Ray handled southpaws in the amateurs and This content is protected at 154 lbs, but I think the Pacman may be just as fast of hand & foot as Ray, plus Pac is just as tough. The trainers would be just about equal too. It may be that only the really tall welters such as Hearns or Tito, or the big hitters like Cuevas, are the ones that can beat Pacman at welter, (excluding Sugar Ray Robinson who is considered to be the very best).
Don't put Ray up on too high of a mantle at 147. He beat Hearns, and Benetiz, but Duran took him to the ropes and worked him over. That southpaw stance gives EVERYONE a hard time....."The punches just come from odd angles" is stated over and over again....even by the great fighters. Many of the Greats wouldn't even fight lefties.
Ray Leonard had faster hands than Manny...more power than Manny...and he was bigger than Manny...what do you think happens?
As for the fight between Leonard and Pac,... Busy fighters who are shorter and that unleash rapid fire combinations, sharp blows seem to trouble Sugar. I'm sure Dundee would tell him what to look out for and devise a more cautious approach, trying his luck from long range (stick and move) looking for a points win. Any mistakes, if he gets caught at the end of a shot in the middle of a rumble, Sugar will find himself in trouble
I only thought I'd see people entertaining the idea of Manny beating Leonard at 147 on the General. Spellbinding. Pacquiao getting inside on Leonard and swelling his eyes up? Leonard can knock you out with his right or his left, and he had slightly faster hands than Manny...I'd be over early. Cotto is no Leonard.
And David "Boy" Green isn't a Pacman. Ray really only began to fill out in strength when he began to move up in weight above 147 lbs.
At 147, Manny ain't no Wilfred Benitez...at 147, he ain't no Thomas Hearns...and he sure as **** ain't no Marvin Hagler, all fighters that lost to the great Ray Leonard, as you know. Perhaps you can educate the rest of us and tell us how you think Pacquiao could win the fight? He throws those wide flurries against Leonard, sure, some are going to land, but he'll be countered just as he did early against Cotto, only Leonard had legitimate knockout power in either hand. Pacquiao gets outboxed if he tries to work behind a jab, and he gets knocked out if he tries to engage Ray. Too big, too fast, hits hard...and is just too good. But as I say, if you do indeed think Manny has a chance...how?