Ray Leonard Did not have great punching power?

Ecklund fought well VS Leonard

 

he was a puncher, but not among the hardest punchers the WW division has had IMO

 

That first guy that he knocks out in the vid is Daniel Gonzales. Never ko'ed or decked before.

 

Leonard could hit harder than a lot of guys I've seen that were known for their power. The Lalonde fight is probably one of the best exemple of how he kept his power in the heavier weight divisions... Not every punchers can do that.

In the 13th round of his fight with Hearns, the right hand that first staggered Tommy was a huge shot... The same kind of shot that started the destruction of Andy Price in one round. When Leonard had you on wobbly legs, it was over.

 

He had decent punching power, not great. He had incredible handspeed though, and most of the times that was enough.

 

Dave Boy Green was hardly glass jawed(only went down to Palomino and had a careless KO when well on top against Hansen) before Ray and he says of Ray's KO punch decades later;

"One of these days I'm gonna get up from it"

His stoppage of Kalule was superb and I suggest you watch some pre-Benitez fights.

Ranzany was seen as his first genuine test and he had him on silly street as I recall.And big Floyd was walking to the grocery store when he should've been walking to his corner(before the stoppage)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpcznXrArR0[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgVLhkQpfPg[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-sPfSjnLJw[/ame]

 

He could crack. No question about it. But I think his true ability to cause damage, came from his accuracy and high punch volume. He would overwhelm guys. I can still remember him all over Don Lalonde like it was yesterday.

 

Dick Ecklund is full of ****, He was probably too coked up to feel anything Ray had more power than people give him credit for, Ask Hearns or Benitez if he hit hard!..And to add to it i believe Ray was one of the best finishers in boxing history, once Leonard got you in trouble you were ****ed unless you were saved by the bell, then he just got you in the very next round, So yes for his size and body frame he hit really hard...just look at his KO percentage at 147.

 

He did not have great power in the blunt variety, as in that he could bulldozer right through people's guards, though it was still decent in that way. It did not have that amount of weight behind it.

But his shots could be so sharp, so coordinated, they caught people by surprise and hit them picture perfect. If they remained upright, he could finish literally anyone.

Donny Lalonde had Ray hurt a lot. He was a big, heavy guy, and Leonard was on the slide. Ray had him hurt good once, after rounds of toughing it out and hard work, and the match was over.

That's the quality of a great finisher.

 

Perfect answer. In a gritty fight against a huge opponent in his physical prime, an aging Leonard hurts the guy one time and the fight is over.

He was sharp, fast, and deadly accurate. He was as relentless as a piranha when he smelled blood.

 

He always had really good power. He just exhibited his power and killer instinct more often before the eye injury.

 

Shake is right. Leonard was the kind of sharp puncher to be very careful of -his technique was excellent, the speed was special. He not only set down on his punches, he bit down on them too.

Don't let that smile fool you.

 

Maybe not 'great' punching power in the traditonal sense, i see it as a combination of timing, delivery and accuracy with more than a fair enough wallop behind it. Put it all together and its better than just raw power.

His finishing was second to none. Once he smelt blood, goodnight Irene

 

Ray was a hard puncher. He was not a one punch guy like Thomas Hearns or Bob Foster, but he could punch and knock guys out. Hagler was respectful of his power.