Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Benny Leonard, at lightweight, who wins?

Mayweather has advantages in speed, strength, arm length, height and I'd say skills. So I don't see a gameplan where Benny can win

 

Heresy I know...but I pick Floyd.

 

I'm gonna need help with this one as I can't decide. I'll wait and read more opinions.

 

It would be a match up of the two best boxing brains of all time.
I just watched a History Chanel program on youtube about the rise of King David. It of course starts with David vs. Goliath. The real lesson of David vs. Goliath is not that the underdog or smaller guy can sometimes win. The real lesson is that if you can strike at a distance where your foe can't strike you. Skill/Talent/Ability goes out the window. Mayweather who has a 72" reach compared to Leonard's 69" reach has the advantage
There is no doubt Leonard is a better boxer, but the gap is not that wide. If anyone can overcome the advantages that Mayweather has in this bout. It is Leonard.
I voted could go either way. However if forced to chose. I'd root for Leonard but due to his lengith advantage. I would pick Mayweather to edge Leonard in a close decision.

 

Benny would win because of his footwork.....who Floyd ever faced with a great footwork ?? He wouldn´t counter-punch too well.....

BL is the greater fighter at LW and p4p too.....

 

On a side note about Floyd's longer arm reach, a difference in boxing masters Pep and Benny is that it didn't affect Willy's bouts so adept was he at slipping and hitting against the best in close, while Benny needed more room to pick his punches from the outside. Advantage Floyd for that reason.

 

Anybody that says Leonard is being purely nostalgic.

 

head to head floyd has most of the advantages...same for Leonard has he faced a fight like floyd...nope

 

X. you say that anyone that picks Benny Leonard to beat Mayweather is being purely nostalgic !!! Brilliant of you sir. You having seen only a SNIPPET of Benny Leonard on film against one of the greatest southpaws of all time Lew Tendler ,can gauge Benny Leonard so well from this few minutes of film and dismiss the FACT that for SEVEN years Benny Leonard
DOMINATED the LW division crushing the best LW opposition ever...Such great boxers such as Lew Tendler, Johnny Kilbane, Freddie Welch, Charley White, Richie Mitchell, Johnny Dundee, Rocky Kansas, Ever Hammer, Leo Johnson, etc. were beaten by Benny Leonard in a 212 FIGHT CAREER. And yet not even seeing 1% of Leonard's career in person or EVEN on film,
you state that ANYONE who feels Leonard would win is "Purely nostalgic".
No, I believe it shows a closed mind on your part X.
If I choose Leonard over Mayweather as MANY others do, it is not because of "nostalgia", but because of his great boxing and punching skills and his great 212 bout winning career...Not Nostalgia...

 

Power - Leonard
Footwork - Leonard (and this is an attribute that would be all wrong to Floyd´s game)
Jab - Leonard
Versatility - Leonard

Leonard was fast enough to compete with any LW..... Mayweather can´t be smarter with only 49 fights.....It´s impossible.....BL has the better resume, with a incredible consistency in an amazing era for LWs......

The man fought in an era full of talent for LW........Mayweather didn´t do nothing even close......

 

I can't say as I get the logic there, brother.

 

Floyd Mayweather is as good as any fighter you mention on this Forum. I really do believe that.

 

42, I´m sorry.....my mistake BE.....

Because I think Floyd would be very inexperieced in comparison with Leonard.....I mean, smartness, intelligence comes from experience, practice against the best........and Leonard is the best man in that regard.....

But yeah, I think this can be confusing.....because we aren´t talking about WW Floyd, so actually would be less than 42 fights......:think And prime Leonard would have less than 100 fights too.......but even so, my point is still the same......Leonard would be the more experienced and because of that smater in the ring......