Let's Hear It For Sugar Ray Leonard.

I think people are starting to see past the 'leonard image' (first sqeaky clean pretty boy,then cynical manipulator.) and appreciate him for what he was....The at least best joint welter of all time,in fact on resume at welter he is the best....Folks should compare robinsons resume at welter (not middle.) with rays and see how things stack up......
Rays power of punch is severely underrated by many,especially at welter,the man could crack savagely with both hands....
By the way,sizzle,your post was sizzling like a bacon rasher!!!.
Good to see folks like you and achilles rating leonard arguably the best welter ever....

 

Easy Hank. Which gift decisions did he get? He knows he lost the hearns rematch,but both were well past their prime and it was still very close....As for hagler,well you may say the decision was wrong,but gift!!!???? And who cares really,he fought extremely well in all his fights with the fab four,even his loss,draw and the one disputed win....This cannot be said for roberto and yet nobody disputes his obvious greatness...

 

Too many people think that because Robinson was called Sugar first that this some how means he out ranks Leonard.

So he got the name first, so what! It doesn't mean he is God in comparison to Leonard - not on paper or in the ring.

 

I am interested if anyone thinks robinson could duplicate leonards wins over prime benitez, prime duran and prime hearns at welter in the space of two years,then have one fight in five years and come back to dethrone reigning all time great middleweight marvin hagler?
Reasoning as well please...

 

I think ESB has a thousand threads on the excuses for duran in the second fight....Do you think robinson could duplicate the feats of ray 79-87?
Remember champions have fought with broken jaws,hands and various ailments/injuries,duran looked fine on TV.....Ali fought with a broken jaw for 10 rounds as did tommy morrison.....

 

I'm with you here (apart from the suspicious bit). I've actually adopted him on this forum due to the ridiculously low rating he gets from some people. His personality has always grated on me and he's generally a total ***** and an arrogant bore. But a fine, fine fighter. I'll always present a decent argument for him pre-1988, but the Lalonde fight onwards...:dead

 

God is a mythical character ; Robinson was very real and the finest fighter ever.

 

Griffo didn't want the haters in here Hank. Whether you realise or not, that means YOU!!!

It's an appreciation thread.

 

It's not just who he beat it's when he beat them
Benitez and Hearns were undefeated. Duran and Hagler had not lost in
over 10 years. All 4 fighters were at the pinncale of their career. No one was saying Hagler
was past his prime until Leonard beat him

 

I was as hard core a hater of SRL as I knew, going into his match with Hagler. But even if you believe Marv was robbed by the decision, the fact remains that Ray performed extremely well against the greatest southpaw champion in boxing history, and one who was acclaimed almost universally as the P4P best in boxing at the time. Donny LaLonde was 28 years old, and coming off a decision win over the rugged Hamsho, and back to back kayo wins over Eddie Davis (retiring Davis), and Leslie Stewart. (LaLonde only had to lose five pounds over six months, from the Stewart match to facing SRL, hardly a strength sapping undertaking.) Ray came off the deck twice to stop LaLonde. His public admission that Hearns was the legitimate winner of their rematch further elevates his standing in my eyes considerably.

Ray Leonard was always in top condition for his benchmark performances, a far better example for aspiring boxers than many other prominent pugilists. I'm satisfied that he made the most of the ability he had, and surpassed what many expected he'd be able to achieve when he started.

While I do not believe his best was the best ever, his best was more than good enough.

 

How come Hearns did not complain about the stoppage?
Leonard was on his way to a 10-8 or 10-7 round
If it was a 10-7 round the fight would of been a draw going into the 15th round