:04:40when the fight
01:04:42supposed
01:04:43to become
01:04:45on September
01:04:46the 5th
01:04:47I didn't train
01:04:48so much
01:04:49because
01:04:50he
01:04:51had injuries
01:04:53in his fingers
01:04:54and he
01:04:54and I get mad
01:04:55you know
01:04:56and
01:04:57that's what
01:04:58I felt like
01:04:59the fight
01:04:59but
01:05:00I don't care
01:05:01my hands
01:05:02was very nice
01:05:04strong
01:05:05but I was
01:05:06keeping it
01:05:07I was
01:05:07I was
01:05:08needing
01:05:08the 15th round
01:05:10are you unhappy
01:05:11with the way
01:05:12you fought
01:05:12tonight
01:05:13yes
01:05:13I'm happy
01:05:14I don't care
01:05:15if the people
01:05:17don't like it
01:05:18but next time
01:05:18I hope
01:05:19so you know
01:05:20that the next time
01:05:21I will make it better
01:05:22than
01:05:23the fans
01:05:24boxing fans
01:05:25what about
01:05:27what are your thoughts
01:05:28now about
01:05:29fighting
01:05:29Duran
01:05:30in January
01:05:32what are you
01:05:32thinking about
01:05:33that fight
01:05:33now
01:05:34let me
01:05:34complete the sentence
01:05:36next time
01:05:37I will make it better
01:05:38so again
01:05:39Roberto Duran
01:05:40I will continue
01:05:41training
01:05:42and I know
01:05:43that I can
01:05:44beat him easy
01:05:44just I need
01:05:45train
01:05:47to train
01:05:48just to train
01:05:48I am in condition
01:05:50now
01:05:51I can fight
01:05:51Duran now
01:05:52thank you very much
01:05:53Wilfred
01:05:53now back to ringside
01:05:55and
01:05:55okay
01:05:56thank you
01:05:57Wilfred Benitez
01:05:58he is the winner
01:05:58I am of course
01:05:59here
01:05:59Barry Tompkins
01:06:00along with
01:06:00Arthur McCanty
01:06:01and let me
01:06:01go back
01:06:02to the question
01:06:02I asked you
01:06:02a little bit
01:06:03earlier
01:06:03he says
01:06:04he was pleased
01:06:04with his
01:06:05performance
01:06:05tonight
01:06:05he's not
01:06:06going to have
01:06:06any trouble
01:06:06with Roberto
01:06:07Duran
01:06:07but you've
01:06:07been in there
01:06:08for a long
01:06:08time
01:06:09how do you
01:06:09see it
01:06:10Arthur
01:06:10well I also
01:06:11heard him
01:06:12say that he
01:06:12wasn't in
01:06:13very good
01:06:13shape
01:06:13in this
01:06:14fight
01:06:14but I'll
01:06:14tell you
01:06:14one thing
01:06:15Duran
01:06:15will be
01:06:15a far
01:06:16far
01:06:16better
01:06:16fight
01:06:17than
01:06:17this
01:06:17fight
01:06:17the trouble
01:06:18here
01:06:18tonight
01:06:19was that
01:06:19Santos
01:06:20was on
01:06:20the bicycle
01:06:21most of the
01:06:21night
01:06:22entirely
01:06:22too defensive
01:06:23and he
01:06:23couldn't
01:06:24make the
01:06:24fight
01:06:24Benitez
01:06:25has wanted
01:06:25a fight
01:06:26on the
01:06:26inside
01:06:26he wanted
01:06:27to gauge
01:06:27him
01:06:27but you
01:06:28will see
01:06:28a different
01:06:28fight
01:06:29with Duran
01:06:29because Duran
01:06:30will say
01:06:30they're toe
01:06:30to toe
01:06:31with him
01:06:31it'll be
01:06:32a great
01:06:32spectator
01:06:33fight
01:06:33so it
01:06:33wasn't
01:06:34so much
01:06:34the fact
01:06:34that
01:06:34Wilfred
01:06:35Benitez
01:06:35won this
01:06:36fight
01:06:36from Carlos
01:06:36Santos
01:06:37it might
01:06:37perhaps
01:06:38have been
01:06:38the fact
01:06:38that
01:06:38Carlos
01:06:39Santos
01:06:39lost
01:06:40this
01:06:40fight
01:06:40to
01:06:41Wilfred
01:06:41Benitez
01:06:41be sure
01:06:43to tune
01:06:44in next
01:06:44month
01:06:44for another
01:06:44exciting
01:06:45night
01:06:45of world
01:06:45championship
01:06:46boxing
01:06:46right here
01:06:47on HBO
01:06:47WBC
01:06:48featherweight
01:06:48champion
01:06:49Salvador
01:06:49Sanchez
01:06:50defends
01:06:50his crown
01:06:51against
01:06:51British
01:06:51featherweight
01:06:52champion
01:06:52Pat
01:06:53Cottle
01:06:53that's
01:06:53live
01:06:54Saturday
01:06:54December
01:06:5512th
01:06:5510 o'clock
01:06:56Eastern
01:06:569 o'clock
01:06:57Central
01:06:57and 7
01:06:58o'clock
01:06:58Pacific
01:06:59Time
01:07:00the executive
01:07:10producer
01:07:11of HBO
01:07:11Sports
01:07:12is Michael
01:07:12Pukes
01:07:13tonight's
01:07:13telecast
01:07:14was
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