Sugar Ray Leonard : I coulda beat Manny Pacquiao

[ianhunter]

floyd would get it, too. welterweight leonard was too much of everything.

[Pin Galarga]

Leonard had the boxing to beat Pacquiao, just like Marquez, Mayweather and Cotto today.

[ИATAS]

not sure why this is news as Leonard has said this numerous times. Leonard said he (and hearns) were just too big for today's welterweights, and that's the truth. I've always maintained that if Pac & Floyd fought in the same era as Leonard & Hearns, they would have never moved up to welterweight in the first place. Too big, too talented and both (leonard & hearns) would totally outmatch pac & floyd (and cotto and any other small welterweight).

[CubanGuyNYC]

Sooooooo..... what was his thread about again? Oh yeah, Sugar Ray Leonard says he would've beaten Manny Pacquiao, right?

Manny Pacquiao: Buzzsaw style. At best relentless attack, fast hands and feet with an "in and out style". Average defense but good chin. Best asset, his speed and the dynamite in his fists. Can damage with single shots or an accumilation of hurtful punches. Has problems with the boxer/mover style, tendancy to get frustrated if his opponent doesn't "come forward to fight" and can get visibly frustrated.

Ray Leonard: Excellent technical ability, fast hands and feet. Great movement around the ring and top boxing intelligence (new how to psyche out an opponent or please judges). Leonard had very good power and as well as being a great boxer.... he could fight if he needed to. Very occasionally drawn into fights when not suited and could be out-willed by the very, very best only.

Matching them up, skill set for skill set, I have to make Leonard the winner. He could equal Manny's speed, out manouver him (as Manny doesn't cut off the ring well) and most importantly, he had the ability to hurt Manny and..... fight him. I could see Leonards in-ring antics frustrating Manny into his lunging attacks, contantly putting him off balance. The only chance Manny would have is to find a way to hurt Leonard and keep him hurt. Not impossible, but less likey than Leonard imposing his fight on Manny.

Leonard wins.

Great breakdown, dude. The only thing I would add is the obvious: Leonard is the much bigger man. As you say so yourself, you're "matching them up, skill set for skill set." When you consider the physical disparity, the prediction becomes far clearer.

[MurkaMan]

SRL would've humiliated Floyd aswell

HAHAHAHA!!!! He couldnt even beat Duran at WW!!! Couldnt even land a jab on Duran. Boy if their was a defensive fighter like Pernell or Floyd Jr back then, SRL would be ****ting bricks. Back then he was the slickest thing around, but in the later eras, it was a whole new level of Slickness, that he's LUCKY he wasnt able to fight. And you betnot say Floyd Sr. LOL

[CubanGuyNYC]

not sure why this is news as Leonard has said this numerous times. Leonard said he (and hearns) were just too big for today's welterweights, and that's the truth. I've always maintained that if Pac & Floyd fought in the same era as Leonard & Hearns, they would have never moved up to welterweight in the first place. Too big, too talented and both (leonard & hearns) would totally outmatch pac & floyd (and cotto and any other small welterweight).

All true. But the bold is especially perceptive.

[Larry the boss]

wow this thread went in about 5 different directions...somehow Floyd ,Margarito,catchweights and diuretics all got brought up

[CubanGuyNYC]

How this thread went in about 5 different directions...

They all do. lol

[Frank Ducketts]

This is strictly a thread for Sugar and Pacquiao only. Sugar would beat the tar out of Pacquiao. Prime Sugar...the night he beat Hearns would torture Pacquiao.

[ChiTown2Diego]

not sure why this is news as Leonard has said this numerous times. Leonard said he (and hearns) were just too big for today's welterweights, and that's the truth. I've always maintained that if Pac & Floyd fought in the same era as Leonard & Hearns, they would have never moved up to welterweight in the first place. Too big, too talented and both (leonard & hearns) would totally outmatch pac & floyd (and cotto and any other small welterweight).

Love Floyd and Manny (yes it's possibly) but yup, no new relevation here.