Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mate, that's really not true. Leonard, in his prime, is better than Floyd in his prime. He's as fast, as defensively adept and just as accurate when he wanted to be. He took more chances, which meant he was more open for a counter and more likely to miss. That's about it. Floyd only throws when he knows he can land. He rarely throws combinations unless the opponent's defence is coming to pieces.

Floyd loses this because he has no advantages over Leonard. Leonard's as fast and as skilled (if not more so - there's no evidence Floyd's as good as he thinks he is at 140 and above), but he's also a bigger, stronger man, punches hard and is a fluid combination puncher. For all Floyd's abilities, his combination punching isn't his best attribute - as you say, he's a pot-shotter.

So, other than the early rounds when Leonard struggles to catch him clean, by round five or six, Leonard's jabbing him to the ropes and the corners, slamming in bodyshots and mixing in shots to the head. Leonard wins a clear 8-4 decision.

 

Good post uppercut. You hit the nail on the head and drove it through the 2x4 as far as i'm concerned.

Your argument for this being a cagey chess match is as airtight as the Gold Depository at Fort Knox. I also think Floyd takes him very close on the cards. Leonard was use to fighting 15 rounds so would have to start faster for 12 against a counter puncher to build up the points, which would play into Floyds hands. There's no right or wrong answer though and as you say that's what makes these fantasy match-ups so fun. I actually used to do them quite a lot back in the day especially when i first joined the forum.

By the way take no notice of Gaz and his "It's as hard as Leonard wants to make it" implying Sugar Ray can win it which ever way he wants. Unfortunetly our esteemed friend Gaz is stuck in the 80's. lol

Speaking of the 80's I actually spent some time in the US (Had family in New Orleans) so break out the 80's gear Gaz because in this thread it's on like the first Nintendo "Donkey Kong".

For us in SW London and the short time i spent down in N'awlens, it was Z-Cavarichi and Girbaud Jeans with Generra and Benneton sweaters. You weren't cool unless you tight rolled your jeans and wore penny lofers, but instead of putting a penny in them, it had to be a dime. And if you wore an earring in your right ear you got beat down like Michael Spinks vs. Tyson. Those were the days...The four horsemen, Liverpool FC, Kareem, Cooper's tube socks...Hope i'm not making you feel too nostalgic Gazo.

Sorry to go off on tangents fellas...it's late, i'm reminiscing and downed a few Carlings. lol

 

PBF is a smart ****er in there. He makes this a closely contested fight. I won't pretend to know anymore than that.

 

No worries Slip, I can barely remember what I was wearing back then, it was all casual so I guess pink cardies and Converse trainers:roll:, never had a mullet though!!.

BTW I could tell you'd been on the **** all night by the content of the opening post...

 

Leonard would batter and stop Floyd, within 10.

Floyd has been in with NO ONE to suggest he could even compete with Leonard.

He also has no advantages over Leonard. NONE. His defense would just get pounded with the kind of combinations you think would cause him all kinds of problems.

 

They're not even in the same league at 147. Leonard easy points win or stoppage.

 

I'm not certain that Floyd would beat good stylistic match-ups such as Cuevas or Palomino. Would he even come out on top in the Jones-McCrory-Curry-Honeyghan era? I'm doubtful.

The likes of Leonard, Hearns, Duran, Gavilan, Robinson, Napoles, are all bad matchups for him IMO, as well as being GREAT Welterweights.

 

Completely agree. I don't know what people see to suggest that Floyd can beat a certified ATG natural welterweight with few if any weaknesses.

Also people seem to be forgetting that Floyd doesn't sprint off the blocks. He has nearly always been a slow starter.

 

:nono

Floyd's chin is as good as they come. Surely Shane should have taught you that in his last fight? One if the biggest hitters in the WW division still and when he landed Floyd steadied himself and recovered within about 15 seconds. Once Floyd starts to cover up, which I think he would o in the later rounds as was the case against De la Hoya, I can't see how he hits the canvas on multiple occasions.

For me this could come down to who snatches the first round. I think both guys are relatively slow starters but I think Mayweather would use his schooling to take rounds 2-5 by varying the distance and catching SRL with single shots. Round 6 SRL starts to make the adjustments and it would be a clsoe round. From here on SRL takes most rounds while Floyd starts to cover up, but Mayweather manages to sneak one late as SRL gets frustrated and tries to go for too much, again leaving himslef open to single shots and one or two combos as Floyd spins him from the ropes.

If Floyd takes the first, as I think he would in a very cagey round . . . draw over 12. :deal

Sorry about the typing. Can't be arsed to edit.

 

I'm seriously amazed that anyone can hold this opinion. Floyd has a good chin. Mosley has power, reasonably good speed and OK accuracy. SRL has power, great speed and great accuracy. If Mosley can hurt Floyd, Leonard can knock him out. But as Floyd has a good chin he will get up off the canvas a couple of times before the ref has to step in to prevent any more damage.

What the **** makes people think Floyd can school Leonard??? What the **** is going on??

 

I think Floyd is vulnerable to big shots in the early rounds but less so later on in a fight. If SRL was a faster starter then I might be inclined to agree but I think Floyds shoulder roll would see him through to the bell late on in the fight.

No thinking Floyd schools him from me though. MD draw for me setting up an even bigger ematch. :thumbsup

 

Floyd has fought no one to suggest he'd do any better than Benitez did against Leonard. I think he'd fare even worse.

 

Fair shout Flea man. He hasn't done much at WW to prove he'd have a shot but I think he'd rise to the ocassion and at least make a fight of it. Floyd rarely does more than he needs but hasn't failed to rise to a challenge yet (not taking into account fights that haven't been made).

 

Floyd's shoulder roll is so overrated its unbelievable. He hasn't really used it since the DLH fight.

Leonard has too much speed and intelligence for Floyd to rely on his defence. And he has too much power and accuracy for Floyd to trade with him. The more I think about it the more certain I am that Floyd gets his arse handed to him by the mid-late rounds.

 

But he hasn't fought anyone as good as Benitez or Hearns. Let alone SRL.