Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali were both showboaters. Which of them was the better fighter?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Apr 26, 2021.



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  1. SheenLantern

    SheenLantern Active Member Full Member

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    Look at their CVs. Ali beat Liston, Patterson, Frazier, Foreman. Ray beat Duran, Benitez, Hearns, Hagler. Name two fighters with better resumes than these two.
     
    SheenLantern, Apr 27, 2021
    SheenLantern, Apr 27, 2021
    #31
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  2. UltimateDestroyer

    UltimateDestroyer Member Full Member

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    It don't take balls to stand in front of a fat Duran and shuffle and bolo. Ray couldn't do **** to in shape Duran.
    To answer the question there's not much between them but prime Ali was better than prime Ray slightly.
     
    UltimateDestroyer, Apr 27, 2021
    UltimateDestroyer, Apr 27, 2021
    #32
  3. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    I think Ray was much more skilled from a technical boxing standpoint .. Ali did everything wrong but excelled in spite of it based on his exceptional reflexes and later when they failed his chin and heart size ands strength .. Ray was better at slipping punches , as fast or faster P4P and a much bette two handed puncher.
     
    he grant, Apr 27, 2021
    he grant, Apr 27, 2021
    #33
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  4. Balder

    Balder Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Leonard LOST to Hearns, Hagler and Duran.
     
    Balder, Apr 27, 2021
    Balder, Apr 27, 2021
    #34
  5. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ray`s style was based on speed, Ali had a lot of bad fundamentals but had better craft than Ray, he was better at slipping shots.
     
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    #35
  6. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ali
     
    Mark Dunham, Apr 27, 2021
    Mark Dunham, Apr 27, 2021
    #36
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  7. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Was that you Morlocks? Who`s the king mole and how did a new member know that?;)
     
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    #37
  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali had a better 1-2.
     
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    #38
  9. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ray took more shots from Kalule than Ali would have and which figfht did Ray slip more shots than Ali did, Ali`s hwhole style was based on slipping and countering, that wasn`t Ray`s style, he certainly didn`t slip many of Hearns shots despite winning their first bout.
     
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 27, 2021
    #39
  10. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    Good thread by the way Mark.
     
    JohnThomas1, Apr 28, 2021
    JohnThomas1, Apr 28, 2021
    #40
  11. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    I have a suspicion that it was indeed Mr Morlocks!
     
    Fergy, Apr 28, 2021
    Fergy, Apr 28, 2021
    #41
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  12. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member Full Member

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    I think Leonard was ahead of Ali as a pure fighter. Less of a weight advantage and he was smarter about how he went about his fights. The way he set up Hagler was remarkable.
     
    BCS8, Apr 28, 2021
    BCS8, Apr 28, 2021
    #42
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  13. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    I don`t think he was smarter against Hagler than AAli was in his greatest fights, he didn`t land that much for large parts of that fight and it was extremely close, I don`t think Ray was as great at 160 as Ali was at heavy, plus Ali never had a weight advantage on Liston or Foreman and Liston had a longer reach and bigger punch anyway, Leonard usually had a reach advantage v welters and struggled with Hearns who had a longer reach, he also struggled with Lalonde and Geraldo who both had longer reaches also.
     
    mark ant, Apr 28, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 28, 2021
    #43
  14. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member Full Member

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    Context is everything.
    Leonard didnt spend his entire career at 160
    :lol: What about the other 59 guys he fought ...
    And Ali got gifts against Norton and some favourable scores in other fights too ...
     
    BCS8, Apr 28, 2021
    BCS8, Apr 28, 2021
    #44
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  15. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Context? Leonard said he could really feel the punches at higher weights, he was not a natural middle. Who cares about the other 59 if he beat punchers like Liston and Foreman Ali wasn`t in his prime v Norton and only got gifts while not in his prime, he hadn`t reached his peak v Banks and Jones and wasn`t that heavy in those bouts either.
     
    mark ant, Apr 28, 2021
    mark ant, Apr 28, 2021
    #45
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