Sugar Ray Leonard Gets an Awful Lot of Negativity

As times passes I appreciate him more and more. A great fighter with true fighting heart. Was never my favorite as I was always a Duran or Hagler guy. But doesn't mean I can't appreciate his greatness. And it was an entertaining greatness. He could let it all hang out.

 

It isn't uncommon for hard-core boxing fans to dislike the most high profile (I believe the modern term is "the A side") boxers, especially those who harness that profile during fight negotiations.

 

Whst really boggles the mind is how some of the people who don't like Leonard because of the things he did relating to the business side of boxing can love Floyd Maweather Jr.

 

Don't forget Leonards blatant back stabbing of Donald Curry. He was supposed to be retired due to a detached retina & was employed as an "advisor" to Donald who was really keen on getting a title shot at Marvelous Marvin Hagler But all the time Leonard was negociating the Hagler fight for himself behind the scenes.
I will never forget that day in Dave Gorman's Super Pro gym when we heard on the news that Leonard/ Hagler was on it was a diabolical traitorous move by Leonard. He was wise he was nowhere to be found in Texas.
The final insult was when Saccharin Ray was announced as "winner" over Marvin

 

ROFL I certainly do not love Mayweather or Leonard I have absolutely no respect for either of them

 

Great boxer but when he was younger he could very much get into his ego and at times be a jerk. He would show up at boxing gyms and have everyone kicked out and of course at the time the gym owners would do it.
He was horrible as a manager of boxers and actually messed up some boxers careers because he was always thinking about what HE would do and seemed to never be able to check his ego.
But then I often ask myself what person in their twenties was perfect and not prone to making choices based on their ego? So I do think he gets judged a little too harshly at times.

 

It could be shallow of you. I disliked Leonard long before he even fought Duran the first time (which I didn't see how Duran could beat that welterweight great in 1980.. but he did). His arrogance. He was the golden boy before DeLaHoya was the golden boy.

 

Ray took care of Ray first, last and always. Some people who like their heroes to act humble (although any champion athlete in any sport must of necessity have an inflated ego) resent people like that. I say more power to him.

 

Initially, with me, it was guilt by association. First, he latched on to Dundee as trainer, which put him in a class with Ali, whom I didn't really like. 2nd. the abominable Cosell latched onto him like a leech much as he did with Ali, and I didn't like Cosell either. I had to admit SRL was a super talent and had charisma but I just thought he was arrogant and a media hog. I hoped someone would knock him down a notch but nobody did until Duran.

Later, I rooted against him in his fights against Duran , Kalule, Hearns, Lalonde, Hagler and basically every big fight he had. He just kept winning though, one way or another. I never really hated him. I just wanted to see him beat decisively, maybe even a bad beating. Didn't really happen until the very end of his career. Despite my negative feelings for him, I feel that he is one of the most underrated athletes of his time. He dominated his sport and was a national-international figure, 2 things most athletes never attain. He was the Michael Jordan of boxing but he seems to be pretty much forgotten now except for boxing fanatics such as on this board. As there were "The Jordan Rules", there was also "The Sugar Ray Rules" and everyone seemed to jump to his tune. Pretty much sums up my feelings.

 

I never liked him when he was active although I still believe that he beat Hagler. Now with the passage of time, I'm able to appreciate him more. He was able to retire and unretire at will and fight for titles and big money. He held the key to the golden crapper so to speak and to a lot of people that rubbed them the wrong way. Also he had that Golden Boy image which wasn't entirely true.

 

This I did not know. Was a favorite of mine until all the post-1982 shenanigans he pulled. If the sexual abuse thing truly happened. I feel for him and his family. If not, feel for his family.

 

lol. ya right. SRL is a shoe in Top 5 most popular/liked fighter in the history of the sport..
Awful lot of negativity surely isnt the case, not on this forum either imo
unless we are including the nut licker Mayweather jr fans who actually think May has a chance against him so they fantasy match em

 

I wasn’t aware of any notable animosity toward Leonard until I started reading online boxing forums.

Not to say some grievances are necessarily unjustified but I personally don’t hold anything against him.

Great fighter of course - and it’s worth it to delve back and watch his pre title performances - quite brilliant really. Had all the ingredients - skill, guts, brains and power.

 

C’mon man, May is TBE...at cherry picking. That’s one dept. in which he clearly outshone Leonard.

 

I never cared for SRL personally--and as a fighter I initially thought he was a hyped up Madison Ave pretty boy. My opinion of him as a fighter completely changed after the first Duran bout. NOBODY dared to go into the trenches with Duran back then--but Leonard did and even though it probably cost him the fight it was VERY close and he showed incredible toughness and grit! (And he followed that up with an equally gritty and courageous performance against Hearns.) SRL truly ranks among the all-time greats!!