What was the reaction to Leonard fighting Donny Lalonde?

I think most people took it as a credible challenge against a bigger guy who was a legit banger. The catchweight clause wasn’t the kind of issue then that it became later — and Leonard was basically a welter who had blown up to middle so mostly it was kind of intriguing.

 

No he was not..
Later it became clear what Ray's intentions were. That he was looking to have fights where he had the advantages, sort of like Floyd and his career, but that was just Ray after Marvin, and even during the Hagler fight getting everything his way. It didn't get as much bad reaction as it should have been. Because he beat Marvin and he was fighting someone bigger, people just saw it as wow he is trying for two titles on one night. I am not sure why it was allowed. It was not fair to guys who win it at the weights. Hearns was fighting for titles at that time, and Ray knew Tommy was getting publicity for it, but Tommy was winning his title in a legit way. Ray was fighting a guy who was 175 pound champion at 168.. for those two weight belts. So neither titles Ray won that night was a legit win in my mind.

 

The weight limit was 168 for both a new 168 belt as well as a 175 belt that LaLonde held, so yes it was a bit of a sham.

 

People credit Leonard's win over Lalonde, but Canelo gets slated for KOing Kovalev, why is that?

 

No doubt Ray was moving up again the fight a bigger guy but he cherry picked this one and dictated a catch weight essentially a division lighter than LaLonde was fighting .. Ray had the Mayweather level star power and called the shot .. Donnie was more than thrilled to take the money, period .. It was a vicious KO.

 

Lol personally I dont rate Leonard's win over LaLonde as, even though LaLonde was a big puncher, he was a typical alphabet holding champion. Good but no ATG. Plus there was speculation that he may or may not have been weight drained, as some said at that time it was easy for him to make 168, and some said that that wasnt true. I personally simply do not know. But I believe the biggest reason is that LaLonde wasnt far from his prime, whereas Kov seemed to be shot in his recent fights.

 

Big left hook. Ouch

 

Do you see Ray getting much credit?

 

Nobody saw it as an easy fight. And it wasn't. He was floored.

He'd had one middleweight fight. And he was fighting one of the light heavyweight champs next. And LaLonde coming in at 168 wasn't that big of a deal. Michael Spinks routinely weighed closer to 170 than 175 for title fights and he weighed in the DAY OF the fight.

Lalonde usually weighed in the low 170s, too.

People didn't move up divisions back then like they do today because you weighed in the day of the fight.

Today you can dry out, weigh in, and enter the ring three divisions heavier before the bell rings. It wasn't like that then. And Leonard weighed in with his track suit on because he said he had rolls of coins on him to weigh more than 160 pounds. He ate and trained and couldn't crack 160 without shoes, clothes and rolls of silver dollars in his pockets.

 

People are saying on this thread that Leonard got credit for the win

 

Lucky ******* that Leonard. I drink 10 Guinnesses in a night and look like I gained 100 pounds the next day lol.

 

I thought Canelo's win over Kovalev was great. Most people are idiots. (LOL)

 

Correct: Lalonde had actually come in at 167 two years earlier and at 172 1/2 in his previous fight. He wasn’t some guy who had to cut off limbs to make the weight.

 

Lalonde looked like a guy from school who I didn't like.was pleased SR duffed him up .