Sugar Ray Leonard v Floyd Mayweather Jr @ 147

As technically adept as Mayweather is, Leonard maybe too much for him. The speed, the size, the all round completeness of Leonard made him the best in an era filled with some truly exceptional fighters like Duran, Hagler and Hearns.

Sure Mayweather is a defensive genius but he'll need more than arguably one of the best defenses in the game ever to overcome Ray, he'll need to mount some kind of consistent offence or be able to counter the elusive Leonard. Speed kills and Mayweather in this match up is not only out sized but out arguably out sped. Much like how RJJ overcame the far technically superior Toney and Hopkins, Leonard will get off first and be gone before Mayweather can counter him.

But having said that I think it will be a very competitive fight. Mayweather isn't an easy fight for anyone, hell Leonard has an off night or uses the wrong strategy and he loses like he did vs Duran. Much of what Mayweather does will give Leonard problems. I don't expect to see the flashy combo's from Leonard, Mayweather is too elusive to be caught by more than one shot at a time very often, if at all. Leonard will need to be selective with his shots, he gets overly aggressive and he gets countered, he will instead pot shot from range, make Mayweather and come to him.

Mayweather advocates may say Leonard is the one that gets out boxed and that it will be Leonard forced to be the aggressor vs the elusive Mayweather. But even in that scenario I see Leonard digging deep and making his advantages in size and power count. If Leonard decides to engage Mayweather in a war, then I can't see what Mayweather does to hold him off for 12 or 15 rounds, eventually Leonard will get to him.

 

The boxing of all those boxers is OLD.

Floyd would destroy leonards stamina only by letting him to jump around and using his jab to the body at the right time (just after leonards attack, so that he cannot breath and recover). In 7 rounds, 8 at most, Leonards tank would be empty.

Have you ever wondered why you dont see fighters jumping around any more? no, you havent, isnt it?

You all are just not aware of how much boxing has changed in 40 years.

 

I have got to laugh @ what you've just said Leonard fights were 15 rounds not 12 chacal.
Leonards stamina is as good as anyones is today or in the past.
Leonard is a all time great can't say that for Floyd & I never will.

 

You can let your hate to blind you. No problem with that.

 

I don't hate Floyd but he did not face the best in primes like when Pacman beat Hatton in 2 rounds(how many did it take Floyd).
Floyd waited till past prime that's why he's not a All time great like Leonard get over it & don't be blind.

 

Yeah, know the difference? floyd beat an undefeated hatton. Pac didnt face hatton until floyd kicked his ass.

We are not arguing about that, though, we are arguing about if a fighter as old as leonard can beat a topnotch modern boxer like floyd. I say no, and I say that if Leonard stands any chance is because of his size, only because of that. That's the argument.

 

The only people that ignore me are idiots who dksab so I dont mind. Theres plenty of guys on here who give great insight and obviously enjoy mine. Now feel free to put me on your ignore list.

 

OK, good for you. Ignored.

 

Leonard’s far superior speed, greater array of punch combinations, tactical awareness and stamina would persecute, suffocate and separate Floyd from his consciousness.

No contest for me, SRL was a genuine ATG while FMJ is a pale imitation and a fraud. He’s like one of those stolen valour types that masquerade as a military veteran when they’ve never been near conflict. Floyd tries to pass himself off as an ATG but he’s a flim flam man who cherry picked his way through an unsatisfying career which promised much but ultimately his manipulative antics became transparent and ruined his legacy

 

Strange pick

 

Leonard had bags of stamina regardless of time passed. Floyd used that game plan he gets beat

 

Well his speed, power, accuracy and tenacity all bode well for him too

 

I'll take up the argument about Hearn's IQ! In a documentary about the Hearns Hagler fight. Hearns explained that in the locker room getting ready to go out, he told Manny that his legs were gone. Don't know if he over trained or what, but at that moment Hearns decided to bang it out with Hagler. He knew his legs couldn't carry him 12 rounds. In all honesty, I don't know if his legs were 100% would have made a difference or not.

 

Good to know that, I always thought that this was a low IQ decision by Hearns. At least I know why now.