Introducing the 'How To Beat _' Series

At welterweight i would pick Leonard as having the best chance. He has a solid chin and like Robinson is large at the weight; i'd have him moving backwards shooting a jab to the body as well as right hand leads over the sometimes low left of Robinson. Clowning and feinting would have to be high on the agenda in order to take Ray out of his rhythm, as has been said by Mcgrain in the case of Gavilan and Burley.

It would be a stinker but if Leonard can halt Robinsons offensive rhythm then he can scrape a SD in a stinker.

 

Obviously theres more than one way to skin a cat, i commented saying you made a great case, I just sat down and watched some Robinson and that to me was the best way I could see of beating Ray. I think we both agree the fighter in question has to be able to make Ray either unable or wary to let his hands go.

I'm completly undecided, I will give it to Napoles as i dont think many others will pick him and lots will pick Duran - just add more spice to it.

Don't see it myself, he looked to me to be more mobile and using his movement to get away from the bigger men and use his speed as he got older he did less of the dancing fro obvious reasons and had to set his feet more.

I've got afew different bits maybe about 30 mins worth and covers five fights although some are against Middleweights but Ray was in his Welter days.

 

Ray is the hardest guy to beat at his best of any fighter probably + he never lost to a WW in over 100 fights.

Good luck with this one

 

At 147 I will go with th other Sugar Ray. My choice is Ray Leonard.
Leonard has all the tools to beat anyone at 147 this includs Robinson. He is fast. He is skilled. He is dertermened. He can adapt a stragity to his opoenet this may be the key to his secuess throughout his career and the key to beating Robinson. Leonard dose not have to be the better ATG he just has to be the better boxer that night and he is capple of doing that.

 

Who are we going do next?

 

I make sure Walker is not drunk during fight time lol.

 

Make that 3, Id favour SRR vs anyone but SRL might have the best chance to pull this off by keeping his distance, using his speed - specifically his jab - using a lot of feints (not clowning tho, would be a bad move here), throwing single shots & circling constantly changing direction, not setting himself in an exact rythm... his main aims should be to draw SRR into a tactical boxing match (like vs Benitez) & try out think him & avoid inside fighting.

If Robinson gets inside on SRL, SRL should let one of his rapid flurries go, not concerned too much with what lands but more so with what he catches, tie SRR up immediately & work on slowing that pace down asap, get back to boxing tactically.

 

This is definitely a tough decision. Not just to design the strategy but also to get someone to carry it out. I have it down to two tactics, and i think that Sugar Ray is the best bet to carry out at least one of them.

I think that Leonard has the chin to stand up to Robinson and may have been a little quicker. If he fights in the same manner that he fought Duran in the rematch ie box and use his speed, then i think that he has a good chance of doing what it seems most ringside observers thought that Marty Servo did, Beat Sugar Ray Robinson on points. I think that this is safer bet than the second best boxer to carry out such a plan which is Servo himself, whose best bet to ensure that the referee is the sole judge.

However, i probably lean towards finding a big hitter who can blast out Robinson, as i do believe (based on his middleweight/light heavyweight record). ONly problem, is that try as i might, i cant seem to find a welterweight who really has the power at the moment. The best i can think of is a Duran or Armstrong, both of whom are naturally smaller and who would pose big problems but i dont know whether they have the punch i am looking for. ACtually, Now i think about it, i think that Thomas the Hitman Hearns is the exact fighter i am looking at. A welterweight with ferocious middleweight or even light heavyweight KO power. I think that Tommy has a good shot at beating Leonard. He is a phenomenal welterweight, with an advantage in size and power and who definitely wont be totally outclassed. He doesnt have the record/legacy at welter that Ray has but i think that he has the power to stop Ray. I would work on the power game and making sure that he stays tight and on his game defensively.

Having now considered things, i am selecting Tommy Hearns to do the job. Hearns did outscore every welterweight he ever fought and KOd almost all of them. I think that Sugar Ray may be a little uncharacteristically gun shy against the Hitman. I would try and get the fight signed in the red hot sun, as i think that Tommy would force Ray to run more than usual and tire.

 

How can you pick a fighter against Robinson? LOL!

 

Not that I'd favour him but Luis Manuel Rodriguez could do it. He had that smothering style which wouldn't give Ray that much space plus he would try to keep Ray on the inside where he's better. As great as Ray was he proved he could be beaten on the inside. Admittedly all the examples I'm thing of are at middleweight but Rodriguez had that in fighting ability and body punching to slow Ray down and win down the stretch. I think Luis Manuel Rodriguez could get a close decision against Ray if I had to pick anyone to better him at this weight.

 

Interesting pick.