Would more people like Ray Leonard if he had been more disrespectful to his opponents?

Leonard was not exciting to watch, not one bit.
He was an out-boxer, which isn't the most appealing style for most boxing fans.
I personally dislike him cause he was a cowardly runner who didn't stay to trade with Hagler and Duran, both of whom are proper boxers, warriors, whom I respect.
Leonard was a cowardly *****.

 

Leonard's biggest problem was that, by his own admission, there were two Ray Leonards.(For more read his autobiography)

First there was Ray Leonard.

Nice enough guy, great smile, friendly and a made for TV type, soft spoken personality that oozed charisma.

Second there was "Sugar Ray"

Sugar Ray was a savage who loved to punch men in the face and see them wilt before his onslaught. He was a brutal finisher and had aggression and anger issues.

There in lies the problem as people thought he was fake. Some people thought the nice guy routine was fake, some people thought the savage warrior was fake. Neither were, they were simply two sides of the same coin.

Prior to fighting as he warmed up in the dressing room he would look into the mirror and if he saw Ray Leonard looking back at him he knew he was in trouble but if he saw Sugar Ray he knew he would win and it was time to fight.

A lot of fighters have dark egos or alter ego personalities, it helps their minds cope with difficulties. A lot of non fighters even have this, a "work" version of themselves versus a "home" version.

 

I don't think it was that. What made me dislike him a little was the fact he acted so sweet in person, and in the ring he hit on the breaks and was sort of dirty at times and negotiated fights at the right time, yet he did admit to. Take Hearns in contrast. Tommy talked tough, but did not hit on the break and if a fighter went down he wouldn't try and hit them as they went down.. So Tommy was more honest in how he acted even with the tough demeanor, and Ray dirtier. And I think that is why Hagler, was Ray's friend before his fight with him and not after, and he didn't like Tommy before his fight and after they are smiling.

 

Embarrassing to call yourself a boxing fan.

 

Ray would not have been more popular if he trash-talked.

People don’t like him because he beat their boys. In some cases outright embarrassed them. He won the mental game and the physical game. He undressed them.

They mad because he was that good.

 

Was he regarded as he is here on this forum back then? The only ones I see calling him "fake" and a media product etc are here. Watching Leonard I truly don't believe anyone who actually likes boxing could complain.
The smartest boxing guy I've met said only Leonard could make him sit down and watch, He's so many great things rolled into one. Leonard also fought a comically difficult line up of fighters for us, hard to dislike him IMO. He couldn't have been that unpopular with a bank account like his.

 

Just look at who Ray fought on the way up to his first title:

Andy Price (had wins over Cuevas and Palomino)

Pete Ranzany (longtime contender)

Tony Chiaverini (ranked junior middle)

Marcos Geraldo (full-blown middleweight who also gave a rising Marvin Hagler fits)

Adolfo Viruet (tricky southpaw who most avoided)

Armando Muniz (four-time welterweight title challenger coming off of title loss)

Randy Shields

Floyd Mayweather

Compare that pre-title resume with Hearns, Cuevas, Aaron Pryor … most any rising titlist in the middle or lower ranks in that era. It’s pretty strong. Hagler is in that neighborhood but you can argue that Ray’s is stronger (and in a heck of a lot fewer fights).

Not to mention adding Benitez, Hearns, Duran, Hagler and other notable scalps after becoming a champion.

 

he'd have more fans if he had more fights

going after hagler when he was done also left many fans dissatisfied with his career accomplishments which are really lacking

with Floyd it's different because he fought everyone yet went undefeated

 

In my opinion, some people tend to like the mouthy braggart sort of fighters. Sugar Ray Leonard displayed class before and after a bout, some folks like a clown show fighters calling out other fighters like something from WWE. I do think that Leonard would have been more remembered if he was a snarling Sniveling fighter who was always spouting baseless conspiracy theories that have zero merit.

 

The main reason I didn’t like Leonard was that he milked the hell out of being the “A-side” fighter.

 

he has too much class for that

 

I think what a lot of people disliked was his ability to retire and unretire and get big money fights without having to fight tuneups. Then again boxing is a popularity contsest, and the fighters that can put butts in the seats have that privilege. I never liked Leonard when he was fighting, and I loved when Camacho stopped him. Nowadays I've learned to appreciate him more.