Is Floyd Mayweather as Talented as Sugar Ray Leonard?

[Xcel]

hard to say..both are excellent fighters. SRL is probably the harder puncher, but PBF can take punches very well. if SRL jumped out early and kept his head in the ring, he could pull it out. PBF on the other hand is so gifted in the ring and comes in the ring prepared. i honestly dont know who would win.

[miron_lang]

They are equal in talent.


Bigger man beating smaller man

Leonard by KO if they meet in their primes

[Left2body]

I would say in terms of talent and skill that Mayweather is on par with SRL but SRL had other great boxers who pushed him to the edge and that allowed SRL to show his true grit.

We haven't seen that part yet with PBF, possibly because he pretty much dominated every fight except for 1 close one.

I dont think its fair to SRL to speculate who would win between them two right now. It would be more adequate to ask that question in 2-3 years when PBF has either fought the other top guys or has stayed away from them.....either way in 2-3 years we should see it or not.

[machotime]

The fact is that SRL is way bigger than Mayweather, stronger, and more versatile. He could brawl, box and is one of the smartest boxers to EVER fight.

I favor SRL for sure.

[JOM'S]

I agree with most of you guys .... SGL will beat PBF prime for prime at welter ...

[King Koyle]

Floyd is too small, too weak for the bigger and equally fast and accurate Sugar Ray Leonard. Several of the guys SRL KO'd would probably beat Floyd.

Too early in Floyd's career to say he'd beat one of the greatest welterweights ever.

I agree with this!

[beezy 14]

1 of all PBF's career is not over and you have to remember that PBF is still tryna become that SRL, Oscar type draw as far as having the general public. How can you fault a fighter for the fighter's in his era(Larry Holmes) I have no problem if somebody favors a great over PBF but to say all these ppl would DOMINATE him I believe is just PPL that don't like him and want him to lose. He's never been beat his closest fight he rematched to clear any doubt, I've heard several poster's here admit that PBF looks small at even welter but get's no credit for him moving up. Just discrediting him and older posters remember that PPL used to say that these great's ducked Prior and Hagler but it doesn't hurt there legacy. And no disrespect to Margorito but he's not in the same breath with the Hearns and other Legend's and he didn't take that fight because he likes to make twice the money for a tougher challenge at 154. I agree that ppl shouldn't say PBF is the best (yet especially) but I think most people think that when he's all said and done he'll be in these guy's class, wether they admit it is another thing. I also remember ppl picking Corrales to win before that fight and then when PBF dominates him now all of a sudden it's not a very good win. How about looking at his great defense and speed ETC. for example in these mythical fight's I didn't see 1 category really where a positive or advantage was listed in PBF's favor. Look at the first and second Duran/Leonard fight's they tell to different stories I can see Duran beating PBF he's an all time great. I'd also mention the NO MAS bout where SRL's constant foot movement and accurate punching(boxer) frustrated and made a legend quit. Sounds similar to the way PBF fight's and the way he want's to be great how come nobody even said I could see that maybe happening as well. My point being I could see Duran winning but would you guys think it's unreasonable to think that he could possibly beat some of these greats? I don't and had PBF been that Oscar,SRL America's guy then he would prob get a little more respect!

[grayfist]

I didn't get to see them all, but I never saw a boring or lousy Leonard fight. The prime Sugar Ray did not only win, he made each match worth every single fan's penny. He faced close to all types of opponents and dealt with them looking good doing what he did. He went beyond winning. That's talent extra-ordinary.

[ROSEWOOD]

Many months ago it was reported that Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather had bragged to Sugar Ray Leonard that if the two had ever met in the squared circle during their primes Leonard would have been a sure loser. Trash talking Floyd must have imbibed way too much of some stimulating elixir to have reached such heights of delusional madness. Had the two ever engaged in ring combat during their respective primes, it is likely that Leonard would have beaten Mayweather silly and knocked him out in the process.

There are a few categories of pugilistic merit that a prime Leonard and today’s Mayweather share. For example, Leonard was as fundamentally sound in the science of boxing as Mayweather, more or less. Sugar Ray was arguably as fast of hand and foot as Floyd, but it is at this point where the skills and experience of the two can be distinguished much more clearly, and Sugar Ray appears to have all of the advantages.

Leonard was the harder puncher of the two and by more than a fair margin. The evidence is in the number of higher quality boxers the great Leonard stopped during his legendary career, especially when compared to the more modest accomplishments of the trash talking—and carefully managed—Mayweather. [details]

sugar was a harder puncher but overall, Pretty Boy has more overall talent than him....sugar took some shots while Pretty Boy hasnt taken hardly any....sugar is the man but Pretty Boy is well on his way to being the second best ever in the sport...

[cortdawg25]

Floyd is small

Everybody always says that Floyd looks small at welter weight, he look small at jr welterweight. That just makes him look better, a small man whooping on bigger men decisively. If Floyd goes to 154 and wins, coming from 130. That saying alot and in my opinion saying just as much as Sugar Ray going from welterweight to light heavy weight. The feat is just as great. And Floyd aint lost yet and aint never had to wear shades after a fight. If u dont like him thats fine, I didnt like Jordan, but I couldn't nor did I ever deny his skills.