What were your thoughts going into Leonard-Norris

I actually had a inkling that norris would win. Leonard since beating Hagler had looked more and more vulnerable. The kd against lalonde, the close escape against hearns, getting cut against Duran. It just seemed sugar was slowing down and getting caught more. I looked at norris and saw a younger guy with decent boxing skill s, and who would have been hungry for a win over leonard. I can't remember the odds going in but sure norris was under dog, can remember thinking if norris s chin holds up against leonard he's going to win this. But was still surprised how one sided it was. Norris turned out a pretty decent fighter to, so no disgrace for sugar.

 

I had a fair amount of $$ on Norris to get the W. What I didn't like is guy's trying to win decisions over the Sugarman & that was the biggest fear I had. But I knew those top notch reflexes of Norris were going to be a big big problem at that stage of the game for Ray. And I didn't like Leonard's new habit of bending to the right at the waist so much against the kinds of punches Norris threw.

He'd also fought lots of old guys on the way down the ladder and not many contemporaries aside from Hearns. And zero blue chip up and comers. By that time, Terry had been in a few big fights with Jackson and Mugabi, among others. And I just thought he was a guy--kind of like Evander later on--that was going to bring his A game and put forth a career type best effort when the spotlight was on him.

So I just did not think Leonard would pull a rabbit out of his hat to win the fight.

Actually thought the same thing with Camacho--and hardly anybody was backing the former 130 pounder in that one. But actually there was quite a bit of deterioration between the Norris & the Camacho fight, just like Hector predicted. Tough dealing with those youthful reflexes.

 

I always thought the long lay off's the rumored history of drug abuse (cocaine) would eventually spell disaster for him. It did.

 

I remember that I was quite chocked when I heard about it. But it was hard following boxing closely back in Sweden then since it wasn't broadcasted on TV and there were no Swedish boxing mags. Leonard was a big name and I had never heard of Norris, so therefor I was quite surprised.

 

I was initailly surprised at Leonard even picking Norris' name for a fight...I wonder if Ray wanted a WBC strap to in a strange way to propose a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez...Anyway that's beside the point...I remember an interview with Emanuel Steward saying that Leonard had just picked a very rough guy for a fight...and it turned out that way...I also remember Leonard being very dismissive of Norris during the media scrums...He paid for it.

 

i'm surprised that leonard was the favorite.

 

I recall thinking that Norris may well be too good for Ray at that stage of the Sugarman's career. Ray could still handle himself against fellow veterans such as Duran and Hearns but Norris looked too young and strong. The result bore this out.

 

leonard was screwed.. loss imminent.

 

SRL said post-fight he realized he was fighting the younger version of himself in there.

 

Seems we are a couple of the only ones not knowing Norris was a near certainty. Ray was around a 12-5 (others say 3-1) fave and i don't recall any media thinking he was there for the taking. It was mostly considered just another fight for him. Age, inactivity, his first fight at 154 for about a decade, weight hopping, perhaps substance abuse, it all caught up with him very quickly. Add to this Norris was a speedy razor sharp opponent quite a bit better than many realised led to a very unexpected result as Ray was dominated and a bit lucky not to be stopped.

 

He had been inactive for a while and he wasn't getting any younger, but on the other hand he had nearly shut out Duran in his previous fight.

In hindsight Leonard's loss seems a near certainty, but it is very hard to know when someone just don't have it anymore and it is also hard to know if a promising fighter will step up to the event. The Mugabi KO should have been a hint that Norris was the real deal, though. But still, he could also have been found out as someone who just got lucky that he got a washed up name fighter at the right moment. It's very hard to know for sure until you really do.

 

Nope...I was very shocked at the time. But when you factor in everything you just listed...it added up against Leonard. I thought it would be a tough fight, but I thought Leonard would win at that time.

 

Older fighters have trouble with quickness, I was kinda shocked he fought him