nigel benn vs ray leonard in 1988 who wins?

The Benn who fought DeWitt would obliterate him. There's a reason the old overblown Leonard wanted nothing of the young lions like Benn, Nunn, Curry, Moorer or Jackson and that reason showed in the Terry Norris fight.

 

Bulldog, you couldn't find two extremes on the boxing spectrum more different than Leonard and Dewitt. In 88, Leonard still had a remnant of a chin. He'd have outboxed a Nigel Benn who was still pretty crude to a UD. Benn is a hall of famer for me, true warrior. Leonard is a legitimate all-time great.

 

Benn. But the Duran who beat Barkley would have toyed with Benn.

 

I remember watching a youtube vid from '87 where Duran toyed with Benn in sparring.

 

Nigel was throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the man. Duran on the other hand was tripping him up! Haha.

Duran's ring IQ was other worldly at times.

The SRL of the Hearns II would beat Benn. He would catch Benn at some point, and that's all he needs (even though Benn was most dangerous when hurt).

 

DeWitt did better against Hearns than Leonard for 12 rounds believe it or not.

 

And that was a peak welterweight Sugarman, not a shot one.

 

Nice thread...the benn of 1988 was a v limited 22-0 22 kayo fighter...that benn gets knocked out by any version of srl 1987-1991 even the broken ankle divorce enduring coked up inactive 1991 srl.

The 1990 benn u allude to who beat barkley,dewitt,williams,quinones and amparo was a far more accomplished "boxer" who had added a bob and weave defence,patience and timing and stamina to his game...he had laid a large part of the groundwork to rhe peak benn of 94/95. The 1990 benn poses some problems but still gets knocked out by ray.lalonde was far bigger and a bigger puncher...tommy was far faster,taller and hit harder than benn...duran slicker....no contest ray everytime....but like u i woulda loved to see srl-benn in say winter 1990

 

Even in the norris fight ray had blistering hand speed .what was gone were the reflexes and balance.

Its funny i remember a tv interview with srl in mid 1990 i think around the benn-barkley fight....srl commented on benns lateral movement and speed....he was probably basing this on the amparo and williams fights where benn uncharacteristically danced and boxed in spots.

Yes like u say ray had tommy going at the end.what a courageous fighter he was.

I always feel benn-barkley we were robbed of a great fight due to the three knock down rule.and also denied a rematch.

Jackson-barkley or jackson-benn is another great fight.what am amazing era 1987-91 was for the middleweight

 

Srl had no problem fighting "young lions"..ray was a part time fighter..he partied hard and neglected his skills in between his long spaced apart fight camps.the wild personal life and inactivity caught up with him vs norris.nunn didnt do enough to earn a ray payday...he blew it witu the barkley/starling non shows.jackson was a who needs him don king fighter.v dangerous nonetheless.moorer was a future star at LH ray was a comfortable MW there was no money with a moorer who was only wbo and rated behind hill and williams.i do think ray shoulda stated active in 1990...curry and benn fights would have been high profile matches he coukd have won with ease .....even tho that shot don curry would give nunn fits snd be dead even after 8...

 

Iran was coming off a detached retina which stopped him sparring...and a run of olajide,hearns,duran,nunn....he needed a rest but the retina left him ill prepared....and talk about the last guy u should be facing after inactivity,no sparring and eye surgery....a wild swinging benn who came out biting like a dog with a red hot poker up his jacksy.....iran was smashed within 4 seconds by a huge right....a rematch was in order...if iran got going...he would do a hearns (2nd fight on benn)....but...but benn by 93 had a very good bob and weave going...he wasnt exactly james toney in his barkley fight...but he could be elusive....v interesting fight that never happened sadly..

Others of that era would be:
Duran v benn
Olajide v benn
Nunn v hearns
Hearns v jackson
Roldan v benn or barkley
Hilton v benn or hearns
Mugabi v benn
Mugabi v hearns
Sibson v benn 1988