Sugar Ray Leonard circa 1986 v Floyd Mayweather 2007

GGG hit far harder than Floyd, Canelo had improved by the time he fought GGG and improved his body mechanics, he`s punching technique is better. Kov was fighting strange seemed scared of counters.

 

That's nice. And Leonard would respect Floyd's power just like everyone else did.

 

Ray wasn’t knocked out during sparring. Period.

Prior to their bout Norris observed that Ray was that much slower, getting hit with punches (incl. those that induced KDs) that never would’ve touched him in his prime. Norris also wasn’t sure that Ray could even do 12 rds anymore.

If Floyd did do anything so much better - it was cherry picking his opposition to an absolute fault and taking all possible measures to carefully ensure preservation of his record before he even stepped into the ring - definitely an ATG in that respect.

Floyd never did and never could beat the calibre of the top tier opposition that Ray did. He could never beat prime Leonard either.

Much ado about nothing. Prime Ray clearly beats prime Floyd.

Consensus of opinion: notwithstanding or dismissing Mayweather’s “actual” abilities (not those fantasised), there is a certain contingent of Floyd fans who are more than delusional in their beliefs.

 

I didn`t see anyone respect his power apart from fighters at the lower weights, Floyd didn`t anywhere near as hard as Duran or Hearns.

 

It ain’t sparring if you get knocked out.

 

You should never knock someone out in sparring, it`s just a time to practise the fundamentals.

 

He was knocked out; you just prefer to call it something else. Now get over it

stop making excuses like "ray got slower" prior to the Norris bout

No he wasn't; Norris just made him LOOK slow

and nowhere have I read anything like "Norris wasn't even sure Ray could do 12 rounds anymore"

How ******ED!

He just WENT 12 rounds his last bout!

Was he breathing hard? Did he take a pounding on the ropes? HARDLY!

it's no wonder I didnt believe your first claim

Now listen to this; Leonard is a SEMI great because he only had a semi career

The Lalonde fight was a total farce

the Hagler bout the year before was a farce

It's not like Leonard caught Marvin at his peak for a historic upset

For the REAL THING, see Douglas tyson,, a REAL ACHIEVEMENT

Why? Because everyone knows Mike at 24, was PRIME.

A real great would not have waited five years to catch someone past his prime. A real great would have defended vs Nunn, McCallum instead of searching paydays vs the lalondes of the world

Clearly, if Leonard failed in a crucial fight vs Norris, he will also choke against Floyd. The Norris fight is proof of it

 

more evidence of a suspect chin

It dont matter if its a real fight or a rough sparring session

and adds more fuel to the fire, suspicions that sprang up since the Howard fight; Leonard cant handle a quick, sharp punch to the head

 

Why would I need to “get over” facts?

You need to get over your fantasies and expand your reading. Ray was not knocked out in sparring. Ray NEVER choked. Ray got old. Floyd “choked” time and again by not even engaging his best comp. as and when he should’ve.

@ThatOne is correct in suggesting that too much credence is being placed on a alleged (real or not) incidents in sparring anyway. Also, you can’t necessarily prove what you’ve “heard” as true OR play naive by not understanding that there would be many legit instances in sparring that haven’t been “leaked” - so you can’t make an across the board comparison.

Correct, Mike T., 24 yo and still prime. Ray Leonard 30 yo v Hagler, years of inactivity behind him - CLEARLY beyond prime. You need to get over the fact that he BEAT Marvin. Rocket surgery this isn’t.

Roberto Duran looked like he was moving in mud v Ray, slow of hand and foot, tired throughout but still caught diminished Ray with a big right late in the piece and busted his eye - Ray simply performed LESS WORSE than Roberto - and that’s WHO you’re claiming to have looked “good” - not to mention Ray being inactive for ANOTHER 14 months before engaging Norris. But it’s Ray, so it doesn’t count. Haha, very funny.

Ray was CLEARLY slower of hand, foot and reflex v Norris and well removed from prime, as any reasonable observer would agree (unless you UNEVENLY see a fighter’s prime lasting a good 10 years beyond 24 yo - hello Mike?) and as attested to by one of the commentators for the fight (Pacheco) and Norris himself prior to the fight. You’re flying in the face of a tidal wave of FACTS and common sense, applying a heavily biased and uneven treatment of Ray and his career.

The vanquishing of Benitez, Duran, Hearns, Hagler etc. - a resume that Floyd can only read and weep over due to his comparatively less outstanding record - meanwhile protectively hugging a ZERO that much means so much LESS than Ray’s best wins against quality ATG opp.

Prime Ray stuck his chin out when it mattered - and prevailed - Floyd didn’t do same. Btw, it doesn’t get more farcical than fighting a You Tuber - does it? He didn’t even fight the “better” Paul bro - Jake just might’ve levelled him.

 

Leonard threw his respect for Tommy Hearns out the window. He'd go after Mayweather when he needed to.

 

By that stage of Leonard’s career he’d lost some of his athleticism. Floyd was still at his very best in 2007. Leonard is great enough to still make it close but after the time out and Leonard not having the same quick feet he had in his younger days I’d go with Floyd in a real good close one.

 

Tommy was gassed. Mayweather always had poise.

 

A gassed Hearns still hits way harder than Mayweather.