Tito vs Sugar Ray Leonard at 154

Leonard stops him late, winning every single round in the process at any weight.

 

I can understand why many are picking Ray, partly due to his name partly due to his skill...but man Tito does not get much appreciation/respect on these boards as whole (not just this thread).

Ray didn't fight a whole lot at 154, but we do know that he moved up to MW and beat one of the best MW champs ever...albeit not a prime version of Hagler and noting that it was a very widely disputed decision to this day! But he was able to move up to LHW and have a stoppage win over Lalonde while ahead on 2 opf the 3 cards as well. So we should have some idea that leonard can carry the extra weight even if his prime clearly was at WW.

Trinidad likewise also had his prime at WW, and was not much more proven at 154. Wins over Thaim and the unproven Reid (who I wished had not been tossed to Tito so early in his career) and I nice win over Vargas. His MW time again is not much better if at all than SRL. An impressive win over Joppy, and then losing to B-Hop's (at what I feel was Hops physical prime).

Do I think Trinidad had the tools to stop SRL at this point like the OP claims...YES...But I don't envision it. His stoppage wins over Vargas, Joppy, Thaim, Cherifi and Mayorga are nice, but SRL by my estimation is a notch above those guys. Likewise it took a prime Hop's at 160 to stop Trinidad in the 12th, and with the respect I believe SRL would have for Tito's power I don't see him stopping Tito either.

I unfortunately think this would play out a little like DLH-Tito, in that I would see SRL outboxing him for an early points lead, with Tito turning it up in the middle rds to make it somewhat competitive. While SRL might be moving against him, I don't see the blatant running away that Oscar utilized in the late rds either. SRL superior foot and hand speed would leave to him to take a few of the late rds that Oscar did not really contest...even if he was moving and countering and flurring to steal a couple of them.

I would take SRL in 116-114/117-113 type decision over 12 rds. Over 15 I have no clue how Tito would prepare or look over later rds, so I won't even speculate!

 

Good post, I agree. People get a bit carried away here. Leonard was the greater and better fighter than Tito - and clearly - but Tito was very very good himself and won´t make it that easy for Ray. Clear UD for Leonard 8-44 or 9-3 in rounds.

 

You saw how Delahoya outboxed him, SRL does it better

 

Tito proved in losses to Wright and Hopkins as well as his near loss to Oscar that he could be thrown off gear and lacked the ability to pull it back on track. Leonard was far more than a name, he was an immortal and he would give Tito fits ..