How Good Was Sugar Ray Leonard's Chin?

[GrandpaBernard]

Can someone tell me more about it?

[TheGreatA]

His durability was well-tested during his prime against the likes of Hearns and Duran. After he first retired, his punch resistance seemingly weakened, although this might have to do with fading reflexes and his inability to see the punches coming. He could still take a decent shot and had a lot of heart, but was caught off balance at times.


2:25

[Sugarj]

I rate Leonard's chin as excellent. For the first 15 years of his pro career it was up there with the very best.

For me it first showed signs of deterioration when he dropped down two weight divisions to light middleweight to face Terry Norris in what? 1991/92..........and it was near as dammit all gone by the time he faced Hector Camacho in 1997. There seems to be a pattern with chins deteriorating as older fighters lose too much weight to make fights. Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya are two recent examples which jump to mind.

But before then Leonard handled the best punches of Hearns, Benitez, Duran and Hagler. In the return with Hearns in 1989 he took some truely revolting head shots when being decked the second time, but was up quickly and soon firing back.

[Barn]

I rate Leonard's chin as excellent. For the first 15 years of his pro career it was up there with the very best.

For me it first showed signs of deterioration when he dropped down two weight divisions to light middleweight to face Terry Norris in what? 1991/92..........and it was near as dammit all gone by the time he faced Hector Camacho in 1997. There seems to be a pattern with chins deteriorating as older fighters lose too much weight to make fights. Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya are two recent examples which jump to mind.

But before then Leonard handled the best punches of Hearns, Benitez, Duran and Hagler. In the return with Hearns in 1989 he took some truely revolting head shots when being decked the second time, but was up quickly and soon firing back.

Good assessment. Much like Robinson, Leonard was both flashy and tough.

[Sugarj]

Good assessment. Much like Robinson, Leonard was both flashy and tough.

Yea, not much wrong with Mr Robinson's chin either.......

[Dynamite76]

77-82, Leonard had an excellent chin.After that, things went downhill.

[wmute]

Excellent!

[80schamps]

I rate Leonard's chin as excellent. For the first 15 years of his pro career it was up there with the very best.

For me it first showed signs of deterioration when he dropped down two weight divisions to light middleweight to face Terry Norris in what? 1991/92..........and it was near as dammit all gone by the time he faced Hector Camacho in 1997. There seems to be a pattern with chins deteriorating as older fighters lose too much weight to make fights. Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya are two recent examples which jump to mind.

But before then Leonard handled the best punches of Hearns, Benitez, Duran and Hagler. In the return with Hearns in 1989 he took some truely revolting head shots when being decked the second time, but was up quickly and soon firing back.

Ya have to really credit Hearns chin in the rematch

[Redd Foxx]

Deceptively strong. To look at the guy, you would never expect it. And, the way he stayed composed when he got tagged, you couldn't always tell when he was eating hard shots.

[Hitman Hodgson]

Leonard's chin is similar to the likes of De La Hoya and Hamed. You assume that they're not tough because they're pretty boys and seem to be more interested in being celebritys than fighters sometimes but when it comes down to it they were as tough as anybody in their divisions.

I still think Pryor would've stopped him though.