15 rds, standard ring size, no oversized gloves. Basilio won't get a "stomach ache" that's for sure. Brutal fight no matter who wins.
Brutal fight indeed. It could be shades of both of Carmen Bassilio's two split battles with Sugar Ray Robinson in the mid 50's and definitely a near shade of Sugar Ray Leonard's first fight with Roberto Duran in June, 1980 with Leonard fighting in clinches with one of the all time power brawlers in Montreal before losing a close but convincing decision. But after you mix and add the intangibles up fairly I would say Leonard by a close but convincing unanimous 15-round decision. Keep in mind that both guys were Ring Magazine Champions at 147 & 160, but looking closely I feel that Sugar Ray Leonard, as did Sugar Ray Robinson, had some physical edges over the "Onion Farmer" Basilio yet it would still be a highly competitive close fight.
Ray Leonard was neither as durable , big nor hard hitting as Walker Smith Jr. was . Basilio was a little bigger and a little more durable than Duran was . If Duran "did it" 2 Ray Leonard and Basilio "did it" 2 n admittedly somewhat faded WSJ (but still even that somewhat faded WSJ was a more formidable fighter than prime Ray Leonard) , Y couldn't Basilio do it 2 Leonard ? assuming he is not drained 2 death by a Leonard catchweight contract or just caught unable 2 make d weight which really was Leonard's gr8est skill .
If he could hang with Robinson for 2 fights 15 rounds each, and keep it even, he is a class ahead of Leonard. Basilio is an all time great at welter, who for some reason does not get mentioned enough when conversations about who was greatest in that division come up.