If Ray kept on fighting and got good at the weight after a few title defenses he would beat Mike easily over 12 or 15 rounds. The Ray Leonard who moved up after being inactive I am not sure. Ray was greater than Mike. Ray Leonard fighting Hearns at 154 loses.
Leonard. Hate to say something as cliche as "speed kills", but there you have it. Mike would get beat to the punch much more often than not.
"Leonard was greater than McCallum" "Speed Kills"...........Those pretty much cover it. If McCallum had a weakness, he was a tad slow of foot. Leonard would exploit that. Anything is possible, but I couldn't foresee McCallum catching Ray like he did Curry. 10-5ish Leonard.
I see SRL winning between 1981 to 1984, had Ray been active in 1983... But after '84, even SRL of '87 at 158 would prolly lose to McCallum.... Aside from the one dec. loss to Kalambay at 160, Mike McCallum was peaked and virtually unbeatable between 154 and 160 pounds during 1984 to 1989...... Ray needs to catch pre 1985 McCallum, not post '85....:deal MR.BILL:bbb
I like McCallum to trudge his way to a UD. Leonard would have a speed advantage (though not like at WW), but I don't see him being able to hurt McCallum.
Can't see where Mike wins this...Ray is to durable in both the chin and body departments, so a fight changer to the beard is about as unlikely as a gradual midsection beatdown. Pretty widish decision for Ray...but at no point is he particularly comfortable in there.
Sugar Ray would outspeed Mike to a clear decision. McCallum had problems with slick movers,like Sumbu Kalambay.
I think Kalambay (which McCallum after all was 1-1 with) was slicker than Leonard, but not as fast, though.
