Camacho Leonard

[Sugarj]

Yes, I couldn't agree more. Terry was definitely an underachiever considering the talent he had. As far as Ray, I'm sure we'll always wonder how well he'd have done had he stayed active post-Hagler.

The sad thing is, Leonard seemed to age (in ring terms) very quickly. Often a drop in a weight division or two can really take its toll. De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jnr were very similar in that they suddenly seemed to age overnight.

We'll never know how long Leonard could have stayed at world class after Hagler if he'd remained active and just stayed at middleweight. He did take some sickening right hands in the Hearns rematch.......and he'd have had some tough competition from the likes of Toney, Hopkins, Jones, Benn, Watson and Eubank in the early 90s.

Its probably best it worked out as it did. He still has his health, he very much looks the part and I think he has held onto a fair bit of cash too!!!

[Marcov]

It is sad when a fighter comes out of retirement like that. Something I guess Leonard should of learned from Ali.

[Anthony342]

True, he even acknowledged that on Ringside when he said he shouldn't have come back for his last two fights with Norris and Camacho.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

You don't know your done till someone beats u up...no one had beaten down Ray till the Norris fight... Then later he might have thought it a fluke and cameback vs camacho, only to get beat down even worse than before,, that's when he realized I should have never cameback
Roy jones has yet to learn that lesson

[Anthony342]

Well he will, even if he wins because he eventually won't be able to get a fight sanctioned, like what happened with Holyfield after he turned 50.

[MisterHardtop]

What exactly went on here?..

What I do know......

SRL was shot to pieces and hadn't fought for 6yrs, Camacho was pp but still very active 63-3-1..
Ray came in as challenger for something called the IBC mwt title..
There was little if any build up to the fight, apart from when Camacho did his ring walk dressed up like a toy soldier, while Leonard paced the ring looking like OJ Simpson on a mission.. Then came out right hand crazy, getting head butted, and punched to the floor in the process

What I don't know....

Why did he comeback?... And why Camacho?... When there was a ton of much easier fights he could have taken.. Just his ego?.. Or were there other reasons?
Who was the suited and booted Donny Lalonde lookalike, seen with SRL just before, and after the fight?
How bad were Leonard's drug & alcohol problems in 97?... Enough to have made him totally delusional it seems.. Can remember him being interviewed in the ring afterwards, and with my eyes closed, he kinda sounded like Tyson

Why does any great fighter make ridiculous come backs? Money and one last stab at glory. I know for a fact that Leonard was having a tough time beyond the ropes. There was the inevitable drugs and alcohol and women and the fact that Leonard, with all respect, had pissed away most of his money.

I remember speaking to Leonard in the build up to the fight with Camacho and he was confident of landing some bigger fights down the line, with names like Oscar de la Hoya and Roy Jones mentioned, there was even a stab at Chris Eubank. To say Leonard was delusional would be accurate but not unique, Ali was delusional in his 1980 comeback and Louis was delusional in his comeback run many decades earlier.

The fact that Camacho won was not a surprise but the manner of his victory was. Hector Camacho was himself past his best but he was still a functioning fight, active and had put on capable showings against decent opposition. Leonard was shot, we all knew it but many of us thought he'd have one last moment and then be gone, none of us expected Camacho to hand him a severe beating, it was tough to watch.

Money and ego. It undoes the best.

[mickey malone]

Why does any great fighter make ridiculous come backs? Money and one last stab at glory. I know for a fact that Leonard was having a tough time beyond the ropes. There was the inevitable drugs and alcohol and women and the fact that Leonard, with all respect, had pissed away most of his money.

I remember speaking to Leonard in the build up to the fight with Camacho and he was confident of landing some bigger fights down the line, with names like Oscar de la Hoya and Roy Jones mentioned, there was even a stab at Chris Eubank. To say Leonard was delusional would be accurate but not unique, Ali was delusional in his 1980 comeback and Louis was delusional in his comeback run many decades earlier.

The fact that Camacho won was not a surprise but the manner of his victory was. Hector Camacho was himself past his best but he was still a functioning fight, active and had put on capable showings against decent opposition. Leonard was shot, we all knew it but many of us thought he'd have one last moment and then be gone, none of us expected Camacho to hand him a severe beating, it was tough to watch.

Money and ego. It undoes the best.

All what I've been thinking for many years, but you put it into words perfectly

Good Post!