Yes, Benitez was right up there too for a while. Maybe you're thinking of the fight he had with Sugar Ray Leonard in 1979, that's where he got the head butt (6th round). The ref stopped that fight with seconds left in the 15th round in favor of Leonard. I remember seeing that fight (but had to check the internet for some of this info.) It was kind of a fight where they were mirror images of each other... lots of defense. I remember being a little let down watching it, I thought it was going to be a real doozy but it wasn't near as good a fight as all that.
Benitez actually beat Duran when they fought in 1982 in Las Vegas, a unanimous decision. Benitez was only 18 when he won his first title against Antonio Cervantes!
(Benitez was ranked when he was 15!).
I read that Benitez is living back in Puerto Rico now, lives with his mom, subsists on a $200 a month pension from the World Boxing Council... and suffers from "an incurable, degenerative brain condition many believe was caused by the blows he took in the ring."
Plus since 2004 he's had diabetes. The fight 'game' is a very tough way to make a buck... unless you're a promoter, manager, etc. But for the fighters themselves... very, very tough on them over the long haul and they are easily exploited and cheated by all the sharks that surround them.