Is Sugar Ray Leonard overrated?

[BM dnobagaV]

Is George Foreman the GOAT?
How about Bernard Hopkins?

[champion4ever]

I disagree. Ray was a good fighter and no he wasn't an overrated one either. He was just a savvy business man who was a marketing genius, who often played to the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents; Especially at the bargaining table.

Ray would not allow himself to be pressured or bullied into a bout until he felt he was fully ready and capable of winning. In addition, on his own terms too. After all, Leonard was a prizefighter, so he fought for the money.

So what better way for him to maximize his profits and cementing his legacy, other than utilizing the business model which emphasizes taking on the least possible risk for the most lucrative and highest reward?

[boliodogs]

I am well aware of what a great fighter Leonard was in his prime. Hearns was my favorite fighter and Leonard came from behind to knock him out in a battle of two real aces. I just was saying Leonard did not age as well as many other great fighters did. That fact doesn't detract from the great fights Leonard fought in his prime. Am I a Leonard fan? No. Was he a great fighter in my opinion? Yes he was. Is he somewhat overrated by many? I think so. I would rate Hagler a greater boxer if you study their entire careers.

[Willy Wanker]

Leonard is not overrated. His prime just didn't last very long compared to other legends. The retirements, lay offs, injuries, detached retna, all took it's toll and ****** the prime out of him. He could have accomplished even more than he already did, which is hard to imagine.

He did play his A side card well especially after his 147 run, but still has some of the best head to head wins of all time, and regardless of how close the Hagler fight was (I thought Hagler won), Sugar Ray was still the man that ended his reign and that was without a tuneup, even though his last fight was three years prior and had a two year lay off before that.

Sugar only lost to Duran in his prime.

[intoccabile]

becauses wins over Benitez, Duran, Hagler and Hearns make your overrated... Okay.

[richardt]

He is overrated but that doesn't mean he isn't great. He's just such a great public figure people forget he lost to a lightweight moving up two divisions.

He didn't lose to a lightweight moving up. He had already fought and won 6 fights, most at Welterweight and this is the same Duran that took Hagler the distance so if anyone wants to complain, complain about Hagler being taken the distance against a lightweight and this was not just a lightweight but arguably the best lightweight of all time.

[richardt]

To the original poster, Leonard was way past it when he lost to Camacho and Norris, like many greats who lost to worst fighters at the end. And the original poster should also mention that Leonard TWICE beat Duran, 2nd and 3rd fight. And who cares if the 2nd Hearns fight was questionable. Leonard cannot possibly carry the middleweight weight like the bigger Hearns could, When Leonard fought Hearns when both were in their prime, Leonard stopped him. End of story. And people talk about Leonard like he beat a helpless Hagler. The fact is, Leonard was naturally smaller and Leonard was also inactive for two years! Leonard won the fight. Leonard not only was truly great, he fought and BEAT greats! Including another great in his prime, Benitez. If you fight and beat very good fighters, you might be a great but when you beat greats, you are a serious ATG!!!

[12TRIBEsRiSe]

Yes in a sense he is overrated but mostly when it comes to comparing him to Mayweather, for some reason posters act as if he was 100million times better than Floyd, he was a very great fighter however and I enjoyed his fights!

[richardt]

So what better way for him to maximize his profits and cementing his legacy, other than utilizing the business model which emphasizes taking on the least possible risk for the most lucrative and highest reward?

For Leonard it was maximum risk and maximum reward, fighting a number of not only greats, but ATG's.

[!! Shawn]

He's factually correct in what he states.

That being said, judging SRL by the twilight of his career is like dismissing Roy Jones Jnr as a bum just because he has spent the last few years closely scrutinizing more canvas than an art dealer.

SRL fell into the same trap as so many by reversing his retirement. It doesn't taint his legacy in any way.

This, and to come out of retirement and not expect to lose every round to Terry Norris, is just crazy talk. Terry Norris was a HELL of a fighter.

Ray was coming out of 3 years of retirement to fight Hagler, 6 years of retirement to fight Camacho, more than a year out of the ring vs Norris.