Someone explain why Ray Leonard is ranked so highly?

It's not fair to compare him to Terry Norris. Norris was an ATG who ranks just below Keith Mullings, Dana Rosenblatt, and Laurent Boudouani.

 

The best post ever !!

 

I didnt say "NO MAS", I said UNO MAS - 1989

Ray won every round by boxing moving, slickness N quickness

problem is, he never faced anyone with speed like Norris and as it turned out, didnt have the experience. just lookit the result!

I think a fight with young Micheal Nunn wouldve answered a lot of questions about Ray's worth as a fighter but instead he opted for more fights withmore worn out fighters like Hagler, including then recently knocked out Hearns, who almost came apart again in the fight with equally washed up Kinchen

and as for Monzon and his superb record, once you pass the 100 fight mark overall, does it really matter?

and remember, I dont have to embellish becuz no matter how u slice it, 87-9-3 will always ALWAYS top 36-3-1

re leonard-Norris: SO WHAT if he hdnt fought in 14 mos!

he went five YEARS without fighting with one exception, came in and split decisioned Hagler at 160 which isnt even his weight and u mean to tell me he cant handle little old Norris who is only 154 at best?

u like to brag how Sugar went all the way up to 175 and took the lit-hvy title from Lalonde (actually, he mandated that Donny the champ weaken hisself to accomodate the so called 6th best p4p fighter)

getting back to Lalonde himself, how CAN I be impressed? the whole thing was a farce from beggining to end. first, Lalonde himself: no skills. no speed. no agility. no footwork. no coordination

the question is, why was Ray fighting him?

answer: cuz he was a weak champion. a strong champion like Roy Jones or Nunn wouldve never been considered.

why? too risky for Ray

I woulve liked to seen Sugar in a high stakes fight with Pryor in 83. then let Curry build up his record a little more before fighting it out with him in a showdown in mid to late 85

had he been successful in wresting Don's title, then defend it against leading contender Lloyd Honeyghan

more IS better becuz with each success, it shuts up the critics but with you, you have to keep giving me that "less isnt necessarily worse" line

I'm sorry but that doesnt convince me nor would it anyone else that Ray is worhty of rank #6 atg

not with the thin 36-3-1 record of his and just 6 big names (half of whom he lost to, 4 if u include Hagler)

 

tha still dont answer my question:

whose chin held up better in Norris-srl?

 

I want to open up this conversation and talk about how high we all rate Norris` fine chin ?????

 

How do you think Norris would of got on against the versions of Hagler, Hearns 2 and Lalonde that Leonard fought? (out of curiosity)

 

Einstein, how this ledger,Duran,Hearns, Benitez and Hagler. Besides a used up SRL, who did `Chinny` Norris actually beat ????? And losses to Boudani, Rosenblatt, Jackson and Brown don`t count as signature fights

 

great question Al

as u know, I am the only one on this board (in all liklihood) who watched hagler in training just the month before. I even had proof and posted a cheap photo onto this board (an exclusive not seen anywhere else)

seeing Hags in training gave me the very real impression the end was near for him. he couldnt deal with the speed of the Weavers. the last one didnt make him look so bad

so in my estimation, a late 80s version of Norris has late 80s version of Hagler eating speed N leather all nite long

Lalonde, Norris would toy with him before disposing of him. I give him anywhere between three & eight rounds, and it might end sooner

Hearns 1989 version seemed very fragile to me. looked very round, soft, a near repilica of same year Duran, only taller

Terry would speed past him in fine style, winning all cards

 

Ive got an easier way that involves less work: just answer this question!

the identities of the actual fighters have been kept secret to protect the identies of the fighters and no reputations will be harmed

Fighter A scores two knockdowns over fighter B in a championship fight while fighter B scores none

which fighter has the better chin?

 

Fighter B clearly far past his prime. And yet, this is the only thing you can hang your hat on, pretty sad... You can read ,write ?? And realize you are the ONLY one who thinks that Norris beat a near prime SRL. Can we please talk about multiple KO losses

 

I didnt attach conditions did I? Nor did I name the fighters

u look hesitant my friend.

okay then, just let me know when u grow a pair of balls

 

Not enough info to answer the question. Fighter A might hit a lot harder than Fighter B. If fighter B is Willie Pep, for instance, we effectively know nothing at all about Fighter A's chin. We don't know what stage of their careers they're at, either. Some fighters have chins that are fine...until they're not. If A is prime and B is well post-prime, again, that doesn't tell us much.

 

Good solid post. But, our mutual friend doesn`t get the meaning of logic...

 

Reality ,not conditions. Can we please talk about multiple KO losses,and lack of chin ? And I can name them for you if you like

 

The point is though, has anyone actually been stupid enough to claim that Norris is a top ten ATG fighter, like they have regarding Leonard?

With such a small resume as Leonards you don't get the crap beaten out of you by the likes of Norris, then humiliated and stopped by Hector Comacho, when you are both past your prime, if you're truly a top 10 ATG fighter.

The only excuse worth observing would be a long arduous career, and that doesn't apply in Leonards case.