Napoles is much better technically, Leonard is much the better athlete, really could go either way, Leonard needs to focus on moving and being first, Napoles needs to time and break him down
Leonard because like I said in the other thread and always have, I think the one thing to have over Napoles is superior strength, and the ability to back him up, that's why even though he was immense at 147 I think the likes of Leonard are beating him, Napoles as a smaller fighter is one of the best to ever do it. Leonard for me, breaks his rythm up by being physical and unloading on him
I like Napoles heavily at 147, slightly at 154. As superb an athlete as Ray is, I just feel Napoles has a talent/power combination that is hard to overcome. It comes down to points in Jose's favor.
Napoles was a great fighter, one of the best welterweights in history. However, i feel that he would be overmatched against Leonard physically and speedwise. It's simply a case of the good big man beating the good little man. As technically sound as Napoles was, it wouldn't make a difference against someone as fast and as smart as leonard. Leonard would beat Napoles to the punch more often than not and probably open the scar tissue above napoles eye. Napoles would be a stern challenge and would certainly have his moments but would generally be a step behind. In a highly entertaining and competitive match I think that leonard wins by a decision or cuts.
In my opinion they are equal in skill level.....but Leonard was faster and I would say he had more power....
Leonard was the bigger, faster Welterweight. He takes this one on that basis. I'm not sure strength would play much of a role, not so much as the speed difference, anyway.
Of the two that I watched, I liked JOSE NAPOLES He was as smooth as butter. NAPOLES vs LEONARD, maybe it would be like a LOUIS vs ALI fight. Back in those days that Jose was champion, I picked him over Olivares, Duran and Monzon on a P4P basis, but that was then.
But, at one time Angelo's favorite was LUIS RODRIGUEZ and in those days he worked with the likes of Willie Pastrano, Cassius/Ali, Jimmy Ellis and others. I would not put much weight into what Dundee said, if he did say it. When, where and how he said he favored Leonard over Napoles would be interesting. Sometimes, what trainers, managers, boxers, promoters say in public is just more of the same hype that is peddled. Somewhat like MUHAMMAD ALI's talk: One time he says he should have won the first Frazier fight, and elsewhere he is saying Frazier was a better man. When folks change the story for different audiences, what can we believe. :rasta THE STORY TELLERS atsch
If Napoles needed an edge in speed to get the job done he would have been nowhere near a world title.
