First of all this is my first post, so I'd like to say a big hello to this community I've been looking on this forum for quiete some time now and have finally made a account. I have recently just gotten my hands onto a Sugar Ray Leonard career set on DVD. I believe I know a significant amount about his career. I have seen his major victories- over Hagler, Hearns, Duran and Benetiz. I know just how amazing these victories where. My question is- how was the rest of SRL's resume? How good was Andy Price, Davey Boy Green, Larry Bonds, Kalule, Ranzany, Geraldo, Chiaverini? Are these guys run of the mill contenders, or are any of them maybe something a bit above that? How strong was the 147 division at the time, besides the 4 kings? I would just like a little more background on these opponents before watching the fights. Many thanks
If you want quality discussion regarding your topic I suggest taking this thread to the Classic Boxing section.
If by "quality discussion" you mean immortalising anybody that fought pre 80s. Then sure Here we talk real boxing talk: Glass Jaws, PED suspicions and American hypejobs. (none of which are by no means mutually exclusive :hey)
Welcome to the forum. I'll assume you haven't watched the fights, so I won't tell you the outcomes. Dave "Boy" Green was the top British welterweight and many thought he'd become champion when he faced Carlos Palomino two years earlier. Green had a win over former champion John H. Stracey, who Palomino upset to win the title. I believe Green was leading Palomino when he (Green) was stopped. So he was very good. Ayube Kalule was the reigning WBA junior middleweight champion (today it's the super welterweight division). There were only two sanctioning bodies then (WBC and WBA), so being one of the champs was a much bigger deal than it is now. Andy Price was a top welterweight contender in the mid-70s. Very good boxer. He lost a decision to Dave "Boy" Green, which helped to elevate Green. Price also had a win over Carlos Palomino before Palomino won the title. (Wilfred Benitez beat Palomino to win the WBC welterweight title.) Tony Chiaverini and Marcos Geraldo were fringe contenders in the higher weight classes. Chiaverini fought primarily as a junior middleweight. Geraldo was a middleweight. Pete Ranzany was a highly dangerous welterweight contender. He seemed to be able to beat everyone at welterweight except for the guys who held the belts. Larry Bonds was just a guy. He was a "soft touch" between significant battles. So was Bruce Finch. If you're looking at Leonard's whole career, I'd add that Armando Muniz was a 1968 U.S. Olympian and also a top welterweight contender during Jose Napoles and Carlos Palomino's reign. Muniz challenged for the title four times (twice against Napoles and twice against Palomino) in very entertaining fights. Randy Shields was a top welterweight contender - along the same lines as Pete Ranzany - who had defeated Ray Leonard when both were top amateurs. Shields fought Hearns for Hearns' version of the welterweight title before Leonard and Hearns fought. Donnie Lalonde was the reigning WBC light heavyweight champion. Terry Norris was the reigning WBC Super Welterweight (junior middleweight) champion. Floyd Mayweather is Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s dad. **** Eklund is Micky Ward's brother and Eklund was played by Christian Bale in the movie "The Fighter." Side Note: I don't know if this is included in your Leonard collection. Here is Sugar Ray Leonard against Bruce Curry in the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtcI8AZj5B0 Bruce Curry would go on as a pro to win the WBC Super Welterweight Title. And Bruce Curry's brother, Donald, would succeed Leonard as the World Welterweight champion when Leonard retired.
LOL...In the general section you rarely find objectivity. You commonly find posters who choose there favorite fighters based on nationality and race. You find posters who toss around boxing buzzwords, and try to pass it off as boxing knowledge. In general you find daily threads on GGG, Mayweather, and the new favorite, Fury. In general, you will be attacked as a troll, hater, racist or fa**ot if your opinion differs from the majority. Aside from that, it's not a bad place.
I like Leonard. He's right up there with the many other great welters for me. However post 154 there was a lot of smoke, mirrors and shenanigans. Good as he was, I think there's a tendency to overrate his overall career.