Ray Leonard v.s. Floyd Mayweather ...

I think it would be a very competitive fight. Floyd has better defense, better counter-punching, and greater overall accuracy and precision. Not sure that SRL was stronger than him either, fwiw.

 

I'm leaning towards Leonard. Ray was a prime and natural welterweight. Floyd ascended to that division by going through a few other weight classes and didn't arrive there until he was in his thirties. In addition while I am not a believer in the usual rhetoric that may cherry picked weak opponents, he certainly never fought someone with Leonard's combination of speed, accuracy, skill and power.. There are few welterweights id pick to best a prime Ray Leonard.

 

I have almost the opposite view. SRL had far more power in his punches, about the same hand speed, and had much more of a warrior mentality. I see him winning rather easily.

 

I hear you, I just think that Floyd is smart enough and has the reflexes to deal with those disadvantages with his counterpunching and defense. 147-lb Leonard would be his toughest test but I can imagine a scenario in which old Floyd just schools him and outboxes him. I can also see Leonard dominating but it's not a foregone conclusion to me.

 

Ray. Easily, too. At 147, Ray is one of the very best.

 

I agree. He even outboxes Mayweather, like he did Benitez.

 

I have a lot of respect for Mayweather's abilities, but honestly Leonard is a considerably bigger threat than anyone he has faced at 147.
He struggled a bit with Cotto who is good but not outstanding and an aged Mosely nearly knocked him out.
Ray was extremely quick and could punch at 147.
I think that he would land on Floyd, not as much as he is used to but still he would get his punches through. Floyd is a very good counter-puncher and also very quick, but he is a low volume fighter.
For once he is fighting a guy as quick and as smart as him, but a guy who is a natural 147 pounder.
He cannot out-think or out-speed Leonard...so what will he do?

 

You dispute that Floyd Mayweather has better defense, counterpunching, and accuracy? Based on what? Have you seen many of his fights? (honest question, not being snarky).

I never said or even suggested that Floyd's 147 resume compares to Leonard's.

And i strongly disagree that all those guys lose to Duran, but I'll save that for another thread.

 

On Duran's best day, who does he lose to on that list?

 

I'm reasonably certain the Duran who fought SRL in the first fight, would also have beaten Floyd, likely by TKO but perhaps even KO and even though SRL lost that fight, I think he too would have beaten the best 147 version of Floyd that night.

 

Nonsense. You're reasonably certain that a man who's never even really been in trouble at any point in his career would have been stopped by a man who never stopped any great opponents at 147? Oh.

 

Limiting it to Duran's best day takes away most of the fun, since he was such an inconsistent fighter at times. I think that Duran has a very difficult time with Shane or especially Oscar at or above 147.

 

Leonard hit harder, went in to the trenches better, and was naturally bigger. I'd take him by decision or late stoppage.