Mayweather vs Sugar Ray Leonard - who wins?

[BKM-]

Not even remotely true. Leonard went 15 and even stopped fighters in the late rounds. Floyd has never seen the 13th, 14th, or 15th round. The data is overwhelming in Leonard's favor. He went deeper into fights that Floyd has never seen. Leonard clear UD.

Plus what great fighters did he face that could have taken him to deep waters?

Mosley and Pacquiao, both significantly past their primes. Or Marquez who was too small. Prime Margarito would have been a great test, he was brutal late in fights but Floyd never faced him.

I guess maybe Castillo, and most(seemingly) believe he actually beat Mayweather atleast once.

[CubanGuyNYC]

One of the clearest matchups where I confidently pick against Mayweather.

Floyd has trouble with fighters who are faster than him, can pressure him effectively and keep this up the whole fight. SRL has all the goods.



This is much more evident the other way around. A past prime De La Hoya, a rough Maidana, Castillo, Judah etc. gave Floyd a lot of trouble. Those were nowhere near Leonard's level, and if we want to compare opponents, SRL faced asolutely superior competition. He's got one of the most densely packed resume in combat sports history.

That’s the way I feel about it, too. Plenty of match-ups between ATGs I’d call a toss-up, but not this one. Leonard would’ve been just too much for Floyd. I think Hearns would’ve clearly beaten Mayweather as well. Floyd was great, but that unbeaten record blinds way too many people. It was carefully crafted. Ray was fighting ATGs in their primes, sometimes going a full fifteen rounds with them.

[THC]

Most def Leonard would've been a bad style match up for Floyd. Tommy Hearns is another guy who Floyd would've avoided. Both were bigger men, just as fast, with longer reach. Floyd fought many guys bigger than him, but none of them had the elite skill set of SRL.

[powershots]

Sugar Ray by decision.

[4truth]

Hard to imagine a fight with SRL or Hearns that Floyd wins. A better fight would be Floyd against Pryor

[FinitoxDinamita]

Honestly, I see Floyd fighting to survive towards the late rounds.

I know how Floyd is especially when somebody pisses him off ala Mosley
but Leonard is a whole different kind of animal and floyd would recognize that better than anybody. He wouldnt open up on Leonard. He cant.

Leonard wins a fairly boring decision trying to chase floyd down.

[aboutfkntime]

Two of my all time favorite fighters, and this would be a fabulous matchup at welter.
For people claiming Floyd couldn't last in a 15 rounds, when have you EVER seen Floyd tired at the end of 12?

I actually think style wise this matchup favors Floyd, and I think chin wise, Floyd can take the better punch

yes some of these breakdowns are a bit silly

Mayweather would have no problem adjusting to 15 rounds, and he would hold a style advantage over almost every other fighter in history... including SRL

GREAT fight !

leaning toward Mayweather.... but Leonard was a cold-blooded killer who knew how to win

pass, I would not bet a dollar on that fight

GREAT fight ! ... one of the best you can imagine

[aboutfkntime]

guys.... Floyd is a LOT better than Floyd Snr, come on

different level completely

and I see most picking Leonard to decision Floyd, but unable to KO him

I see it more the other way around

it is VERY difficult for a boxer/boxer-puncher to decision Floyd... and we know two things about Leonard... he carries a fight-changing punch late into the bout... he is a killer, who always finds a way to win

I am not gonna make a pick for this one, out of respect for both fighters... but that would be a very difficult fight for Leonard

unbelievably, I think Leonard is actually under-rated to this day

I have him right up there with the best fighters ever... historically way above Mayweather

[bojangles1987]

One of the clearest matchups where I confidently pick against Mayweather.

Floyd has trouble with fighters who are faster than him, can pressure him effectively and keep this up the whole fight. SRL has all the goods.



This is much more evident the other way around. A past prime De La Hoya, a rough Maidana, Castillo, Judah etc. gave Floyd a lot of trouble. Those were nowhere near Leonard's level, and if we want to compare opponents, SRL faced asolutely superior competition. He's got one of the most densely packed resume in combat sports history.

Agreed, and I'm definitely leaning Leonard here. If he's getting outboxed, he'll use activity to make it up. And we've seen how big guys with activity can make rounds hard on Mayweather. To loosely compare, look at how Oscar took rounds off Mayweather. Leonard would be MUCH better at that, and obviously past-prime Oscar isn't anywhere near Sugar Ray mother****ing Leonard.

[SCTrumpster79]

Sugar Ray Leonard without question!
Only way Floyd wins is his usual, make them wait until they can't fight is getting more as he's got an old or drain them pounds they are not at 100%.