Which fighters do you think were more complete than SRL?

Well Leonard may have shown more vulnerabilities had he had more fights past his prime as Duran did.

 

I never denied that power plays into being complete. Having more power changes a fighters decisions throughout the course of a fight and makes a fighter more adaptable in a sense. As you pointed out Whitaker never had the equalizer to turn the tables like Leonard did during some fights. And I reckon he could outclass Benitez at his own game or a fighter with a similar style. Leonard out-classing Benitez was done while he was at his prime weight. So I'll not make the comparison with Whitaker doing the same against Benitez at welterweight as he was past his prime and not his best weight. But Whitaker could do the same and more against a lightweight version of Benitez.

Leonard IMO couldn't fight off the backfoot like Whitaker could. Laterally, yes, but not while going backwards. And IMO Whitaker was better inside. When you look at Leonard against Hearns and Lalonde it was all power punches with devastaing effects. But Whitaker worked just as good up close and covered up better when it came to tucking his elbows into his ribs a blocking punches with his guard. Also twisting with the shots.

While a strong emphasis must be taken into consideration in the power department, Whitaker IMO was better balanced all round as a fighter.

 

I think Whitaker may have been better balanced at his style, but he couldn't adapt as Leonard could, not as effectively against that level of opposition anyway. He had certain advantages, such as boxing off the backfoot and punching while on the move, and was better overall defensively. While Leonard showed the ability to box similarly as well against Benitez IMO, even though he approached with more of a flat-footed stance.

Put Whitaker in there with someone like Laguna at LW and you think he's dominating him as thoroughly as Leonard did Benitez?

Either way, they're different fighters, but I definitely wouldn't say Whitaker was more complete, as his style was a bit more set than Leonard's(even though he was very versatile himself, and skill-wise very complete).

 

Whitaker isn't as complete as SRL, no fighter without SOLID power should be in the discussion IMO.

I immediately thought of SRR and then Jofre. Charles is a good mention too.

I always think of Wilfredo Gomez as VERY complete early career, his defense is eye opening. Vintage Gomez near had it all IMO. I'll mention Mike Spinks, a teeny bit slow of hand in this company but at 175 could out think and outbox a superb opponent in Braxton or totally separate others from their faculties. He had the tools to fight vs any style. Mike McCallum is solid all around too. Nothing stands overly out but a fine technician.

 

Ricardo Lopez comes to mind. I agree that Whitaker was better. Monzon was as complete as they get. Salvador Sanchez was another one.

Hagler was a guy with a lot of tools but lost those legs & some effectiveness in there. Actually, I think the same with Leonard and his reflexes--once he lost them a little bit that effectiveness rate of his sure declined quick.

 

what about Mayweather?

 

Imo there´s only one who is clearly above Leonard when it comes to completeness and that´s Ezzard Charles. But there are some others who you could argue to be more complete and who are at his level in this terms. Eder Jofre, SRR, Duran, McCallum come to my mind but also DLH, Hagler, Hopkins.

 

If those guys had everything just like SRL they would hve been SRL but well, it´s obvious they weren´t, isn´t it? But all around thse guys were as complete as they come and I wasn´t talking about them beeing more complete than SRL but comparable.

Well, it´s just that I think Charles was p4p a bit better at nearly everything than Leonard with the exception of handspeed perhaps.

 

I don´t make any lists anymoe but instead rate fighters by a tier system. Five fighters are first tier, Charles is one of them.

 

Duran

Pep

-my two cents.

 

Michael Spinks
Ray Robinson
Wilfredo Gomez
Greg Page.