SRL was always trying to hand pick opponents, or manipulate his fights to his advantage. Who would win if he tried to mirror SR Robinson, and went after prime Bob Foster at Lt Hvy?
I'd say Ray took a little too much cocaine. He'd have a better chance at besting a prime Hagler, as Ray couldn't wait to fight him either. :think
Leonard avoided Hagler like the plague for almost 6 years until he knew Hagler was shot.He even admitted that he chose to challenge Marv after Hagler's sub-par performance against Mugabi.
Weight drained Donny LaLonde knocked Leonard down at 168.What the hell does anyone think that ATG lightheavy Foster does to him?
Leonard would have NEVER,NEVER,NEVER,NEVER gone after a prime Foster unless he expected the fight to be held at a catchweight of 168 or below.
You know what? If I was Bob, I'd accept those terms. He came in at 170-1/4 for Anderson in 1971. Making 175 was not ever any kind of problem for him. After Frazier, he got down to 174 for Hal Carroll, and 173 for Fourie following Ali. I'd agree to that 168 limit, then generously make funeral arrangements for my new victim. (Actually, I'd hire a taxidermist for mounting Ray's head.)
Foster was death to those poor lightheavies of his time..and even Mr. Wonderful himself would have been zapped..badly.
****ing hell, we have a Frazier v Roy Jones thread and a SRL v Bob Foster thread. I understand the sentiment of the OP, but come on to ****, this question doesn't even need asked.
Regardless of the circumstances and the choice of opponent,Leonard did actually fight as a Light Heavyweight.He moved up,fought a much larger man than himself and knocked him unconscious. The fact that he,a Welterweight at his peak,actually stepped foot in the ring with a top ranked Light Heavyweight is something a certain insecure,mentally feeble slaphead,who was always perfectly happy to call out fighters from lower weight classes,was absolutely terrified of doing.
So you must not like SRL huh? Total mismatch, SRL got a gift against a faded Hearns at Mw and dropped twice so just figure what a prime Foster would do.... Leonard always came in with a great plan, but hes just outsized and outgunned here... He would come in and look good early maybe even winning the frist round or 2, but Foster measures him up and lowers the boom Foster ko 3