what do you think of Sugar Ray Leonard?

[oldgringo]

Leonard's an all-timer who DLH has patterned himself after career-wise. It's tough to do however as far as reproducing the same type of success(though he's a HOF'er too) because Leonard was just so talented. He always hedged his bets and used his influence when he could to get an edge but you really can't fault that. That's boxing for the most part. You may not like it as I don't but hey ....

Besides his physical gifts he had great desire and heart. Can't hate on Sugar Ray Leonard.

You can hate on him for getting gifts from judges who had stars in their eyes everytime they watched him fight...ala Hagler fight and 2nd Hearns fight. I'll admit that the Hagler fight was close, but it really came down to the judges liking Rays pretty combinations that had 0 effect on Marvin. The Hearns draw was comparable to the robbery that Whitaker experienced against Chavez. I am not a fan of SRL by the way

[jamezz]

awesome

Hear this guy has many haters. id like to hear why this is the case?

to me, he just had it all, speed, courage, heart and determination. he took on challenges, not all tho.

he avoided pryor, and he only fought hagler hwen he saw hagler was on his way down... but he did move up in weight.


and where do you rate him all time?

He was awesome,very well rounded and at times critisized for lack of power but in my opinion had more power than was credited for and proved it enough times.In boxing,only a small handfull of fighters per century come along with his calibre talent and too me this should be obvious because you just don't see boxers move with that kind of speed and grace so I rate him very high on the pound for pound greatest boxers of all time.

[skillet54]

I watched the Hagler fight and I didn't like Leonards approach at all. No doubting his skill, but it's not the way I like my fighrts to fight. You could see the frustration pouring off Hagler. Leonard should have taken running shoes in with him.

Lol

true leonard was a skilled boxer...but he was handed too many decisions for being the media darling...and for being good for boxing's image!
judges are supposed to score for agression also...aren't they? my guess is that they did not in hagler/leonard. so yeah...i agree with you
leonard came in the ring with track shoes on...spikes and all. because he knew if he ran all day and flurried the last ten seconds of a round
the judges...seeing eye dogs and canes...would give him rounds. so leonard could get his behind whooped for 2 min 50 seconds, then "flurrie" for 10 seconds and win the round. leonards name should not be mentioned in the same breath as sugar ray robinsons. if there was a way to retire the "sugar" moniker...it should've been done.

[chopper77]

I gotta admit he had all the skills a guy needs to survive in the ring, but having said that, it's my opinion that he invented the hold out. He waited and waited between fights, and like what was already mentioned, he manipulated the game to suit him. I'm more of an old time fight guy. Archie Moore said if he fought once a month he ate hash, if he fought twice or three times, he could have steak. I think Ray was soft. Like No-Mas said, and I agree, that if you get your ass handed to you for 2:30 and then turn it on for the last :30 the round does not belong to you.

[solo1bc]

I can't believe people don't give him the credit that he deserves... Sure he was the media darling but so was OLH...

He had speed, skill, strength, heart and a chin in his prime..

If you move up a weight to fight Marvellous Marvin your not SUPPOSED to stand and slug it out with him, your SUPPOSED to do what you have to win the fight... Same with Duran II... People say he ran but unless you're Duran's clone your supposed to dance if you're in the ring with that nutter!

Re Hearns too then SRL actually admits that he lost that fight despite what the judges said so the guys got dignity as well...

He get's the most credit for me because he managed his own career as well... He made millions basically off his own back a bit like Lennox Lewis (I'm a fan of Lennox too!) as opposed to people like Tyson who had millions handed to him and then pissed it all away...

SRL was a great fighter and a great fighter to watch...

Not to mention he had as much skill and hand speed as anyone in the last 50 years but wasn't an arrogant bastard about ala Mayweather etc.

[puppy_dogg]

the golden boy of palmer park, maryland? do you even have to ask

G.O.A.T.....period.

[TheBrownBomber22]

Sugar Ray Leonard is one of my all time favourite fighters.

[Boxclever]

Sugar Ray Leonard is one of my all time favourite fighters.

Me too, absolutely brilliant, fantastic.

[abright1]

Post-suspension-Ali/R-Leonard greatest media-driven careers

but do not belong anywhere near the tops of greatest IN-THE-RING performers (but PRE-suspension Ali definitely does)...

R-Leonard does not belong being mentioned anywhere near the same sentence as "real deal" contemporaries such as Hagler, Duran, Pedrosa, Pryor, Arguello, Sanchez or many other who clearly dominated their division for years...Leonard--after Hearns turned his face into ground-round and detached his retina--never had a "career" to speak of...just a series of lucrative media stunts

Skillet, NoMas...you guys got your heads screwed on right

[Chups]

One of the greatest!!