Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali were both showboaters. Which of them was the better fighter?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Apr 26, 2021.

Page 1 of 8
  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2017
    Messages:
    36,654
    Likes Received:
    16,545
    Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali were both showboaters. They were both fast and got knocked down occasionally. Were they equal in boxing skills?
     
    mark ant, Apr 26, 2021
    #1
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  2. SheenLantern

    SheenLantern Active Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2016
    Messages:
    518
    Likes Received:
    900
    Ali is the GOAT and Ray is a close second.
     
    SheenLantern, Apr 26, 2021
    #2
    Joeywill, shza, Richard M Murrieta and 1 other person like this.
  3. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Messages:
    22,704
    Likes Received:
    25,149
    I guess showboating is a word you can use, but I’d say it takes some big minerals to stand in front of Joe Frazier or Roberto Duran and do a shuffle or wind up a bolo punch — as compared to, say, Greg Page showing up a shopworn Scott LeDoux who couldn’t do anything about it.

    As for comparison, Ali is The Greatest. Ray was great.
     
    Saintpat, Apr 26, 2021
    #3
    Richard M Murrieta, Mark Dunham, mr. magoo and 1 other person like this.
  4. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2008
    Messages:
    25,089
    Likes Received:
    8,841
    P4P no question Ray .. a much better puncher .. Ali had a better chin ..
     
    he grant, Apr 26, 2021
    #4
    Joeywill, Toney F*** U, Richard M Murrieta and 1 other person like this.
  5. Philly161

    Philly161 "Fundamentals are the crutch of the talentless" banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2020
    Messages:
    1,669
    Likes Received:
    2,263
    its really close. Ray essentially did against hearns in first fight what Ali couldn't do in fotc and ko his opponent to not lose a decision. But on other hand Ali ko foreman whereas ray won a controversial split decision against hagler in a comparable career moment.

    But based on how good Ali was in his prime and how years of that prime was taken from him but he still accumulated a resume comparable to SRL I would say Ali was greater. Plus ray has said he imitated Ali so he owes part of his greatness to Ali.
     
    Philly161, Apr 26, 2021
    #5
    alangjk, Bokaj and Richard M Murrieta like this.
  6. Indefatigable

    Indefatigable Active Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2021
    Messages:
    971
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Ali pfp was far greater.
     
    Indefatigable, Apr 26, 2021
    #6
    young griffo and mark ant like this.
  7. Balder

    Balder Well-Known Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2012
    Messages:
    2,881
    Likes Received:
    1,888
    Ali by long, long way.

    Duran turned him into a showboater first and a fighter second. Duran took a piece of Leonard's soul.
     
    Balder, Apr 26, 2021
    #7
    rinsj, Richard M Murrieta and mark ant like this.
  8. fists of fury

    fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2006
    Messages:
    19,297
    Likes Received:
    7,039
    I'd say Leonard. More complete. Fought and beat better competition, pound for pound.
     
    fists of fury, Apr 26, 2021
    #8
    Joeywill, RockyJim, Toney F*** U and 5 others like this.
  9. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Messages:
    22,704
    Likes Received:
    25,149
    I’m a 100 percent Duran fan but facts is facts: if anything, Ray took Duran’s soul in the second fight.

    Made the macho warrior quit. Like a dog.

    Duran pouted because Ray showboated? Did anyone watch the first fight, when Duran was clowning Ray in the late rounds?

    You wanna play, get in the sandbox. And when it came to a rematch, Roberto climbed out of the sandbox and into the litter box.
     
    Saintpat, Apr 26, 2021
    #9
    JackSilver, shza, Bronze Tiger and 4 others like this.
  10. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2018
    Messages:
    4,227
    Likes Received:
    5,094
    If anyone got a piece of their soul taken it was Duran in the second fight
     
    Bronze Tiger, Apr 26, 2021
    #10
    Bokaj, Richard M Murrieta and mrkoolkevin like this.
  11. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2007
    Messages:
    50,425
    Likes Received:
    23,617
    I honestly don’t know. Their legacies have very different strengths.
     
    mr. magoo, Apr 26, 2021
    #11
    Richard M Murrieta, MarkusFlorez99, Showstopper97 and 1 other person like this.
  12. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
    Messages:
    28,426
    Likes Received:
    34,302
    It's a tough question and it's close.
    Think I'll pop for Ali.
     
    Fergy, Apr 26, 2021
    #12
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  13. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    Messages:
    13,127
    Likes Received:
    11,361
    Two crazy statements. P4P?
     
    ETM, Apr 26, 2021
    #13
  14. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2012
    Messages:
    13,127
    Likes Received:
    11,361
    How did he make him quit? He certainly wasn't hitting him with much of anything. Maybe Ray running around the ring and showboating was all it took. Ray Leonard didn't exactly come to fight himself.

    That fight was in 1980. In the 41 years since is still what it is. Leonard is very popular here in America. The bully angle or Ray have mental power to make another quit it never made sense
    Duran quit the fight because he didn't prepare himself to fight especially at the elite level. Duran was foolish. Duran did that to himself.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2021
    ETM, Apr 26, 2021
    #14
    shza and Richard M Murrieta like this.
  15. Showstopper97

    Showstopper97 The Icon Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2020
    Messages:
    2,614
    Likes Received:
    3,066
    Leonard was a better technical boxer, inside fighter & body puncher - but Ali was still the better fighter overall.
     
    Showstopper97, Apr 26, 2021
    #15
    Richard M Murrieta and Bavarian like this.
Page 1 of 8