(cont.) but Mayweather never had the heart to strive to equal or pass. Right. A reason I dont consider Mayweather an ATG because he wouldn't fight the greats of every era. Napoles? Nope. SRL? Not at all. C'mon blame him or not why the fight didnt happen but he saw something in Pacq that questioned his chances against him. Forget Pacq he didnt even face P Will when he could've! Beats Benitez, Hagler, Hearns, Kalule, and Duran. Needs more fightsatsch. I agree its quality that matters.
I wasn't comparing SRL to Mayweather, if I did he'd easily come out on top. Rather I was comparing SRL to the likes of Duran, Robinson etc. the very cream of the crop, and it's in this context that he comes up short againt the top ATG's. And yes this matters because longivity as part of the legacy a fighter leaves, as is the quality of opposition.
Ray accomplished the most and beat the best fighters and is the greatest fighter probably to only have 40 fights total in his career.
He was good, but it was a little bit of hype too. He caught Hearns a little early, Hagler a little late (a fight that i think Leonard actually lost) & Duran a little late.
actually for Duran it was perfect. For Ray it was a little early. Duran got Ray before he was quite the superfighter he later was with Hearns. Duran was late at just turning 29? He fought another 21 years and won titles in another 2 divisions.
to say stuff like this is completely hypothetical and impossible to say for sure. He does lack a true adversary like the other all time greats do so you can say that, I guess.
I meant that i'd rather have seen Leonard-Duran in 78 or 79. Duran was past his prime when they fought.
he was great. skilled like floyd jr, easily, and then some :deal makes floyd, todays p4p #1, look stiff, like floyd senior- more flowing, with a warrior heart. came off the duran fights and went right at hearns, first thing. nobody touches that today
I disagree. I'm not trying to take away anything from the greatness of SRL, i'm a fan, and i definitely think he's an ATG. However, i don't think 1980 was a little too early for Leonard-Duran. If anything it was just perfect for Leonard, but a little late for Duran. Leonard was ready and mature enough for Duran as early as late 78-79 imo. He had 20 pro fights under his belt by that point, and anyone with an eye for talent/greatness could see he was light years ahead of the curve (with maybe the possible exception of Tommy Hearns).
Yeah, there was no need to stop the Benitez fight...totally unnecessary. An overreaction on the part of the ref...and the only blemish on Leonard's win.
SRL was soo good, that only when he was fighting Duran for the third time, his performance dropped to the level I currently see in Mayweather fights.
Hagler beat Leonard in '87 imo. I watched that fight several times, and i think Hagler got robbed. Prime Mayweather Jr vs prime SRL would be a great fantasy fight to see.