Is Sugar Ray Leonard divisive amongst boxing fans?

A great read Saintpat, and what I've said for years . Thank you.

 

Appreciate it. Edited the post you quoted to correct that he stepped up to junior middleweight, not full middle, to beat Ayub Kalule for a title.

But I think you can put Ray’s pre-title resume right next to Marvin’s and Ray took a harder path to the top as far as level of opposition before first title fight.

 

I didn't give a reason for 15 rounds, I could have stated 12 or 10, but didn't.
I'd favour a peak Hagler anyway, over 10, 12 or 15

 

Very true.

And some seem to treat his Olympic Gold as it was given to him. It certainly gave him a shorter way to the big pro fights, but he had to work just as hard to get it as anyone else.

 

Great stuff. I always chuckle at myself taking the same argument when some goofball starts spouting the tired old "Saccharine Ray" bull****. It's odd, because I'm really not a Leonard fan. Their line of thinking is just so patently skewed and unfair that I feel compelled to comment.

 

he sure is hell divisive against me cause i can never seem to rate him for longer than a week or two at the same rank. wish he'd just fought some more.

 

inevitable when he became known as 'Sugar Ray "
it is too much for him to live up to
the real Sugar Ray (Robinson) had such a career it cannot be repeated.

 

TBF Leonard earned the benefits from that Olympic gold considering the competition he had to face and how much work he put in to reach the Olympics

 

He came closest at least

 

Yeah, when he is compared to Duran or Hagler his Olympic Gold is never taken into account. He didn't have an easier route than other gold winners such as Patterson, Ali, Frazier or Foreman. Actually, his team mate and fellow gold medalist Leon Spinks had already won and lost the HW championship when Leonard won his first belt. That gold medal gave careers a boost, sure, but it's not like it was handed out.

 

Ray Leonard did have benefit from the great interest on boxing & returning boxing to front of television programming in United States
at the time. from the popularity all over the world of Muhammad Ali & in 1976 was become sure Muhammad Ali was not the same. it was decline. so new super star is needed. & Leonard had the style & good looks & ability to replace Ali for the public of America. & hired Angelo Dundee to make the association more. yes he was also very great welterweight champion. GREAT. & he received huge media attention early to recognize this. so in this way he did benefit

 

He truly was the real deal

Had it all. Exceptional fighter.

 

One can argue he earned his status and popularity as a pro given his Olympic Gold medal and the image he portrayed. His loss to Duran and subsequent victory in the rematch made him an instant American hero. His come from behind performance against Hearns was his peak. He had the networks and media behind him and you can never underestimate the value of that, particularly how they influence fans and the public perception. The media portrayed Duran as the villain who couldn't speak English while Leonard was doing 7 Up commercials with his toddler and smiling for the cameras. As a commentator he often made it about himself, frequently injecting how he would have fought in the fights he was commentating and elevating himself in the process. Were any of these perceived advantages divisive? IDK, he still fought hard and left the sport with a detached retina. He developed substance abuse problems, marital problems and suffered two humbling losses in his last two fights of his career. I can't really say he was divisive. A diva yes, favored by the media and networks, yes.

 

I am not sure if Leonard himself is divisive.

Most observers - even those who do not like Leonard the man - recognize the brilliance of Leonard the boxer. Because, as a boxer, he was just electric, and only the thickened veil of extremely negative emotions can blind one from this view.

 

A lot of it is he beat a lot of peoples’ favorites.

1) Even though he lost to Duran, he stepped right back in the ring with him and made him quit.

2) He beat Hearns, stopping him in an epic battle.

3) He outfoxed and outpointed Marvin despite having just one fight in 5 years coming into it.