Putting together an ATG List: Could Pernell Whitaker find himself above Ray Leonard?

The Ring Magazine list of the best 80 fighters of the past 80 years certainly thought they where close placing Ray at #9 and Pete at #10.

http://boxing.about.com/od/history/a/ring_80_best.htm

Whereas Bert Sugar would have them nearly 25 places apart.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080424165526AAdvUX3

....

I find myself siding with the ring, as Ray's career (a truly marvellous one) isn't as clear cut as some would think. Nor is Pete's. I think...I may accept Pernell being above Ray on my criteria.

What are your opinions on the matter with your own criteria?

 

only if you were really really stupid or one of those guys that beats off to the 90's and thinks roy jones knocks out sugar ray robinson.

Leonard just has a much deeper resume. The quality of his scalps is amazing and it's ridiculous that he managed to go as far as LHW from WW with some success, AFTER he retired, and after his prime. Along with Duran Leonard is the most complete fighter post 1950 and it shows in his longevity and dominance. Pea was great. definitely, and had incredible skills. But his lack of power hurt his p4p rise, and he gave fights away from time to time.

 

Absolutely hell no.

Whitaker, whilst highly skilled, does not have a resume to match his hype or talent. Leonards resume far surpasses Whitakers, as do his achievements in the Ring. It's Leonard all day, every day.

You'd have to be a madman to rate Whitaker ahead of him.

 

no way whitaker should be above leonard. i have them at least 10 places apart. leonard is clearly top 15, whitaker top 25 or top 30.

 

Fair play man. I'd have had Ray way in front before I saw the Ring list but it did get me thinking about it.

 

SRL's resume is much much deeper. I prefer Sweetpea, but I can't put him above Leonard.

 

Leonard is ahead of The Peaman for me.

Both are awesome though, like expensive hookers... made from chocolate.

 

Sorry man, I just hate those 90's guys...they musta forgot about boxing history.

 

Ray Leonard has a better resume and is a more complete fighter. I love Whitaker and I think it's closer than 25 spots, but not that close.

 

I think SRL is better. Pea was a great fighter as well. Somebody has to be better between them and I'd go with Leonard.

 

While I am a "90's guy" I am not one of "those 90's guys." I really got into Leonard (no homo) around 2004 when B-Hop beat de la Hoya, because being a de la Hoya fan I always sort of paralleled his career with Leonard (maybe unfairly) and to think that de la Hoya couldn't overcome B-Hop or Trinidad. To then read that Leonard had beat Hearns and Hagler(and that victory coming after a layoff from a bad eye injury) filled me with so much respect for the man. To then learn he beat the breaks of a guy like Benetiz and held a victory over Duran. I couldn't really comprehend someone having a career like that (until my dad pointed me towards Duran.)

As for Pete, I've been in awe of the man since 12/04/1997 (thank you boxrec.)

I'd just never thought to compare the careers of Pete and Leonard this closely since I saw that Ring ranking compared with Old Berts ranking.

 

Thanks for the replies anyway guys. I was braced for a runaway Leonard vote on the polls.

 

No way possible

 

Two votes for Pete yet no explanation.

 

lurking 90s guys