Who was better P4P Ray Leonard or JCC Sr?

Leonard was fundamentally sound, the Benitez fight alone should show you that. Leonard unlike Mayweather Jr was aggressive in the ring. Its the reason he was able to overcome Hearns, its the reason Kalule was able to land on him, ( Kalule wasn't great, but he was the undeafeated Lt.Middle champ, very awkward, plus a southpaw) Leonard was stalking Kalule most of that fight and flat footed, looking for the Ko. he could of easily simply hit and run and win the dec. But if you've actually watched most of his fights, that wasn't his nature. He went out to ko his opponents. When a fighter is aggressive, he's going to get hit more than his skill level or abilities would indicate they should.
Ray Robinson had that same mentality. So did most great fighters whom didn't want to "Just win".
If Leonard was so tired in the middle rounds against Hagler, why didn't Hagler capitalize on it? WAS Hagler past prime? Yes he was, and so was Leonard, after almost 5yrs away from a boxing ring. Who Should've been the sharper of the two? Who was the natural Middleweight and fought at the weight his entire career?
What's the excuse for Duran taking him the distance in his prime?
The answer is Hagler was great, the best Middleweight in history if his opponents came at him. But he could be out thought in the ring, by very skilled opponents. A past prime fighting 4 weight classes above his best fighting weight Duran showed the world that. So did Monroe and Watts.
So did Leonard.

 

Obviously you never observed the Benitez/Leonard fight, but merely saw it or you tube high- lights. Both the fighters showed extraordinary skills, the difference wasn't so much Leonard's speed, but his punching power, and ability to use creative combination punch selections. That's where he beat Benitez. Very few fighters in history could match Leonard's Combination punching ability.

Your claim of Benitez showing more skills than Leonard is also shaded in your bias. 1st did Benitez defeat Hearns? Is your point Benitez showed more skills while LOSING?
That's very narrow minded.
Boxing is about who wins, not who looked more skilled while losing. If Benitez was more skilled he would've realized he's not going to win against Hearns from long range and adjusted his fight plan. He didn't do that, he lost.
I haven't seen the fighter between 145-160 yet who defeats prime Hearns at long range. Not Robinson, Napoles, Leonard, Jones Jr. and certainly not Mayweather Jr.
Hearns was a freak of nature, he had overwhelming physical advantages coupled with excellent speed, devastating power, and exceptional skills. Hearns had a reach better than most heavyweights at welterweight for Peaks sake. Leonard took the chance to be Great and out fought Hearns. That was the only way he could win. That's how he won. That was a special skill in itself how he adjusted his game plan mid fight to get the win.
This fight set the table for Hagler in my opinion, because he wouldn't have beaten Hearns from long distance. Hagler took the chance to be Great, took the fight to Hearns, and won.
So stop the madness.

 

This is a post that has bias written all over it.

1. Yes, maybe Duran wasn't at his sharpest in the rematch, but you might just as well say that Leonard wasn't at his sharpest in the first fight.

2. Same with "Hagler was past his best". Yes, but, again, what about Leonard? He had only fought once in the previous 5 years and never at MW before. He was so clearly past his best that you failing to mention it really makes your agenda shine through.

3. Overrated fundamentals? By whom? Most will agree that there are superior technicians to SRL, but that Leonard still had very good technique to go along with his great athleticism, rings smarts and will to win. That's what made him such a great overall package.

 

Leonard was better than Benitez. He won their fight most impressively and put many clean punches on Benitez. He hurt him multiple times.

 

Do you think it's sharp to fight the wrong fight? I'd say that's testament to a lack of sharpness and focus.

 

What?! So now you won't even concede that Leonard was the better man in their fight? It's just there to see.

 

Leonard landed good clean heavy shots on Benitez at reasonably consistent stages of the fight. For the first 2/3 of the fight Benitez had more trouble putting clean power punches on Leonard than Leonard did on Benitez.

 

Leonard all day long

 

So against prime Hearns it wasn't his ability to show the ultimate skill , being able to adapt to what his opponent was doing ,change his game plan in the middle of a fight, find away to win? Of course Benitez’s was better defensively than Leonard his style was predicated on it.
He was defensively better than Ray Robinson, does it make him more well rounded? Or better skilled?
Of course it doesn't . Obviously your bias against Leonard is extreme. And it blinds you to one of the better skilled fighters of the last 50 yrs or so. And the 14-1 Loma can't carry Leonard's jock strap as far as combo punching creativity.
Its much easier to look great and fast against 2nd or 3rd rate fighters, and even against that level of fighters, he has a loss in his "Amazing" 14 win career.
Loma is a creation of over saturation of modern media and poor competition, and posters like you that make him much more than he is.
I can think of at least 50 fighters from the last 50 yrs AT THE WEIGHT CLASS's he's fought , I'd pick to beat him convincingly.
Think about this the next time before you expound his greatness. Loma is 32 yrs old, he fights maybe once a year. At the rate he fights he'll be in his mid 50's by the time he surpasses Leonard in WINS!. Leonard retired at least 3 times during the PRIME of his career.
Of Leonard's 3 losses two were at the absolute end of his career when him being in a boxing ring was the last place he should've been.
His only prime loss is too a fighter considered at the least a top 7-8 fighter in the history of the game at any weight in Roberto Duran.
Whom other than his family and friends will remember Salido in 5yrs. Hell, who remembers him now?
Stop kidding yourself young man, get pass your bias.

 

This comment shows me a real superficial understanding of boxing from you.
A jab here and there? Anyone that knows anything about that fight, and those fighters , especially Benitez would tell you against him a fighter has to set-up his offense by using the jab. To wade in against Benitez without a jab was essentially a loss waiting to happen. He saw power punches coming a mile away and made his opponents look foolish without the "Window dressing " of a great jab and usage.
Its the way Leonard and Hearns beat him.
Leonard missed loads of shots? Or did Benitez make him miss loads of shots? I'd say it was Benitez, because he did the same thing to a prime Cervantes, prime Hearns, and a slightly past prime, but well trained Duran.
So again you show your bias. And your lack of in depth understanding of what your talking about.