Better Resume: SRL vs Ali

Leonard's best names are better than Ali's.

Ali's resume is considerably deeper, as he beat top rated heavyweights for a long time and was way more active than Leonard.

 

This.

 

Ray's eye injury really hurt him. He would've gotten in a lot of names in that time. And would've swept this. I'm going Ali.

 

Two very different and equally amazing careers. I'd have to go with Ali though.

 

Great thread. I honestly find this one hard to pick for because both have spectacular wins over fellow ATGs, and more than one. With SRL you have wins over Wilfred Benitez, Duran, Hearns, and Hagler and with Ali you have Liston, Patterson, Frazier, and Foreman. I give the edge to Leonard because, while they both fought a who's who of their respective divisions, the Top 4 on Leonard's list were tougher-than-nails legends and just a step above Liston and Patterson.

 

I feel it's Ali and it isn't close. Ali fought so many fighters in their prime and/or at their physical peak. SRL did not fight nearly as many in their prime.

 

Ali cleaned out the heavyweight division in the 60s. He came back in the 70s and cleaned out the division again. He has two of the biggest upsets in boxing history. It's Ali without question IMO.

 

Leonard ducked a prime Hagler, he fought him when he was half shot. and Leonard also ducked Pryor, Ali ducked nobody on the other hand

 

Well said. Ali has a deeper resume.

 

:think

Leonard is the perfect example of quality over quantity. I think he nicks this as Hagler, Hearns and Duran are ahead of Frazier and Foreman in a p4p debate.

Ali's is obviously far deeper, which brings the discussion a lot closer

 

Srl

 

I think when you watch all of both their carreers, Ali did far more for far longer and did not wait for the opportune time, even fought ocassionally when he was a clear underdog because of age, wear and tear, and still performed well. Leonard stacking the cards agains Lalonde is terrible, and even though he came out far better than Ali health wise his non-prime performances are way more pathetic than Ali's non prime performances.

Longevity and taking protracted beatings and coming back and still winning and winning and winning make me select Ali, but Leonard's resume is awesome in comparison to just about anybody elses.

 

Stop with the silly Legendary Nights myths.

Pryor (who didn't even compete in the same division) turned down a career high payday against Leonard, because he wanted more.