I don't agree at all with this. Leonard could've done a Mayweather Jr. better than Mayweather Jr could've. But the big difference was the mentality. Where Mayweather Jr fought cautiously and just to win. Leonard came to dominate. Even when you watch some of his earlier fights he took shots from lesser fighters because he was being aggressive and sometimes a little reckless. And win you mention the Duran fight in Montreal very few safety 1st fighters or " great technicians" fighters would've even heard the bell in the 15thrd. Give credit to Duran for making Leonard fight. That's the only way he survived. By making Duran respect him. You mention Hearns but how many fighters could out box Hearns? Especially with his physical advantages and his way above average hand speed? You say Hagler had slowed. But Leonard was inactive for almost 5yrs. Plus he went up to middle. (And in my opinion it wasn't so much Hagler slowing but fighting one of the dumbest fights I ever saw) Leonard was technically just as good as a Mayweather Jr. But when your competition is also great,and in or close to prime sometimes you got to find other ways to win.
Leonard's defeat of a high quality Cuban southpaw in the Olympic Finals, and the defeat of southpaw Ayub Kalule for the Jr. MW title, should be added to the List of SRL being able to use his technical skills to win big fights.
I wasn't asking about who would win. I'm asking about the claim that Leonard could do everything FMJ could do better than FMJ could. I think they're two very different fighters, with different talents and skills.
I wouldn't call him a 'technician' perse, but he had perfect fundamentals, very subtle defence and an insane ring IQ. He also had an awesome jab and one of the most complete repertoire of punches I've ever seen. He did often fallback on his athleticsm and speed when his skills weren't enough, and he didn't do anything super crazy like Mayweather, Pep, Lomachenko or Duran did, but does anyone? Do you need to do stuff like they did to be a technician? I don't think he gets rated among the best ever in terms of skills, but his skills are definitely appreciated by most. That's rating him fairly IMO.
Leonard was a very great technician, and a great fighter. Your comments on what happened in Montreal, than the excuse you ( and others) make for his win in New Orleans suggests your shading his accomplishments in both fights to fit your agenda. The behind the scenes situation and Duran's greatness was the perfect storm of a situation to lead to Leonard's loss in Montreal . Duran in Montreal got to Leonard emotionally well before the 1st punch was thrown. He goaded Leonard into trying to ko him with every punch, when he finally started to listen to his corner, the fight was out of reach . I give the credit to Duran's brilliance, but I don't take anything from Leonard. He met the bully in the park on his terms, fought bravely, but loss that battle. It happens. The 2nd fight he fought a more controlled fight, used all of his tools, made Duran quit in 8rds. Your excuse for Duran in the 2nd fight is what everyone of Duran's fans likes to believe but Arcel, said Duran was in the best shape of his life, even better than Montreal. So its what you want to believe . In Hearns whom ever out skilled him? Hearns was the perfect combination of advantages. His height and reach were better than most heavyweights, his skills were "A" level in every department plus his speed and his punching power was off the charts for welterweight. Theirs no welterweight in history could out box Hearns, he simply had to many physical advantages. That Leonard had the insight to realize he was losing from the outside, and had the heart and will to stand in front of the firing squad to get his shots in is testimony to his skills in itself. I'm sure Mayweather Jr. Wouldn't have attempted to "Dare and be Great" if he was in the same situation. In fact Mayweather Jr with his lack of firepower at welterweight wouldn't survive Hearns at all. That's if he would've stepped in a boxing ring with a beast like Hearns in the 1st place.( Doubtful) The last excuse is the old Hagler was old excuse. Which I believe to be true. But Leonard was out the ring for almost 5yrs at the time they fought. Hagler should've been sharper. And to think Leonard couldn't have accomplished much more than what Duran did against a prime Hagler is short sighted at the least. The Norris loss should've been expected. Leonard's on again off again career, his star status , his partying and drug use and Leonard's choosing to fight one of the better fighters of that time without tune-ups was a testimony to Leonard's ego and his self belief. It didn't go well for him, and personally I expected it. I compare that loss to Ali's loss to Spinks. Though Norris was a much better fighter than "Neon Leon" time had passed Leonard by( as it does for all of us) And he helped it along by the way he lived his life. That's on him. Leonard had the great luck to be put in a position to fight four of the greatest fighters in history. He stuck and move when he had to, he out-punched when he had to, he slipped and countered, forcing the counter puncher to commit when he had to I'd say because he fought so many different fighters whom were great at what they did best, and in their primes , his technical skills were just fine.
He was as good as a technician as he needed to be. What I'm getting at is he had supreme athletic gifts that he enhanced with very good technique and an intense hunger to succeed. Of course, when the athletic gifts started to slip or are not as formidable (i.e. getting older, rising in weight) his overall effectiveness suffered. Would Leonard have been the same fighter without the blinding hand speed or athleticism. Or without the supreme confidence and will to win? No, of course not. But it doesn't really matter because he was. He never would have made it out of the Hearns fight without that intense will to win. You could go through any great fighter and state a case for physical gifts being the prime reason for success. I think however that the order goes: Natural talent and physical gifts 1st Determination to succeed 2nd Technique 3rd Leonard had the first 2 in abundance and wasn't short of the 3rd.
Leonard was a top tier technician who simply decided it was easier to outgun his opponents. You don't outbox Hagler Benitez and Duran without top tier skills
