Why shouldn't Barney Ross be judged on par with Benny Leonard?

I never said Ross should be rated above Leonard...I'm saying Ross' level of competition is on par with or perhaps better than Leonard's and I think that is not a stretch. With all due respect to the 'powerful bulldog' and the 'best left hook artist'...With that said, I would pick Leonard on a H2H basis. But is it close? Yes it is!!! Say what you want...the facts out weigh the anecdotes...and Ross' record speaks for itself just fine...You speak of history? History says that the fighters on Ross' record are just as great, if not greater than the fighters on Leonard's record.:good

 

It's my case that the opponents of Ross were better...and thus that puts him on a par with Leonard...The opponents of each are the determining factor of the thread title. Who of Leonard's opponents would have beaten a Tony Canzoneri? Kansas? Welch? Hamer? White?...Cannot really say, But I would say that from what I know about Canzoneri, he would be favored...Canzoneri v Tendler would be great...But I think Canzoneri is the superior fighter and would have outpointed Tendler. No doubt that great Benny Leonard was an ATG...but Barney Ross isn't far behind, and he proved it against arguably a tougher and a definitely heavier line up than Leonard did. I don't see any future middleweight champions in Leonard's record. Therefore due consideration should given given to a great fighter.

 

Fair statement...and one I agree to a point...and that would be to add that Ross showed the ability against those 'better opponents' that he would do more than belong with Benny Leonard...he would test him. The line up that Ross faced would have tested Leonard as well. Debates on this board are generally concluded and rightfully so on the level of opposition a fighter has faced...this case should be given that same consideration. Or else what everyone has been saying about such and such a fighter record and beating heavier opposition is bull****...IMO