Could Ray Leonard KO Marlon Starling?

Probably more a tickle in the throat

 

Is that Charles Barkley in your avatar red?

 

His hats on crooked.

 

Magoo, what happened in that fight was, after the bell ended the 6th round, Starling dropped his guard and began turning to go to his corner while Molinares wound up a killer right hand on the jaw and it was timberrrrrr! There was no ankle twisting, he was simply out. By the time he was revived he had no memory of what had happened. It was comical listening to Larry Merchant's interview with him. Starling was griping about them stopping the fight and Merchant mentioned he was knocked out. Starling says, "Knocked out? I wasn't even down!" Merchant looks at him and says, "Marlon, I think you need to see a tape of the fight!" or something to that effect. But that fight was a ring oddity. In actuality, Starling had an air-tight defense, excellent jaw and was an outstanding counter-puncher. Watch his fight with Lloyd Honeyghan and you will see a study in counter-punching. He was outstnding in that fight. Against Leonard, Ray would be forced into the role of aggressor. When he fought in that mode he was never overly defensive minded and would be open to the counter-punches. I don't believe it would be boring, I don't believe Ray would ever put the hurt on Starling and I believe Ray would take a comfortable decision.

Scartissue

 

Starling great on defense and good chin. Had power to keep Leonard at bay.

 

That was one of the funniest interviews I've ever seen in my life. The look on his face when he saw the tape was pure comedy.

 

Since when has redrooster rated Ray Leonard higher than the rest of you ??

 

As I said before, I haven't seen this fight since it was live 20 years ago, and I was maybe 13 or 14 years old, so I may have forgotten some of the details. The punch landed after the bell, but was reported as already in motion. I remember them showing the replays over and over. Starling as I mentioned before, was carried out of the ring in a stretcher because something happened to his leg in the process of falling down. In either case, the outcome was changed to a no contest, apparently because it was later decided to be an ilegitimate knockout.

I also saw the Honyghan fight live, and yes I agree that his defense was specatacular. He left Honeyghan swolen and battered I believe by the middle of the 9th round or something. It was one of marlon's better performances.

 

I don't remember him going out on a stretcher, but like you said, it's been 20 years and I can't remember either. At the time the punch landed, Larry Hazard was the ref and I have never seen such a case of stubborness in all my life. They showed him the replay, the bell rang, Starling drops his guard and then Molinares cranks up a right. Hazard, digging his heels in deeper says, "No, the punch was in motion!" The commentator says, wait let's show it to you again. Millions viewing it, it was as obvious to everyone watching that he did not wind up until the bell rang, it was not in motion. Hazard just didn't want to admit he blew it and kept saying, it was in motion. He did not relent until the next day when the cameras were aff of him or when maybe his commissioner said, Larry, what are you, an idiot? It was then that it was ruled ano contest. I liked the commentator saying to the camera but right in front of Hazzard, "Well Ladies and gentlemen, the referee has ruled it was in motion when it clearly was not."

Scartissue

 

No, but he'd probably win a wide decision in a fight where both combatants are too busy clowning each other rather than actually participating in a fight

 

1. are you serious ?
(you are one of the biggest leonard haters here)
2. no. curry couldn't twice , breland was stopped , nunn even did not try.
3. i do think leonard could win a medicore decision against him but no stoppage , although it is still more possible than , say , louis winning against vitali klitschko.

 

Yeah he could have. Those hands near Starlings head were tough for guys to hit, but those were not ATG guys like Leonard or Hearns. Hearns broke Starlings jaw in sparring. I am saying he could have ,but if it were 12 rounds, Ray would have probably won a 12 round decision.