If Ray Leonard was boxing today....what kind of PPV numbers would he draw?

point is they both put themselves on the shelf... srl, came out of retirement briefly to fight kevin howard...the eye was fine before, and after the fight...howard put srl on the deck, srl came back and ko'd him, but went right back into retirement for another 2 years and went on an alcohol and coke binge...so i wouldn't put too much stock into that... during that time hagler was tearing thru middleweights and cementing himself as a draw in his own right, and srl was commentating most of his fights...i'd say srl took those years to get his confidence up while watching hagler deteriorate...the similarities are there nonetheless, and over time its become a strategy that floyd exercised because hey it works... You're compositely ignoring why he "put himself on the shelf" in the first place. The comparison isn't valid for the reasons previously stated. Leonard looking like utter sh*t against a clubfighter does little to support your argument. Those years of not training? Of not fighting? Of, by your own definition, on a binge of alcohol and cocaine - that's building your confidence up? :lol1:

LOL are you even serious? He was the greatest in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever....you think he wouldn't be the best now? LOL gtfo you piece of **** noob he's saying it would be hard to call ali the GOAT because of the opposition

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Oscar de la Hoya would reach 3 million PPV's. DLH-Floyd did 2.4 million buys. It's certainly possible that DLH-Leonard could do higher.

I think he would eclipse any other star. That warm smile. That slickness. Prizefighting for real. Dude would get 10 million buys in the US 10 million?Are you crazy?Just look Tyson's ppv

You assume that boxing was big / isn't popular without referring to that fact that it is basically because of the active stars at the time ! Boxing isn't big because it has Mayweather, Boxing was big because it had Ali and Tyson . If Mayweather was in 70s or 80s, he would be fighting in the shade I disagree. I think boxing has regressed in popularity due to increased competition from a billion other sources of entertainment. It would be much harder for SRL to make the same impact on the public consciousness today than it was when he was active.

LOL are you even serious? He was the greatest in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever....you think he wouldn't be the best now? LOL gtfo you piece of **** noob I think he's saying it would be hard to say Ali was the GOAT heavyweight if he fought today, due to the lack of opposition. edit: at least i think so, otherwise i agree, he's being retarded...

Youre crazy. Ali isnt made for modern day..he would definitely not be called "the greatest" if he were in this era, with this stable.. LOL are you even serious? He was the greatest in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever....you think he wouldn't be the best now? LOL gtfo you piece of **** noob

Leonard retired at a point after he had virtually cleared out the division, and did so for medical purposes (a detatched retina being a common career-ender back then.) Mayweather's reason for retiring wasn't even close to being that valid, and he did so at a time when there were clear threats in his division. point is they both put themselves on the shelf... srl, came out of retirement briefly to fight kevin howard...the eye was fine before, and after the fight...howard put srl on the deck, srl came back and ko'd him, but went right back into retirement for another 2 years and went on an alcohol and coke binge...so i wouldn't put too much stock into that... during that time hagler was tearing thru middleweights and cementing himself as a draw in his own right, and srl was commentating most of his fights...i'd say srl took those years to get his confidence up while watching hagler deteriorate...the similarities are there nonetheless, and over time its become a strategy that floyd exercised because hey it works...

How could he not? It's fairly easy. Like you said a Gold Medal in boxing isn't much these days. Boxing has a lot smaller fanbase. Also him beating all those ATGs wouldn't happen in this era, he'd fight them same fighters everyone else is. His personality doesn't resonate with the current culture like someone said it was sort of like Andre Ward but in his time that was more fitting for the culture. He'd be compared to people like Hagler, Hearns, and Duran and people would say he'd lose because those guys back then were just too good. You're thinking of SRL of that era somehow with all that placed in this...in this era he'd fight different opponents, in a different market, and different cultural values. I think he'd still do decently well though but he wouldn't be as big as he was then. He wouldn't get the TV exposure he had then either because it doesn't really exist in this era. Like I said think outside the box and how this forum generally treats boxers. Pretend his skill level is just what you see, and his resume of then didn't exist. He would simply not be the same person he is now...who do we have to compare to people like Hearns, Hagler, and Duran? Manny and Floyd...unless you want to come in earlier he'd be able to fight a young RJJ but then he'd wouldn't have been able to be around to fight Manny/Floyd. Think outside the box and tell me if you still feel the same way, if so tell me where I went wrong :boxing: I believe I took all that into account. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I felt Ray would fight, and beat, everyone of this time. That includes Pacquiao. If Mayweather is huge fighting whom he's fought, Leonard would very likely be even more successful. Given Ray's charisma, smarts, skill, style, winning ways, and willingness to fight everyone, he would triumph. Leonard wouldn't have to rely on the advantages he enjoyed in a past era.

Lol yeah he'd be a cash cow, but lets not get carried away here...if you thought fmj was a retiring/unretiring prima donna...Srl created the blueprint...srl put himself on the shelf about 5 yrs before he fought hagler...sat behind the mike and watched hagler fight war after war, until he felt safe to dip his toes in the pool...sound familiar? Lol... norris and Camacho were cherrypicks gone wrong...lol Leonard retired at a point after he had virtually cleared out the division, and did so for medical purposes (a detatched retina being a common career-ender back then.) Mayweather's reason for retiring wasn't even close to being that valid, and he did so at a time when there were clear threats in his division.

Ray would be a 1 mil PPV buy type of guy so IMO he would be a big draw.

He'd be the top money maker maybe...but the fact remains how WELL would he do? If he was undeniably better than Pac and Floyd they wouldn't be as big as they became, a lot has to do with the allure of them fighting each other or lack thereof. I don't think he'd be as big as people think, is the point im making, top money maker but I don't think he'd be at a Pac/Floyd current level. Floyd got there with his personality, Pac got there as Floyds rival and they've fed off that for years. The main point is he wouldn't be as big as those two currently are, nor would those two be as big as they are, at least in my opinion. I'm not discrediting him in any way, it's more im not buying into his almighty star power he would have in this era. I get your points. I agree in a way. But, Manny and Floyd became who they are now because of Oscar. Floyd, more so, because he REALLY sold himself to the audience during the 24/7s. Obviously, skill is involved here, and they're obviously the best of this generation, but I'm talking where their commerical success derives from. I'm just saying. Ray Leonard to me, would be Oscar level, and not Manny/Floyd level guys, pre Oscar.

This...not only this but SRL was a prize fighter. His calisthenic abilities were supreme. Look at the shot that put Mayweather Senior put down...it looked like Neptune's spear. Just beautiful aesthetically pleasing boxing 28:00 35:45 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQCVmXOOfoI

Tough question to answer. I can't see how he'd sell alot. Ray was an Olympic hero. Olympic boxing and boxing in general was huge in the late 1970's. Ray got exsposure then that simply isn't available now. He was clean cut, smiled, didn't talk alot, a real nice guy on the camera. He was the perfect african american sportsman for the time-all the talent of ALi but none of the bombast or political baggage. Andre Ward is very similar to Ray, except he has less charisma IMO. Is been hard for him to become a star in this era. His Gold medal barely registered with US fans. Ray would be great in any era without question, but would that traslate in the ppv era? Ward is a boring fighter, that's why he's not a star.

A lot of great and insightful comments on a forum normally full of wise ass cracks. One thing I liked was the contemporary culture in the US not aligning with a calm serene personality. I don't buy it though. SRL was still hip, he was someone you look up to and model your kids after. I think he had the Muhammad Ali-esque, not Tyson esque apppeal. My initial assessment was based on an 'all things equal' assumption about boxing still being on mainstream non-cable tv. Another thing to think about is FMJ as much as we love him, had his most difficult fight and in my opinion loss to JLC...a career lightweight, while a fit, non-camp Floyd walks around at 149. I'm just saying, SRL fought full blown light and middle weights. For me there is no comparison in the quality of opponent being talked about It's also interesting to note that opposite: what would SRL have today that FMJ wouldn't have in SRL's era? Imagine FB Youtube Twitter, social media and focused marketing. I really stand by that 10 million sales prediction. Saturday night people hug the bars to watch boxing fights.

Im assuming you havent watched any of his fights? He would beat any current fighters today if they were in his division

I think he would sell like prime Trinidad. 400-600k. I don't see anything in SRL's personality that would help him sell 1mill+ and he was not a KO artist. I completely disagree. SRL had/has tons of charisma, are you aware that he's the original golden boy? Actually, there's nobody in boxing today that I can think of that has anywhere close to the amount of personality that SRL had, the media would fall in love with him even today. This guy would be getting sponsor deals left and right. And not only was he the "golden boy," he was also a showman in and out of the ring. Also, where did you pull up this fact that you have to be a KO artist to be a star in boxing? Pacquiao and Mayweather aren't. Let's also not ignore the fact that SRL would probably stop most guys from 147-160. Hell, I'd imagine the PPV numbers that SRL VS Mayweather/Pacquiao/DLH would bring, all fights that I and most knowledgeable boxing fans would favor him to win.

and you'd also know that he ducked Pryor The pretense of claiming to "know history" while spouting such bollocks.:lol1: He is Roy Jones Jr. in this era..the amazing talent, charisma, flashy in the ring, crowd pleasing style..but thats where it ends. sadly for RJJ, he came out in a time where he had a lack-luster pool The lacklusture pool existed due to Jones hiding behind his HBO contract to make safe mandatory defenses as opposed to pursuing the genuinely compelling fights that were around for him.

He's in the money making divisions, and HW sucks. He'd be the top money maker in the sport, and relative to the condition of boxing, he'd be the biggest thing. You didn't say anything about depending on when he came in. You just said he couldn't get fights with Hagler, etc. and he'd have even less television exposure. He'd be boxing's biggest draw, and the undisputed #1. He'd get all the television exposure that's available for boxing. And yes, Manny, Floyd, and Canelo are the biggest draws. If there was a Sugar Ray in the mix, he'd be THE biggest draw. It's pretty simple. If there's a Sugar Ray in the picture, there's not enough hype left for those guys. He'd be the top money maker maybe...but the fact remains how WELL would he do? If he was undeniably better than Pac and Floyd they wouldn't be as big as they became, a lot has to do with the allure of them fighting each other or lack thereof. I don't think he'd be as big as people think, is the point im making, top money maker but I don't think he'd be at a Pac/Floyd current level. Floyd got there with his personality, Pac got there as Floyds rival and they've fed off that for years. The main point is he wouldn't be as big as those two currently are, nor would those two be as big as they are, at least in my opinion. I'm not discrediting him in any way, it's more im not buying into his almighty star power he would have in this era.

That's a cop out. Might as well just say older boxers had magic in their fists. Even then it still shows Leonard was partial to picking opponents who weren't the best. Leonard's appetite for record padding is no different than Mayweather, Tysons or any other boxer in history. The nostalgia people put around Leonard or the older fighters is no different than the undue credit people give to Tyson. Number of top ren rated contenders fought before title shot: Leonard: Mayweather Sr, Shields, Muniz, Gant, Geraldo, Chiaverini, Ranzany, Price (Geraldo and Chiaverini rated above Welterweight) Tyson: Ratliff (rated at Cruiserweight) Mayweather: ............. I'm not complaining. I'm stating a fact. Boxers have always padded out their records. It's just funny to see someone bashing Floyd for fighting someone like the Ghost, while simultaneously praising the older fighters who did the exact same stuff back in their day. Here's the key difference: opponents like Guerrero were never built up as a serious threat in order to charge people $60 to $70 just to watch. Fighters weren't paid thirty odd million for glorified sparring sessions against such heavily mismatched opponents.