More Skilled: Sugar Ray Leonard or Bernard Hopkins ???

I was wondering about this after watch some of their fights....

??

:think

 

Good question. Depends on the definition of "skilled". Hopkins was the more disciplined fighter technically at his best, especially in terms of guard. Leonard was trickier, though, could pull out more aces so to speak. But give Hopkins Leonard's speed, power and reflexes and I think he'd be the superior fighter. So - Hopkins. But not much in it.

 

Hopkins. Leonard was much better physically.

 

Tough one. In terms of SKILL they're pretty much both complete. Inside, outside etc. What gives Leonard the edge though is that he had more talent than Hopkins and that's different to skill. Consequently he was more loosy, goosey. Had more athleticism, variety, hand speed, footwork etc.

Leonard is in that 'special' bracket of fighters with sound fundamentals combined with very good athleticism and high boxing IQ. Which makes him along with two others the best of the last 30 years.

 

Unless you are completely mesmerized by flash...the answer is Hopkin's

 

Except for that low guard. And it cost him. He ate a lot of Hearn's rights that could have been avoided by a tighter guard. In their rematch, Leonard's holding his left low just looks suicidal considering that his reflexes had slowed some by then and Hearns still was very, very explosive and sharp.

 

Both superbly skilled. Leonard has the edge,imo. More versatile when it comes to offence and defence.

 

I think Hopkins is smarter, but Leonard had greater physical abilities.

In other words, Hopkins knows how to fight better, but Leonard's physical assets allowed him to actually be the better fighter.

 

Leonard was more gifted physically and thus his skills came across brighter to the naked eye... You had to look closer to see Hopkins.. but they were just as bright or brighter in some areas.

 

More physically gifted I would say Leonard and he had a good ring IQ the more technically sound would be Hopkins in terms of defense. Both had something one lacked that the other excelled in

 

I give Hopkins the edge, but it's damn close. Leonard had great skill.

 

:deal

 

That would be the case if we were talking about someone like Mel Taylor or even Roy Jones. But Leonard was not without considerable skill. He just had it combined with physical talent.

What does Hopkins do so skillfully that Leonard couldn't?

 

Leonard

But Hopkins is one wily old *******

 

SRL no question