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“What separates the truly great champions from the other top guys is that little additional heart, a hidden reservoir of inner strength. All fighters possess it but the difference is what activates it, what forces you to want to fight that bit harder when you're already exhausted after 12, 13 rounds. Very few can call upon that in the later rounds. That, for me, is very significant." - Sugar Ray Leonard, 2006.
Sugar Ray Leonard in my opinion was without a doubt one of the greatest fighters of all time, no question.
If you ask my reasons for believing this, I could easily mention his underrated power, his electrifying hand speed, blazing flurries and combinations and ability to be get the job done against technical boxers, defensive wizards, powerful guys, short guys, strong guys and long and tall guys. I can mention his Olympic gold medal, his world titles in 5 weight classes and the fact that he defeated tremendous odds and the great Marvelous Marvin Hagler in his first fight back after a three year lay-off to win the middleweight crown back in 1987 with one history's all time great upsets.
I can also mention the undisputed fact that he beat four bona-fide International Boxing Hall of Famers to come up the victor in four of the biggest fights in boxing history.
For me, though, the one aspect of his game above all else is something that he not only had in abundance but that is also an intangible that some of the greatest fighters in history either didn't possess or never really proved whether they did or not. In a nutshell, the fact is that when he was on his game and he needed to dig down for that extra reserve of energy, power, hunger and heart, it was not only there in spades there but
Ray Leonard was gifted with the rare ability to actually use it in a way that a very small percent of prize fighters are able to with spectacular results.
Often times in a fight it seems such a simple task to some, to just throw hard punches when you're a bit tired and hurt. To overcome fatigue and desperate situations, to reach down through the doubt and exhaustion to get the job done when your mind is willing but your body feels unable to cooperate.
I envy and admire Ray for that one intangible more than any other because as a fighter myself the fact is that I know first hand how extremely difficult it actually is. I can pinpoint exact moments in my own career where I literally had Ray's 13th and 14th round exhibitions of fury against Tommy Hearns back in 1981 pop into my head as I tried to use them for inspiration as I attempted to pull off similar displays of will.
Of course I never quite was able to summon that level of energy and furious release that Ray did and it really just served to show me just one more of the many differences between levels of regular professional fighters and the legitimate greats.
On that end, when deciding who the greatest fighters have been in history I believe it makes the most sense to look at who they beat and what they accomplished in their primes. For example, no one could rightfully use losing to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick when he did to somehow diminish Muhammad Ali's standing in the annals of history just as no one has also ever foolishly dared use the numerous losses to solid journeymen and club fighters at the end of his career to lower the great Sugar Ray Robinson's place in the game.
Keeping that in mind, when you look at the history of Sugar Ray Leonard you can clearly see that in his prime years his only defeat was the avenged one to the equally great Roberto Duran in an epic battle that actually proved in defeat Ray's extraordinary depth of character, heart and toughness.
In the rematch he proved he had that special ability to adjust and follow a perfect game plan, one that saw him tame the untamable Duran at a time when that seemed a virtual impossibility.
On that end, in a nut shell, if you run down the most used criteria for all-time greatness in regards to one Ray Charles Leonard you will clearly see he deserves his place among the very, very best.
Power? Check. (See fights with Davey Boy Green, Donny La Londe and Tommy Hearns in 1981 for reference)
Durability? Check. Finishing furiously against Duran in 1980 sealed this intangible in my eyes.
Quality of opposition? No brainer.
Heart? If withstanding the furiously powerful assault of 1980 Roberto Duran to the wire and overcoming the closed eye and the powerful fists of Hearns in 1981 in of history's biggest events aren't proof of a huge heart then nothing is.
World titles? Welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Check.
Fearless?
Went in for his first world title against one of the slickest fighters in history.
Faced a vicious and primed Duran.
Rematched Duran after enduring the most grueling fight of his career, before or after.
Faced the most feared welterweight of his era, Tommy Hearns.
Came out of retirement to face one of the roughest and most respected fighters in history, Marvin Hagler, with no tune up fight.
And won.
I rest my case.
ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY
Sugar Ray Leonard in my opinion was without a doubt one of the greatest fighters of all time, no question.
If you ask my reasons for believing this, I could easily mention his underrated power, his electrifying hand speed, blazing flurries and combinations and ability to be get the job done against technical boxers, defensive wizards, powerful guys, short guys, strong guys and long and tall guys. I can mention his Olympic gold medal, his world titles in 5 weight classes and the fact that he defeated tremendous odds and the great Marvelous Marvin Hagler in his first fight back after a three year lay-off to win the middleweight crown back in 1987 with one history's all time great upsets.
I can also mention the undisputed fact that he beat four bona-fide International Boxing Hall of Famers to come up the victor in four of the biggest fights in boxing history.
For me, though, the one aspect of his game above all else is something that he not only had in abundance but that is also an intangible that some of the greatest fighters in history either didn't possess or never really proved whether they did or not. In a nutshell, the fact is that when he was on his game and he needed to dig down for that extra reserve of energy, power, hunger and heart, it was not only there in spades there but
Ray Leonard was gifted with the rare ability to actually use it in a way that a very small percent of prize fighters are able to with spectacular results.
Often times in a fight it seems such a simple task to some, to just throw hard punches when you're a bit tired and hurt. To overcome fatigue and desperate situations, to reach down through the doubt and exhaustion to get the job done when your mind is willing but your body feels unable to cooperate.
I envy and admire Ray for that one intangible more than any other because as a fighter myself the fact is that I know first hand how extremely difficult it actually is. I can pinpoint exact moments in my own career where I literally had Ray's 13th and 14th round exhibitions of fury against Tommy Hearns back in 1981 pop into my head as I tried to use them for inspiration as I attempted to pull off similar displays of will.
Of course I never quite was able to summon that level of energy and furious release that Ray did and it really just served to show me just one more of the many differences between levels of regular professional fighters and the legitimate greats.
On that end, when deciding who the greatest fighters have been in history I believe it makes the most sense to look at who they beat and what they accomplished in their primes. For example, no one could rightfully use losing to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick when he did to somehow diminish Muhammad Ali's standing in the annals of history just as no one has also ever foolishly dared use the numerous losses to solid journeymen and club fighters at the end of his career to lower the great Sugar Ray Robinson's place in the game.
Keeping that in mind, when you look at the history of Sugar Ray Leonard you can clearly see that in his prime years his only defeat was the avenged one to the equally great Roberto Duran in an epic battle that actually proved in defeat Ray's extraordinary depth of character, heart and toughness.
In the rematch he proved he had that special ability to adjust and follow a perfect game plan, one that saw him tame the untamable Duran at a time when that seemed a virtual impossibility.
On that end, in a nut shell, if you run down the most used criteria for all-time greatness in regards to one Ray Charles Leonard you will clearly see he deserves his place among the very, very best.
Power? Check. (See fights with Davey Boy Green, Donny La Londe and Tommy Hearns in 1981 for reference)
Durability? Check. Finishing furiously against Duran in 1980 sealed this intangible in my eyes.
Quality of opposition? No brainer.
Heart? If withstanding the furiously powerful assault of 1980 Roberto Duran to the wire and overcoming the closed eye and the powerful fists of Hearns in 1981 in of history's biggest events aren't proof of a huge heart then nothing is.
World titles? Welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Check.
Fearless?
Went in for his first world title against one of the slickest fighters in history.
Faced a vicious and primed Duran.
Rematched Duran after enduring the most grueling fight of his career, before or after.
Faced the most feared welterweight of his era, Tommy Hearns.
Came out of retirement to face one of the roughest and most respected fighters in history, Marvin Hagler, with no tune up fight.
And won.
I rest my case.
ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY
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