Both were ATGs at their weight. battling Joe held the lw belt for six years before steping up to take the welter crown and Benny was unbeatable at lw for a long time and should have won the welter title. Stupidly got himself dqued. Stylewise they were pretty different. Gans did a lot of clinching and wrestling to wear down his opponent and was a master boxer while Leonard was a punching machine. If they met in the ring it would be interesting. Could it be a Forrest/Mosely type of fight? Or would benny outpunch him? Certainly an intriguing matchup.
I think Gans was the bestter pure boxer but Leonard was the more complete fighter. I think it would be a chessmatch early on but turn a bit uglier later on with Benny landing the more solid blows which would make the difference in the end. Tight, tight decision for Leonard which could easily have gone the other way.
I'd disagree with you there big time. Gans was known as an excellent puncher, and his record proves it more conclusively than Leonard's.
It's weird to feel that way because purportedly both had a near complete boxing lexicon, but I think Benny's outside skill would really help him out here, along with his counterpunching ability. I favor Gans on the inside, but i don't think he'd show the head movement or ring cutting to really use that to it's fullest against a textbook perfect boxer-type like Leonard. Slick defensive fighters often give boxer-punchers like Gans a lot of trouble, and I think that would play out in this fight. Disagree with bodhi as well. Gans was a more accurate, powerful puncher by far. Leonard had two knockout weapons- a right hand and a good left hook. Gans had many more.
The opinions of those in Benny's day were as divided as they are now on which was the top lightweight. Fleisher picked Gan's but many others thought Benny's outside game and movement would have won him the nod. Gan's was a puncher as his record attests, and this also tells of what kind of a jaw and endurance Battling Nelson had based on their goes. Throw Duran in with them and any pick for top dog has to be respected.
Yes, he was, I´m not knocking Gans. I just think Benny was a bit better there. But theriosly I don´t think there is much between the top lightweights. Those two, Roberto Duran and perhaps Ike Williams and Carlos Ortiz.
I'd give Leonard the edge based on his quicker footwork and mobility. Other than that, they seem pretty evenly matched.
I think it the other way round. I think Benny will be the better boxer and will triumph in this because of that. I think Gans is the better offensive fighter and his combinations are something to behold.
posted this before. When jack Britton was retired, he was sitting in a restaurant in NY with a bunch of boxing writers. He was asked by one of the writers, "who you got between Gans and benny Leonard "?. Britton as a youngster starting out sparred with Joe Gans, and of course fought Leonard twice..His answer was " Benny Leonard ". For what it's worth ! P.S. Nat Fleischer had Gans #1,followed by Leonard #2. and surprise Owen Moran #3.. For what it's worth...
