Sugar Ray Leonard vs Pernell Sweet Pea Whittaker, 15 rounds, Peak for Peak, 147 lbs.

SRL by clear decision

Just as in the case as he would be against Floyd Jr, Ray is bigger and just a little better.

 

To be fair that was fairly early in his career and he recovered nicely to easily outpoint Roger. He moved up to 140 and 147 and faced some big hitters without being stopped.

I do think Leonard would win but more likely tko in the championship rounds, as we really don't know how Pernell would handle 15 rounds, or decision.

 

I just think Leonard is head and shoulders better than Whit and with his speed, combos and no fear would wobble him and finish him like in the Price fight. Pernells tricks would fail and Sugar Ray overwelms him.

 

I don't think would be an easy fight for Leonard, quite the opposite. An old Pernell handedly beat De La Hoya IMO (115-111 on my card, as I recall) and that's an extremely high level to be at at welter, considering Whitaker was clearly a better fighter when he was younger. Aside from clearly being beatinh a prime DLH on my card, he schooled Chavez and McGirt easily too. Never thought there was anything close about those fights. Whitaker would definitely be Leonard's fourth best win at WW.

Leonard had trouble landing his power shots on Benitez, and defensively, I've always found Pea to be better than Wil in that regard. Leonard had to adapt in that one, and he did so by using his jab much, much more than he normally did and using his back hand to parry Benitez's counter jab. His speed advantage was the main decider there. He definitely has the speed advantage here again, but I'm not convinced he can out-jab Whitaker quite so easily. Leonard also had some trouble early on with Ayub Kalule, who's style in that fight diverged from his normal, centre-ring pressure fighting style (more due to Leonard's footwork than anything else), to more of a counter-puncher. Leonard had massive issues lining up Kalule, and ate all sorts of counters from him. I remember in the fourth thinking "wtf has just happened?? That's not how it's supposed to go!".

If you took the style of Benitez, and then combined it with the style Kalule adopted in his fight with Leonard, you'd have made something which looks an awful lot like Pernell Whitaker. I think Leonard definitely wins, but it isn't easy.

 

SRL UD.

 

Leonard was always a counter-puncher, even as far back as his time in the Olympics. And he was always an offensive (forward) counter-puncher until the 2nd Duran fight

 

Leonard was always counter-puncher, Kalule wasn't.

 

I don't think there's much chance that Sweet Pea would beat Leonard at 147. Pernell was great at 135 and 140. 147 was always a reach for him, although he got by due to his immense talent.

 

Good big man beats a good little man. I’ll keep it just that simple. Leonard UD15. Possibly a late stoppage, as we never saw Pete go 15. On top of which, we know what kind of finisher Leonard was and how strong he could be in the championship rounds.

 

The Pernell of McGirt 2 and the Chavez fight could beat Leonard - who is not immune to losing to a lightweight moving up. Leonard wins more often than not, but it isn't the mismatch it would be the same way a fight with Hearns/Robinson would.

 

Whitaker absolutely in no way came close to beating Oscar, that's the biggest myth of a robbery in boxing it seems. Posturing and clowning while displaying no offence doesn't win fights. I'm no huge fan of Oscar but he beat Whitaker comfortably.

 

Leonard was a fan pleaser. He wanted too look great in his victories. There's nothing greater in boxing than getting a spectacular ko.
When he fought Kalule Leonard was looking for the great ko. He fought flat footed, and sometimes overcommitted to his punches. Kalule to his credit made him pay for that many times during that fight with sharp counters .
Kalule was able to land like that was more on Leonard's over aggression, than any real weakness in his ability.
He fought that way many times early in his career against competition he was obviously better than. That ability to go "Beast Mode". Is the primary reason for his greatest victory over Hearns. Also, his greatest loss against Duran in Montreal, where it backfired.

 

Oscar’s flurries at the very end of multiple rounds were just as much posturing as anything Whitaker did, in my opinion. With as little as he landed, he may as well have been shadow boxing.

Whitaker threw more punches, landed more punches, and landed at a higher connect rate than Oscar did. According to the official numbers. So if he displayed no offense, what does that say for Oscar?

 

Whitaker was a lightweight

 

After a few rounds Pea in defensive mode .. Then really not much more really he can do against the bigger, stronger boxer with faster hands with power .. Ray very comfortable in the pocket letting his hands go .. Ray stops him late rounds