Why the love for Sugar Ray Leonard but not Floyd Mayweather?

Yeah but Ray's victory over his wife wasn't sanctioned by the WBC.:bart

 

Agreed, but nit picking his private life to the point of absurdity is also ignoring the history of many other great boxing champions. Singling Mayweather out says more about the "hater" than the "hated". Just my opinion.

 

Could not agree more !

 

Floyd would never have fought Duran in his second title defense of his first title. He never would have fought Duran toe to toe because he insulted him and risked losing. He would never have picked Hearns to fight. Ray picked tough fights because he had confidence. He gave people exciting fights and things to look forward to. Floyd has handpicked and avoided even mediocre challenges at welt. Ray picked the best. Even Ray's tuneup to win the 154 pound title was a tough fighter and champion Kalule. I don't see the comparison at all. Ray had heart.

 

My opinion of SRL would be much higher if he hadn't pulled all that **** which is why Duran is deservedly higher

 

I dont consider it all that outlandish. I kind of figured that out when one of the biggest old heads on here (or fan of classic boxing, I dont know his age) Nonito Smoak put him inside Top 25 comfortably. I've been in debates with him arguing Holyfield over Marciano. He wouldnt budge. :fire So naturally, I pegged him as one of the most stringient, stubborn mother****ers on here. So that was a shock. :yep

 

Duran should be higher because he beat other great fighters like Ray did, and he did not. He lost to the great fighters which Ray beat. Benitez,Hearns,Hagler. That is why Ray is considered so great. I never liked his Lalonde for 2 titles thing, which is my only real complaint of him and how he wanted Tommy to fight at 162 pounds because he felt Tommy would be weakened

 

resume -- nuff said!

 

The same goes for Ray's fight against Tommy. Ray was the media darling, and, as with Marvelous later on, the hardcore boxing fans were expecting Tommy to destroy him. The fact that Ray came out on top of both Tommy and Marvelous made him that something special that everyone remembers to this day.

 

All of these things are true, but he fought the best at their best (Hagler aside, then again neither was he at his best by that stage), that's what it comes down to. That's why he's held in higher esteem than Floyd. For all of his antics (and a lot of them were highly suspect), in the ring he proved himself against the best of the best in one of the best eras in boxing history.

 

Leonard when facing Hagler sweetened the deal, he took a lesser share and gaveup all ring conditions.
This was vs a middleweight monster much bigger than him.

Floyd wants pseudo OSDT, the bigger share, all ring conditions vs someone smaller than him where he is perceived the big favorite.

Leonard dared to be great, Floyd just wants to be rich.

 

Aside from all the resume stuff brought up by our posters, there's a big AZZ difference on how they present themselves. Leonard always played to the media and is comfortable with the establishment. Floyd doesn't give a **** and puts his middle finger in the air.

Leonard's objective was to be that popular guy. Floyd a G.

 

Floyd jr beat Corrales, and who else? Sugar had good & great fights vs. Duran, Hearns, Benitez, and Hagler in their prime. Floyd jr hasn't found a 35+ year old that he didn't want to fight. Mitchell, Judah,N'dou, Brusseles, Baldomir, a old DelaHoya, blown up Marquez don't cut it even at the present decline of boxing.

 

Er no. Sugar Ray was not universally loved I remember the Hagler and Hearns fight's when they were live on the tv and being ****ing gutted that Sugar Ray had beaten two of my favorite fighters. I am sure a lot of people rooted for him but I remember in England most of my mates and relatives thought the same as me. I mean he had an image but he never had the charm or self deprecation that I generally like and that other guys at the time had. That's why the British public loved Ali Because he could also be snide dick at times but he had a lot of charm and charisma which negated his more negative traits. Sugar Ray just came across as a dick.

Sugar seems more likeable now than when he was fighting, as a boxer one of the most complete fighters you will see but I still think Hagler beat him though.

 

Is it Floyd's fault that the amount of popular future hall-of-fame boxers doesn't even compare to when Sugar Ray was fighting during his time.