If Ray Leonard was boxing today....what kind of PPV numbers would he draw?

[BUNGALOWS]

He'd be the top money maker maybe...but the fact remains how WELL would he do? If he was undeniably better than Pac and Floyd they wouldn't be as big as they became, a lot has to do with the allure of them fighting each other or lack thereof.

I don't think he'd be as big as people think, is the point im making, top money maker but I don't think he'd be at a Pac/Floyd current level. Floyd got there with his personality, Pac got there as Floyds rival and they've fed off that for years.

The main point is he wouldn't be as big as those two currently are, nor would those two be as big as they are, at least in my opinion. I'm not discrediting him in any way, it's more im not buying into his almighty star power he would have in this era.

I get your points. I agree in a way. But, Manny and Floyd became who they are now because of Oscar. Floyd, more so, because he REALLY sold himself to the audience during the 24/7s. Obviously, skill is involved here, and they're obviously the best of this generation, but I'm talking where their commerical success derives from.

I'm just saying. Ray Leonard to me, would be Oscar level, and not Manny/Floyd level guys, pre Oscar.

[dc3383]

Ray would be a 1 mil PPV buy type of guy so IMO he would be a big draw.

[Ham Porter]

Lol yeah he'd be a cash cow, but lets not get carried away here...if you thought fmj was a
retiring/unretiring prima donna...Srl created the blueprint...srl put himself on the shelf about 5 yrs before he fought hagler...sat behind the mike and watched hagler fight war after war, until he felt safe to dip his toes in the pool...sound familiar? Lol...

norris and Camacho were cherrypicks gone wrong...lol

Leonard retired at a point after he had virtually cleared out the division, and did so for medical purposes (a detatched retina being a common career-ender back then.) Mayweather's reason for retiring wasn't even close to being that valid, and he did so at a time when there were clear threats in his division.

[CubanGuyNYC]

How could he not? It's fairly easy. Like you said a Gold Medal in boxing isn't much these days. Boxing has a lot smaller fanbase. Also him beating all those ATGs wouldn't happen in this era, he'd fight them same fighters everyone else is. His personality doesn't resonate with the current culture like someone said it was sort of like Andre Ward but in his time that was more fitting for the culture.

He'd be compared to people like Hagler, Hearns, and Duran and people would say he'd lose because those guys back then were just too good. You're thinking of SRL of that era somehow with all that placed in this...in this era he'd fight different opponents, in a different market, and different cultural values.

I think he'd still do decently well though but he wouldn't be as big as he was then. He wouldn't get the TV exposure he had then either because it doesn't really exist in this era.

Like I said think outside the box and how this forum generally treats boxers. Pretend his skill level is just what you see, and his resume of then didn't exist. He would simply not be the same person he is now...who do we have to compare to people like Hearns, Hagler, and Duran? Manny and Floyd...unless you want to come in earlier he'd be able to fight a young RJJ but then he'd wouldn't have been able to be around to fight Manny/Floyd.

Think outside the box and tell me if you still feel the same way, if so tell me where I went wrong

I believe I took all that into account.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I felt Ray would fight, and beat, everyone of this time. That includes Pacquiao. If Mayweather is huge fighting whom he's fought, Leonard would very likely be even more successful. Given Ray's charisma, smarts, skill, style, winning ways, and willingness to fight everyone, he would triumph. Leonard wouldn't have to rely on the advantages he enjoyed in a past era.

[djtmal]

Leonard retired at a point after he had virtually cleared out the division, and did so for medical purposes (a detatched retina being a common career-ender back then.) Mayweather's reason for retiring wasn't even close to being that valid, and he did so at a time when there were clear threats in his division.

point is they both put themselves on the shelf...

srl, came out of retirement briefly to fight kevin howard...the eye was fine before, and after the fight...howard put srl on the deck, srl came back and ko'd him, but went right back into retirement for another 2 years and went on an alcohol and coke binge...so i wouldn't put too much stock into that...

during that time hagler was tearing thru middleweights and cementing himself as a draw in his own right, and srl was commentating most of his fights...i'd say srl took those years to get his confidence up while watching hagler deteriorate...the similarities are there nonetheless, and over time its become a strategy that floyd exercised because hey it works...

[soul_survivor]

Youre crazy. Ali isnt made for modern day..he would definitely not be called "the greatest" if he were in this era, with this stable..

LOL are you even serious? He was the greatest in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever....you think he wouldn't be the best now? LOL gtfo you piece of **** noob

[Tom Cruise]

LOL are you even serious? He was the greatest in the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever....you think he wouldn't be the best now? LOL gtfo you piece of **** noob

I think he's saying it would be hard to say Ali was the GOAT heavyweight if he fought today, due to the lack of opposition.

edit: at least i think so, otherwise i agree, he's being ******ed...

[Tom Cruise]

You assume that boxing was big / isn't popular without referring to that fact that it is basically because of the active stars at the time !

Boxing isn't big because it has Mayweather, Boxing was big because it had Ali and Tyson .

If Mayweather was in 70s or 80s, he would be fighting in the shade

I disagree.

I think boxing has regressed in popularity due to increased competition from a billion other sources of entertainment. It would be much harder for SRL to make the same impact on the public consciousness today than it was when he was active.

[Jimmy 23]

I think he would eclipse any other star. That warm smile. That slickness. Prizefighting for real. Dude would get 10 million buys in the US

10 million?Are you crazy?Just look Tyson's ppv

[UTEP]

So what? Despite the fact that Leonard's record is right here:
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=269&cat=boxer
We're going to ignore the fact that the vast majority of it is padded with nobodies? You know Floyd Mayweather respects the hands of ****y Ecklund.

19 wins and 10 losses yet Leonard still couldn't knock him out.

............