Mayweather vs Sugar Ray Leonard??

[BERNIE'S CORNER]

Ray would steamroll Floyd ! Smarter, Quicker, Sronger and he also pocessed great stamina. Sugar Ray all hands down!!!

[BennyST]

When i look at Ray against Davey Boy Green and Kalule i see 2 opponents that are extremely slow.

Floyd would be a style Ray has only faced twice

1. Floyd's father - It took Ray 10 rounds to put him away
2. Benitez - 15 rounds but it was a tough fight

Floyd is much quicker than both, a much better athlete, smarter, better conditioned and his counterpunch speed is 10 notches better than both.

Boxing is all about matchups. Just because Hearns was undefeated and had 1 punch KO power. That doesn't mean Floyd would be a easier matchup because his style is different and he wouldnt be there to be hit.

As good as Hearns was he can be hit. Thats why he was knocked out 3 times

When you look at those two opponents? When I look at those two opponents, I see two that were the equal of the majority of fighters that Floyd has fought and beaten in his entire career. Well, at least you found two fighters.

As for Benitez, his defense was as good as Floyd's when he was on. He was on against Leonard, he was also bigger than Mayweather, punched harder and he still got knocked out. Mayweather Sr was undefeated, had a great jab, used the shoulder roll to great effect but had no power that could bother Leonard who ended up simply walking through him and utterly brutalising him for the whole ten rounds. What a ridiculous fight to use as some kind of point that Mayweather could give problems to Ray. That was about as dominant as you can get. The only point you could give for Mayweather was that he was damn tough.

Boxing is all about matchup's. You're certainly right with that and Floyd has made a very good career of match-ups against the style of fighter he was best against. Come forward brawlers with no defense that were much slower. See, the big difference here is that Leonard proved he can fight and beat every style possible. Duran-slick, aggressive inside fighter, Hearns-super fast, powerful boxer puncher (oh, and if you think Hearns doesn't have a good hook and didn't use it...), Benitez-ultra slick, defensive counter puncher, Hagler-all around great boxer that could brawl....and that was just a few.

Mayweather has absolutely not proved he can beat every style. He has never fought anyone even slightly similar to Leonard.

He couldn't walk Leonard down, he couldn't overpower him, he couldn't outbox him, he couldn't out-speed him... this is a fight he just couldn't win. As you said, boxing is about match-ups and this is the worst match-up for Floyd. If he is strictly in defensive mode he ends up getting pounded. It's very, very hard to counter a six punch combination that is as fast as you can throw anything. See, that type of thing worked against Oscar, who when he tried to flurry was countered in between shots. Leonard's second or third shot would come as fast if not faster than Floyd's counter shot in the only time he would be open to get hit and the counter shot wouldn't land because Leonard would already have gotten his shot in. ****. That also makes Floyd wary of throwing.

Outside, he gets badly stuck by a jab in the face the whole night. He does get caught by a good, quick jab and Leonard has a better jab than anyone he's ever faced by far and it was very difficult to counter over his jab. Not only because Floyd is used to having a bid reach advantage, which he wouldn't have here, but because he wouldn't have a speed advantage anymore. The jab would get home before he had a chance to shoot his counter and he would again stop throwing it after a while. Seriously, this is a fight Floyd cannot win. He's great, but there are fights he just wouldn't win. It's no biggie though. Leonard is bigger, as quick, has a better offensive game and has a much greater killer instinct. Something very important which would not allow him to win this fight too.

[Soundtraveler]

This one is too easy - Sugar Ray Leonard had great speed, sure, we all know that, but that is NOT what wins this fight. Leonard had some things that Mayweather doesn't - a big punch, HUGE HEART, and HUGE wins on a resume' from an era that has sent fighters in the division to the Boxing Hall Of Fame.

A case could be made that Ray Leonard was the King during an era that featured the toughest competition that the division has ever seen. There is no doubt in my mind that a Tommy Hearns KO's a Mayweather with ease. A prime Duran would be all over Mayweather too for that matter not to mention the fact that Mayweather has NOTHING in his game that would keep a Hagler off of him - Hagler crushes Mayweather and Leonard beat ALL of them !Bottom line is Mayweather is no match for Sugar Ray Leonard...

[DonTaseMeBrah]

leonard would break his neck.

[RayLeonard82]

I think speed plays a huge role in boxing and i don't necessarily agree that Ray holds the advantage or it's equal. To me there speed are 2 totally different styles of speed. Ray had combination speed where if the target was there he could bust out a 10 punch quick flurry but i wasn't to impressed with his counterpunch speed as i am with Roy Jones or Floyd.

Make a guy miss and quickly counter BAM. Ray threw a lot of volume punches which was his style. So i think he might have that advantage over Floyd, maybe because Floyd doesn't like to waste punches and wants each punch to be important.

I do think Floyd is quicker with his counter speed than Ray was and that could play a big role had they fought.

[Soundtraveler]

Let's not forget that Mayweather himself admits the toughest fighter he ever faced, the fighter that gave him the MOST trouble EVER was Emanual Burton.

Now ask yourself if Emanual Burton is in Sugar Ray Leonards' League, or Haglers' or Hearns or even a Duran --- but Mayweather sure as hell had his hands full with him, just ask him....

[RayLeonard82]

Ray had more problems with Terry Norris than he had with Hagler and i don't see his speed being any different in 1991 than 1987. Sometimes a certain style, especially against a speed fighter can cause you more problems. Hagler had the bigger name and was more known, but Norris had the style and speed and Ray could not get away with the same approach he had against Hagler. If he tried one of those under hand flurries he would get nailed with quick upercut. Notice how end of round 2 Ray attempts that underhand flurry and got caught.

Im willing to bet anyone that Ray would choose to fight 1987 Hagler 20 times over fight Michael Nunn of 1988 one time. Hagler had the bigger name, but that doesn't automatically mean the young cat who's not as popular, not a current champion would not present more problems.

[wpink1]

I think speed plays a huge role in boxing and i don't necessarily agree that Ray holds the advantage or it's equal. To me there speed are 2 totally different styles of speed. Ray had combination speed where if the target was there he could bust out a 10 punch quick flurry but i wasn't to impressed with his counterpunch speed as i am with Roy Jones or Floyd.

Make a guy miss and quickly counter BAM. Ray threw a lot of volume punches which was his style. So i think he might have that advantage over Floyd, maybe because Floyd doesn't like to waste punches and wants each punch to be important.

I do think Floyd is quicker with his counter speed than Ray was and that could play a big role had they fought.

I honestly think you are caught up like a like of people are, only reviewing leoanrds fights vs quality of opponents that generally offset many of your attributes and make you dig deep and show the warrior mentality. What your victim of doing is two things:

One looking at mediocre opponents that Floyd faced, which allows him to showcase his tremendous skills, speeds etc, when he and roy jones also had very little concern about what was coming back at them. Thus you could go and see this same thing with Like Ali when he faced Ernie Terrell, or others, but when he faced Joe frazeir it was his toughness, you dont see the blistering face combinations etc... Or vs Forman he won but he did it in a differentway. Same thing with Leonard, he had those fights, Chavarini, look at the 10 punch combination,,,,oh..look at the 1st round

Look at this video....Leoanrd showed speed power...etc...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnrcBMvkPxw

Leonard had the same speed Mayweather had, but he used it in a much more offensive nature. He could counter..Look at Duran 2. It was a counter that caught Hearns in the 6th round that started the onslaught that round. In fact, my friend, leoanrd had the ability to hit, pivot to the side out of harms way (the famous Sugar ray angles) and land counters...You never saw ray do this again after his fight with kevin howard. I do not think you realize just how good SRL was when he fought. Unlike Roy and Mayweather, he did not step in the right night in night out vs fighters that allowed him to show case his skills. When he did they were 1-4 round stoppages generally. Bruce Finch, Davey Boy Green, Andy price who had beaten palimino and Cuevas and at the time was considered almost even bet to beat Ray. You also forget tht Kalule was 36-0 junior middle weight champion, never been down amateur or pro..was actually picked as the best jr welter in the world when ray was an amateur, and was favored to beat Ray, but they boycotted the olympics.

Listen, not taking anything from Roy, as I think he is a all time top great, but beating up on the peopel he did is not the same a fighting peak, hearns, hagler, Duran, benetiz. Mayweather at Welter has shown absolutely nothing, special. He is supposed to beat these guys he faced.

these are fighters that leonard could have done his fabled behind the back punch on. I am sorry but you really need to go review fights like Chavarini, price, finch, bonds, etc..to see leoanrd show case his talents, then see him fight the legends and see true greateness. Just beating a marquez, hatton, dlh at 36 and shot, baldomir, judah does not even begin to position him with a SRL..Way to small, not offensive enough, wouldnot want to get into exchanges with Ray..Hell while your at you need to rereview the leoanrd mayweather sr, fight, if you want to see speed, combinations, power, etc...this was a destruction...not like Marquez (a smaller fighter) this was ray fighting someone his own size, who was undefeated, fast, shoulder roll, and ray destroying him....

[zalez787]

Lets see Mayweather beat who at Welter.

Baldomir... not a top 20 fighter
Judah .... has been beaten by every fighter worth a dammm
DLH..... 36 has lost repeatedly before fighting Mayweather.
Hatton....Never ever looked good at welter, almost as got ko'd at welter the fight before. Barely won.
Marquez....never ever fought above 135....

So help me understand who has Mayweather beaten to even justify this ****** question.

Now just to address it. Mayweather is a defensive fighter, that uses his speed advantages, reach, and in the case of Marquez size advantage, and in the case of DLH , his stamina to outlast, in the case of Judah, smarts and toughness...

What advantage would he have offensively vs Leoanrd. 0.

Leonard is just as fast, throws better combinations, has the size and reach, was in just as good as shape, is just as smart (usually), hits harder, has fought much much much better competition (hearns, hagler, beneitz, Duran). Mayweather has fought no one near this level of competition at Welter.

Mayweather keeps trying to say duran moved up to beat leoanrd but he gets a hard time for fighting marquez.

Lets set the record straight. Duran is 25 times the fighter Marquez could dream of being. Marquez was clearly over sized vs a smaller Mayweather at welter. Meaning he is not capable of fighting effectivly at Welter. Duran not only was a good welter, but he went on to win titles at jr middle, and middle weight, after his wars with Ray.
Duran did not move up to fight ray. Duran moved up 2-3 years prior, and had 8 fights at welter before fighting ray, including a fight vs a top welter Carlos palomino. Thus Duran was a solid Welter before fighting Ray. No it was not his natural weight, but he had gotten accustomed to welter before fighting Ray, marquez was not even a solid 135 pounder, and then he had to move up an additional 2 weight classes to face Mayweather.

If Sugar Ray faced Mayweather, he would be charged for ******ation.

Well said , but we both know Mayweather doesnt have the balls to have ever faced him.

[wpink1]

Ray had more problems with Terry Norris than he had with Hagler and i don't see his speed being any different in 1991 than 1987. Sometimes a certain style, especially against a speed fighter can cause you more problems. Hagler had the bigger name and was more known, but Norris had the style and speed and Ray could not get away with the same approach he had against Hagler. If he tried one of those under hand flurries he would get nailed with quick upercut. Notice how end of round 2 Ray attempts that underhand flurry and got caught.

Im willing to bet anyone that Ray would choose to fight 1987 Hagler 20 times over fight Michael Nunn of 1988 one time. Hagler had the bigger name, but that doesn't automatically mean the young cat who's not as popular, not a current champion would not present more problems.

You are sounding ignorant now. Lets see. When ray fought Norris... facts.

he was 36 years old. He had been out of boxing for 7 of the 10 preceding years. Remember he retired in 1981, and was out for 5 years with only one fight, and retired again for 2 years. Ray was a shot version of himself, and when he fought Hagler, he was shot. He beat hagler because of styles simply. Ray had no stamina in the hagler fight. Look at rounds 7 on. Ray wanted to dance the entire fight, but after rounds four he had to start preserving energy. he had nothing on his punches in that fight, and flurried to steal rounds vs Hagler. Compare that to the 15 round start to finish war he had with Duran...Look at the speed of ray in duran 2, and compare it to the hagler fight.

You are really lost..I am going to sleep. The norris fight (even norris acknowledges this) was not peak ray. Ray have been abusing *******, was retired was not fighting activiely and was much older. He had no speed, nothing, no power, he was never ever dropped before he retired, after retirement he went down almost every fight. You are starting to show, you know nothing at all about Ray leoanrd. Norris got hurt by almost every good fighter he faced, a peak ray takes out norris in 3-4 rounds.