His four major wins are equals I think. Against Benitez he had to fight the nip/tuck fight. It was his first major fight and he was fighting a two division champ who was undefeated. Against Duran he'd lost the first and then embarrassed him and made him quit. Against Hearns he face adversity. Hearns was tall, rangey, undefeated, powerful, fast, ahead on the cards and Leonards eye had shut. He came back amazingly. Against Hagler he was facing a dominant middleweight and he hadn't fought in years. Leonard came back and fought his fight. They are all amazing. Arguably the best 135, 140, 154 and 160 of all time - case closed. He himself, is arguably the best 147 of all time.
Rubbish. Hearns was a devastating body puncher at that point. Hearns wasn't green. Sugar wasn't running, he was letting Hearns blow his load. Listen to him and Dundee talk about it in the corner. Then he realised Hearns wasn't going to punch himself out. He found out that yes, hes a puncher but Hearns can box too.
Hagler SRL was coming off so much, a long layoff,impairing vision,crack addiction,moving up in weight.
The Hearns fight gets my vote!! Leonard was winning, then Hearns came on and began running away with the fight, and suddenly Leonard dug down and found the will to pull it out by KO finish. That version of Thomas Hearns was amazingly difficult and powerful. I still contend that Floyd would have to be physically restrained and carried into the ring to face that guy:good
Leanords moment of greatness was against Hearns, he won only because he was a special fighter, he was being out gunned by a taller fearful puncher and only that certain something we cant measure pulled him through!!! its called greatness! we dont all get that moment, but when we do thats the window of oppurtunity for greatness, Sugar showed everyone.
Leonard would have knocked Hearns out at 154 too. Did you see the second fight between them he almost knocked Hearns out in the 12th round. He was only an average puncher at middlweight yet he still hurt Hearns badly. Hearns won the fight on my card but he almost got stopped again.
beating donny lalonde for the 168-175 title. ray showed what true grit was all about by knocking out the bigger fighter in dramatic fashion. I remember watching that fight and thingk ray is going to lose but he found a way to win as always. one of the top 5 legendary immortals of boxing.:deal
Maybe the first fight with the hitman,but the wins over duran and hagler were also very special,and the mr benitez win was also a great win over an atg fighter in his prime...The lalonde and hearns II fights were also excellent gritty perfomances....
