Sugar Ray Leonard vs Chris Eubank

Chris Eubank at his best should win this. Probably by KO.

Apart from nicking a decision (I thought he narrowly lost) over a fading Hagler, Leonard's credentials at middleweight and above are weak. He beat the limited Don Lalonde (who he made come down to 167 from 175) and drew with a washed-up Hearns. Leonard himself was past prime too, of course, but in his prime he's just too small.

Eubank was big, strong, fast and skilled, at middleweight. 24, 25 years old.

 

It's a mismatch, but Ray could win it. He beat a MUCH better fighter in Hagler (controversial I know), why couldn't he beat Eubank (who, again, I'd favour Hagler over).

But in terms of ability, Chris could only dream of being half as good as Ray!

 

Interesting this one. Yes, Eubank is bigger and stronger, but he really wasn't good on the front foot and he wasn't busy. He'd have to catch Leonard with something big, and don't forget that Leonard had a chin even at MW and above. He took the best from Hagler, LaLonde and Hearns. Went down at times, but never seemed close to being stopped.

Yes, Leonard only had one fight at MW. But edging an aging Hagler is probably still better than any single win Eubank has at MW.

I can see the Leonard against Hagler pot shotting his way to victory. Don't find it at all hard to see him grab just a couple of more rounds than Watson did.

 

This would be a hard fight for Leonard if he simply tried to box-punch with Eubank at ring centre in his usual prime style.He wasn't sharp enough staying often in range like that by the time he was at middle.

However, Eubank was so unusually **** when faced with lots of movement and being forced to consistently pressure, that if Ray fought like he did against Hagler i think he'd win comfortably in a dull fight.

Eubank's a very underrated defensive fighter when near top form and would make an older middleweight Leonard miss loads even then, but he would land next to nothing himself if forced to chase Ray, and would likely fail to corner him even nearly as much as the slower 87 Marvin did.

In fact i struggle to think of any very good movement\outfighting focused middleweight who Eubank would be favoured over.And while Leonard no GREAT fighter anymore at middle\super middle, he was certainly still very good at various things for a brief period.

 

Of course Leonard wanted Eubank to go to Murica, where moronic judges would be impressed with his tap and run style as he did in the Hagler fight. Take him anywhere in the real world, and he gets nothing for it.

Eubank by wide UD or stoppage.

 

Yet Eubank wants to fight RJJ. In Dubai. At LHW. For the WBU belt?

Ah, I see now! :roll::roll:

 

There is the clue.:roll:

 

Dubai has NEVER been a Boxing hotspot. Hell, it only became a developed country in the last 15 years!

 

And places like Boise Idaho, Memphis, Portland Oregon, Tampa, Indianapolis, Pensacola, Jacksonville, have all been hotbeds of boxing for decades have they?

Funnily enough two of the dates mentioned above are the years Eubank and Jones were born. Puts your 15 year claim down the toilet though.