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Would sugar ray have be as highly thought off if he stayed retired after the maxim fight?
How would you rate his opposition before and after that fight?
How would you rate his opposition before and after that fight?
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Doesn't make any difference, talent, skill level and heart are the main ingredients. You can't defeat father time but when you consider a 20+ year career in the sport fighting 200 bouts and being stopped ONCE! Who can do that?
He lost some decisions to fellows he would have beat in younger days but he was a fighter so he fought. Those guys weren't concerned how "fans" would look at their records 30 to 100 years latter they needed to eat! In Rays case he had more crap going on then any fighter ever had. He owns a block of businesses in Harlem. His overhead for his businesses needed to be maintained and Ray was a giver as most boxers are so he was "no accountant" hahaha!!!
I knew Stan Harrington who won a decision over Ray and often fought my friend Gaspar Ortega. He told me how tuff Gaspar was and how he had to be on top of his game. When he'd speak of Ray he said he could box ten rounds with him and not be tired and felt like he could compete with Ray. He also told he felt that at any time Ray could have poured it on him but he never did!
These great fighters often fought "marginal" fighters in their home towns and would win a decision or at times when they were past it loose one!
To me it doesn't deminish who they were one bit. Imagine being a kid or young man and getting a chance to see a living legend box in your town!
ps; Stan's home base for sometime was Hawaii so all the contenders loved to head out there. They often stayed and fought Stan the following 3 weeks hahaha!!! Lots of decisions!!!!!!!
Ray.
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