I hear SRR was better defensively as a welterweight. We don't have enough footage though to evaluate.
This just about sums it up for me, but we must add how confused Leonard looked against Hearns. A complete welterweight does not lose 10 of the first 12 rounds against Hearns. Ray Robinson was far more complete, as was Gavilan. Hell, speaking of the former lightweight, Duran was a more complete welterweight than Leonard. I am not sure why some people here get so exciting when Leonard's name is mentioned, but it obviously has to do with something other than his record and what you can see on tape. Maybe it's the pretty smile on a boyish face.
I don't see how you can rank Leonard over Robinson, Gavilan, Napoles, Griffith, Whitaker, Mayweather, and Armstrong.
Leonard ranks ahead of Whitaker at 147lbs. He had much better wins against higher calibre opponents. Whitaker was a damn fine welterweight, and held the WBC title for four years. However, Chavez and McGirt x2 doesn't quite hold up to Leonard's biggest accomplishments. Whitaker's best days were two divisions south. lightweight. Whitaker would be doing well very to appear at the bottom half of anyones top 10 greatest welterweights.
nah, rooster is a stand alone poster IMO, it all started with the legendary Revolver, who morphed into Megaman and sometimes into Homicide Hank Revolver was the greatest alias, anyone remember the paradigm shift (ca. 1960)
I missed out on all of that but i've heard CT speak about it. I can't put SRL above SRR, no way. The only area I feel SRL excels Robinson is elusiveness - Robinson is bound to be hit a bit more if he spends more time in the dangerzone. It's fair to put him in the second clutch. I personally think you could spend all day arguing about who the second best WW, but SRL would be in amongst them for sure.
yeah, good point, people point out Robinson' defensive frailties, but their only highlighted because he was willing to take more chances. I try to find a particular area that Leonard is greater at and always come back to the idea that Robinson had just that little bit more, maybe i am a tad biased
A couple points: He was beat by an out of prime (although one of the all time best), lightweight. He was being beaten by Hearns and the stoppage that saved him is very questionable. He would not grant Duran a rematch fearing the faded Duran might turn around as he did for a short time 2 years later. He would not give Hearns a rematch. Of course he gave them rematches when they were very faded. He was afraid to figh Aaron Pryor. He decided to fight Hagler as he watched an old Duran beating him after 12 rounds. Then demanded 12 rounds (rather than the then-standard 15) and a larger ring. Probably top ten but not the best.