Very close,skillswise. As far as primetime opposition goes,Leonard has the edge. Robinson fought more often.
Sammy Angott lasted 10 rds*3 with WSJ , but could Montreal Duran last 15 vs a prime WW WSJ ? Leonard needed everything 2b his way just in order 2 last 12 vs a shot Hagler . Did WSJ had such benefits ? sometimes he had , but sometimes he was d older man by far , still beating younger and good fighters . Leonard's "looking good as a boxer" was n act put 4 d camera , inside d ring . WSJ >>>>>> RCL even on p4p terms . At least he got KOd by Artie Levine and stopped by Joey Maxim 2 times out of many , and did not get destroyed by Hector Camacho :yep And 4 any1 considering d Camacho fight irrelevant 2 Leonard , consider that WSJ was even older than Leonard was vs Camacho . Camacho Leonard was also fresher , being younger and having those long rests he called retirements . This is just how much better WSJ was than Leonard . 42 years old Leonard gets destroyed by Camacho after not so many pro fights . 44 years old Smith got beat but lasted d distance vs Joey Archer , after many more fights than Leonard , and he had n amateur career 2 .
I could see a 37 year old SRL, or an SRL with near 200 fights losing to Basilio...there was a lot of wear and tear on SRR when he thought those 2. Personally, I think SRR is the better boxer, I find him more aesthetically pleasing, or "beautiful" to watch, especially when you think he came along some 30 years earlier than SRL. I find watching SRR at his best (or the best we have of him on film) breathtaking.
Yea its not like Robinson beat LaMotta 4 other times or anything like that..... All the losses you mention were past prime and past Robinson's best weight. At that age Leonard was getting owned by Norris while Robinson was losing extremely close decisions to Basilio. On the other hand Leonard lost in his prime to a lightweight, albeit a great one. I agree with you that Gavilan was the best fighter Robinson fought but you understate his greatness when you say he "could perhaps" compare to Benitez. He was a class above Benitez and right there with Hearns, Duran, and Hagler. Guess what Robinson did to him? He beat him in his prime TWICE leaving no doubt who was the better man. What did Leonard do with the equally dangerous Hearns? Won a fight he was very close to losing and then didn't grant Hearns a rematch until they were both way past it and still managed to lose the rematch.
Am not more fan of Leonard than Robinson. The bile against Leonard just tires me at times. All that hate just because he had the bad taste to beat the likes of your boy, who had the image of a "man's man". Sometimes this forum is more like discussing Conan the Barbarian with 13-year olds than discussing boxing with adults.
That is very true. I was just guessing that the first poster was thinking about title fights and got the notion that the Norris fight wasn't for a title. But maybe it was. Anyhow, I personally don't pay much mind to the losses any of them had when well into their 30's.
What makes you say that? He certainly doesn't have the record to compare to the last three. Personally, I don't think those three are a class above Benitez in terms of skill and overall quality. They had greater longevity, though.
As far as the best pure boxer goes, this is a good comparison.....I would say SRR but Leonard had the better jab imo.....that makes the comparison pretty close...Robinson´s footwork was better though....
(I didn't realize you had come back and edited your original post) Just who is my boy??? Gypsy Joe? Willie Monroe??? Not sure if he beat one of my boys? I guess I call Hagler an adopted son of Philly and did have him beating SRL by a point, but I would not call it a robbery as some do and think Marv has no one to blame but himself for his approach to that fight and the outcome. My comment was originally based upon SRL winning more of his bigger matches...I do still find that a little over the top. I was not critiquing that SRL does not belong in the conversation as I actually believe he does! (not sure that makes me a hater as you put it???)....Better boxer, I did not respond to and am not sure what it really is the TS is looking for and/or that it is tangible and can be readily measured...Natural athleticism (SRL by a touch) technical skill level (SRR by a hair IMHO)....P4P greatness (SRR by a fair margin IMHO)...better resume (again SRR by a fair margin)...I didn't bother to respond the OP because we have done this 10,000 times already with these 2 Sugar's. I personally think you are a decent poster, and have some interesting things to add....I also think you are totally unobjective anytime Ali or SRL are mentioned, and come across as the head of their fanclub perhaps more than you intend. On that note I agree about the Conan and 13 y/o's. Peace
As I said, I'm not a particular Leonard fan. Just impressed by him as I am by all fighters of that quality and mental strength. I e all the true ATGs. The funny thing is that I apparently come off as a fan boy just for, sometimes, defending him from absurd allegations that he went into retirement to avoid Hagler etc. For the record, I had him drawing with Hagler last time a scored it. But I don't think Hagler was "shot". And that is enough to be labelled a fan boy strangely enough. I am a fan of Ali, though. But I don't think he won the FOTC or that Norton or Young couldn't have gotten the decisions against him. My "fanboy status" seems to derive from that I don't think Liston I was a fix (am undecided about the rematch), that Jones beat him, or that he lost all three fights to Norton. Obviously not hard becoming a nuthugger of these two. But, hell, they are liberal media darlings and known to even non-boxing fans, right?