Floyd Mayweather Jnr V Sugar Ray Lenoard @ Welterweight

[FLINT ISLAND]

This is it - the ultimate Welterweight showdown between the 2 best Welterweights of modern times.


Who wins and how ?

[Chris W 1982]

Leonard and easy.

Just simply better.

I think Tommy Hearns would wipe Mayweather out at welterweight too.

[tonyevs]

leonard stoppage win here too.

I just think Goldenboy are now over selling Maywethers win a tad too much. Pacman still remains a very serious threat to Mayweather.

[FLINT ISLAND]

I agree

Lenoard by late stoppage - espcially if it was a 15 rounder.

But it seems now alot of people are just talking about Mayweather as if there has never been anyone near as good.

[black panther]

Mayweather is a bit undersized at welterweight. His best weight is probably lightwelter. Having said that, in Leonard's day the weigh-ins were the day of the fight so they're about the same size I guess. Leonard had that something that Mayweather doesn't. That x-factor. I just can't imagine a Mayweather going all out for the stoppage in the final rounds, leaving himself exposed the way Leonard did against Hearns or taking a risky a fight as the one with Hagler. But its tough to compare boxers of different eras. I'd love to see a Williams - Mayweather fight. Could be a modern Leonard-Hearns and the size differential would make it interesting to see how Mayweather copes.

[MrBoxingUK2]

i think mayweather is the greatest ww ever, he is just that good and can adapt to anybody's style

[DIRT SUGAR]

Leonard would've taken him to the cleaners.

[n1ebf]

i think Leonard would tear him a new one and take him out. Too clever and super speed. I also agree with the poster that said Hearns would take him out too.

[Syntax Error]

Leonard can do everything that FMJ can do, plus he is bigger, stronger & is blessed with some of the finest footwork in boxing history, plus he can turn slugger if necessary.

Leonard on points.

[Deno1986]

At welterweight and over 12 rounds, I think Mayweather knicks a decision. I really think Mayweather could have neutralised Leonards speed. People say Leonard was a clever boxer but the Pretty Boy isn't exactly a dunce in the ring. Over 15 rounds, although Floyd would have had the conditioning to go the distance, I think Leonard gets the decision. At any weight higher than 147, Leonard owns Mayweather

There is always a certain amount of romanticism when trying to compare fighters of the current day and the past and often, current day fighters always come out second. If we were comparing Leonard and Robinson, no doubt people would be picking Robinson to win. It's just to hard to predict the outcome of fights between fighters of today and yesteryear.

[DIRT SUGAR]

No he couldn't. Leonard was quicker of feet and hands and would've just taking him out of his comfort zone and beaten the resistance out of him in about nine rounds.

And a Hearns' right hand over the the top wouldn't have just buckled Mayweather's legs, he'd have gone down and not got up.

[puelb]

Mayweather by decision.

[boxerbob]

leonard by close decision

hearns would maybe knock mayweather out , just too big and had that massive reach and right hand

[tonyevs]

People over look Leonards punch

And for Floyd to convince me of his total dominance .. he has to beat Paul Williams at welter more the Pacman

Both Pacman and Mayweather have been over sold at welterweight built on fighting guys either a good few years past their best .. or a few years past their best and starved into a weight they no longer belonged in.

[Loynesy]

No he couldn't. Leonard was quicker of feet and hands and would've just taking him out of his comfort zone and beaten the resistance out of him in about nine rounds.

And a Hearns' right hand over the the top wouldn't have just buckled Mayweather's legs, he'd have gone down and not got up.

Dirt - Whilst I completely agree that SRL has much better foot movement than Floyd, I don't believe his hands are faster - a better "pop jab" yes, but Floyd's counter punching is much crisper. Hence the fight being a pick 'em.

And though I also agree that the second round punch from Shane, had it been thrown by Hearns, would have been lights out, but he didn't throw it so its kind of irrelevant.

I tend to base my opinions on fighters on what I've seen in actual live action - I've seen Mayweather fight Hatton and ODLH (and in a few Vegas early career undercard fights), but I may need to revise that based on last night - the way Floyd read his opponent was really, really great stuff.

Loynesy

[Bomber 1]

Mayweather.. As good as Leonard was he needed men to come at him!! That's when he was at his best.. Fights against Benitiez proved this for me..

Hearns is a tough one as the styles don't gel and I fear Floyd might get caught??

[FLINT ISLAND]

Lenoard would be doing bolo punches - really showboating - showing Floyd how its done.

[Loynesy]

aha - a Troll. bless you and your minimum wage job Flint.

[NazNaci1]

Leonard on points, fairly clearly or even a possible stoppage.

All that shoulder rollin', one punch at a time stuff will never be enough to hold Ray.

Ray could bang when he wanted to, match him for speed and had better 'legs'. Also Ray used to punch in combination, firing a blaze of shots, which Mayweather may avoid the 1st one or 2, but not the 3rd or 4th.

I think Ray would intimidate Mayweather and force him into a shell, pound his body hard.

Ray simply, punched harder, punched in combination, was aggressive when he needed to be and could match anything Mayweather did. Like I say, throwing 1 punch at a time may be enough to deal with the likes of a Marquez or an older Mosley, but a peak Ray Leonard? No chance.

As for Hearns? Longer reach, easily matches him for speed and tremendous power to boot. Either Mayweather fights at range or tries to be the aggresor, either way he would get get out-jabbed, forced to reach and that right will connect at some point.



Now if that was a peak Hitman landing that, what would happen?

[Deno1986]

People over look Leonards punch

And for Floyd to convince me of his total dominance .. he has to beat Paul Williams at welter more the Pacman

Both Pacman and Mayweather have been over sold at welterweight built on fighting guys either a good few years past their best .. or a few years past their best and starved into a weight they no longer belonged in.

I'm not convinced Williams can make 147 anymore, Tony. I think 154 is his natural weight now. As tricky as Williams is, I don't think he beats Floyd at 147. A 31 year old Carlos Quintana was able to outbox him so I'm sure Mayweather would be able to devise a plan to do so also.

[Loynesy]

Leonard on points, fairly clearly or even a possible stoppage.

All that shoulder rollin', one punch at a time stuff will never be enough to hold Ray.

Ray could bang when he wanted to, match him for speed and had better 'legs'. Also Ray used to punch in combination, firing a blaze of shots, which Mayweather may avoid the 1st one or 2, but not the 3rd or 4th.

I think Ray would intimidate Mayweather and force him into a shell, pound his body hard.

Ray simply, punched harder, punched in combination, was aggressive when he needed to be and could match anything Mayweather did. Like I say, throwing 1 punch at a time may be enough to deal with the likes of a Marquez or an older Mosley, but a peak Ray Leonard? No chance.

As for Hearns? Longer reach, easily matches him for speed and tremendous power to boot. Either Mayweather fights at range or tries to be the aggresor, either way he would get get out-jabbed, forced to reach and that right will connect at some point.



Now if that was a peak Hitman landing that, what would happen?

Bengul - I'm not trying to be a tw-t (but I am in the office on a Bank Holiday Monday, so am certainly grumpy), but, with respect - your comment about Floyd being tagged by punch 3 or 4 of a combo is idiotic. The whole nature of a punch combo is that each one hits your opponent...

[FLINT ISLAND]

A guy who use to train at the shed behind my back garden came ever so close to a fight with Sugar Ray Lenoard.

He was mandtoary challenger for Lenoards WBC World Welterweight title.

But Lenoard decided to retire before the fight could happen.

I think Lenoard had a eye injury - detached retina or something.

[NazNaci1]

Bengul - I'm not trying to be a tw-t (but I am in the office on a Bank Holiday Monday, so am certainly grumpy), but, with respect - your comment about Floyd being tagged by punch 3 or 4 of a combo is idiotic. The whole nature of a punch combo is that each one hits your opponent...

Not sure whats idiotic about throwing a combo, with the knowledge that some might not land or be blocked while some might get through? The whole point of a combination is to try to land something, maybe not all of it. Something which Mayweather NEVER does or has experienced and something which Sugar Ray EXCELLED at. Working on a Bank Holiday sux though, so you got my sympathy

[hurlock]

Leonard and easy.

Just simply better.

I think Tommy Hearns would wipe Mayweather out at welterweight too.

i dont think mayweather would be easy ever. i'd see this fight with mayweather forced into a shell & forced to survive finishing with lumps over 12.

[Loynesy]

Bengul - I'm not trying to be a tw-t (but I am in the office on a Bank Holiday Monday, so am certainly grumpy), but, with respect - your comment about Floyd being tagged by punch 3 or 4 of a combo is idiotic. The whole nature of a punch combo is that each one hits your opponent...

Not sure whats idiotic about throwing a combo, with the knowledge that some might not land or be blocked while some might get through? The whole point of a combination is to try to land something, maybe not all of it. Something which Mayweather NEVER does or has experienced and something which Sugar Ray EXCELLED at. Working on a Bank Holiday sux though, so you got my sympathy

Bengul - apologies for the idiot comment.

That said, I just don't see how the fact that Leonard throws punches in clusters is the way to stop Mayweather, particularly how the last couple of a combination get through when the first didn't - i cant think of a single occasion in high-end fights where that has happened - other of course when someone is backed up, taking a pounding and knackered. If anything, you need to throw a single fast lead to nullify the counterpunch.

We can debate on-line as much as we like - at the very least Mayweather has earned the right to be mentioned in the same sentence as the Leonard, Whitaker, Hearns, Robinson etc - sub 160 he is easily the best since Leonard.

Loynesy