Who Would Beat A Prime Leonard At Welterweight?

Hearns but Leonard stopped him. Duran and SRR possibly but not definitely.

 

Outside of Sugar Ray Robinson, I would say no one. If Donald Curry had a chin, it would be tremendously interesting.

 

He was physically in his prime and was seasoned as a professional. Yea he learned some things against Duran. He probably learned more against Duran than all his fights combined up to that point. He paid to learn.
Every fighter points to reasons why they didn't win a fight. Nobody was saying Ray wasn't prime before the fight.

As far as Hearns goes? It's possible if Hearns had been given the same chance Ray Leonard got to "learn" from their first fight he could correct some of his mistakes. You wouldn't say had they rematched in 1983 at 154lbs that Leonard would be a sure winner would you? I wouldn't, that's a great fight we didn't get to see.

 

The Truth is Leonard got whipped in Montreal by Duran. Yea only lost by 1 point LOL. He was Golden One fighting in his quasi hometown. If you actually watch the fight there was no question Duran won it handily. Leonard also got a draw with Hearns in 1988 and magically won the 175lbs when he never fought a single fight in that division. It's reality.

 

Prime Robinson vs Prime Leonard, six fights and they come out even...

No chance.

Leonard would give a good account of himself but he would lose all six.

 

Not even a prime Robinson?

SERIOUSLY???

 

Couldn't or wouldn't?

Robinson agreed to carry some of his opponents so the fight would go the distance.

 

There's some disingenuous things going on here.

Ray Leonard had it all in spades. A very complete and adaptable fighter. The skills and mentality required to beat Benitez, Duran, Hearns and Hagler isn't to be sniffed at - you will struggle to find many fighters that have Ws over this level of competition.

Duran beat him by more than the one point on the scorecards - Leonard knew it and objective eyes knew it. Leonard didn't fight toe to toe because of the things that Duran said to his wife. Prior to Montreal, Dundee talked about taking the fight to the smaller man in Duran. The fight plan was to overwhelm, outpower and outsize Duran. Duran changed that fight plan with that one right hand bomb and then hunted Leonard down and showed him skillset, handspeed and footspeed that Leonard didn't know he had. That Leonard didn't get drowned and KTFO'd is testament to how great Leonard actually was. He was forced to fight the fight he did and survived but lost.

I'm not sure that Hearns beats Leonard over 12 - Hearns always had the small waist and Dundee's sense of timing and Ray's adaptability sees Ray stepping up the pace and getting to him earlier. Tommy could be rocked and Ray could punch and once he catches a tiring Hearns to the body, I fancy the same/similar outcome.

SRR has better experience and is a stronger combination puncher than SRL for me. His body work and head combinations are dangerous - potentially life-threatening. I have often posted that, to me, SRR at his best is like a blend of Hearns and SRL. He has the footwork, jab and right hand to keep the fight on the outside, the adaptability to meet the levels required to win and he was ferocious in the exchange. If SRL takes the fight to him, I figure a pre-Doyle SRR to carry too much power and class for SRL to win the fight. If he boxes him like he did Benitez and chooses his moments and SRR gets impatient and abandons his defense, shipping punches on the way in, this is a fight that SRL could win. However, I would always back SRR's power, durability and instant retaliation in the trenches to force SRL into uncomfortable positions - I feel like SRR's ringcraft and IQ gets overlooked sometimes.