Is Sugar Ray Leonard best pound for pound fighter since 1980

[victor-romeo]

If he is not who is better and where does Leonard fit into your pound for pound ratings?

[tommo100]

i would say he is,mainly due to the fact he actually had everything in his repetoire,a complete boxer,fighter,slugger or dancer,he could do everything,forget the norris mismatch he was finished by then
i was never to impressed with his attitude though and disliked him for avoiding hagler until he spotted marvelous struggle with mugabi,a prime hagler might just have had to much intensity for him,he would`nt have been able to run away from marvelous as he did with duran and he certainly would`nt be trading with him,hence the conditions he specified when he finally did fight him

[dan28uk]

its a tough one you got mayweather,jones jr,chavez,whitaker,de la hoya,hopkins take your pick but its tough to choose and i'd say mayweather.

[tommo100]

in the similar weight category sweet pea,chavez and leonard would have beaten mayweather
chavez would just simply hunt him down and plough through him
leonard too quick and strong
sweet pea was always busier than floyd and even better defense wise,he did`nt need to wait for the other man to run out of ideas

[victor-romeo]

i would say he is,mainly due to the fact he actually had everything in his repetoire,a complete boxer,fighter,slugger or dancer,he could do everything,forget the norris mismatch he was finished by then
i was never to impressed with his attitude though and disliked him for avoiding hagler until he spotted marvelous struggle with mugabi,a prime hagler might just have had to much intensity for him,he would`nt have been able to run away from marvelous as he did with duran and he certainly would`nt be trading with him,hence the conditions he specified when he finally did fight him

You know your stuff man, I agree with you on Hagler, he waited for Hagler to slip before fighting him.. and I don't even agree with the decision in it's final essence with one judge scoring it way off but thats a whole another can of worms and maybe he avoided pryor? but anyways, but all that aside the guy was an awesome fighter who did beat hagler, and hearns first time around..I put this post up because i watched the first 2 rounds of him against benietez the other day and I got a new appreciation for how great a fighter he was..

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think so, Whitaker is the closest to him and Hearns not far behind. But Ray edges them both for me and I have him somewhere between 11-15.

Without quoting the post, I don't see Chavez beating mayweather at any weight.

[tommo100]

do you not think chavez would catch up with floyd after looking a bit silly for 5 rounds,he was very bulldog like and floyd only weakness is his dislike being taken out of his comfort zone with fighters in the chavez style,he struggled against castillo and initialy against hatton,two fighters who ar`nt fit to lace chavez gloves really

[Goodnight, Irene]

I'm confused by the title of the thread.

Are we talking about accomplishments from 1980 and forward? If so, I think that Hearns, Leonard & Whitaker are almost even. Very close between those three, and if forced to say who I might lean towards I would say Hearns based on his ability to ascend up in weight with big wins at : 147, 154, 160, 168 (that is if you believe he deserved the W in the rematch against Leonard) & 175.

It's unfortunate with Hearns, if only he were a little smarter he could have been remembered as one of the absolute greats of all-time (where as now he's probably somewhere in the top 30-50 - depending on your criteria and outlook).

I think it means his whole career, matched against all comers since 1980. I think.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I don't think it would be easy for mayweather, but Chavez would find Floyd to be very strong on the inside. That's something underrated about floyd. I see something like Mayweather winning the first three or four and then they fight fairly evenly from there.

As for Castillo not being fit to lace Julio's boots, I totally disagree with that. I think a fight between them would be a war.

[Borinken25]

To answer the thread I think Leonard is the best since the 1980. I don't think Mayweather is in that category yet. I don't see Mayweather beating Leonard, Hearns, or Duran. Maywather vs Whitaker and Benitez are 50/50 for me. I might even give a slight edge to Whitaker vs Mayweather but very close. I only see Mayweather defeating Chavez out that group. How do you guys think that Mayweather would have done vs Hagler? I don't see him winning either.

As for Mayweather vs Chavez I pick Mayweather to beat Chavez. People always bringing JC Castillo as measuring stick. But what about Chavez vs Whitaker? Whitaker totally school Chavez in that fight.
Mayweather is smarter than Chavez in the ring and will not fall for Chavez traps. Just like Whitaker did. Chavez would have a hard time trying to make Mayweather stand there and fight. Mayweather would simply outbox Chavez.

[Giancarlo]

Can't wait for Crazy Old Elmo to chime in with some inarticulate nonsense.

[flatnoseflynn]

No way. Leonard is way over rated by people!

[scallum]

In p4p I don't think srl could beat Roy but I think he beats most of the others

[dempseyfire]

He would be my top lb for lb since 1980. Mayweather? Puhleeeze . .he's not even in my top 5 post 1980 (I'd have Leonard, Hearns, Whitaker, Jones Jr, and Pacquao ahead of him)

[The End]

He sure is, without a doubt for me.

[scallum]

You guy think SRL could beat Roy in a p4p fight.?

[Ezzard]

I'd say Leonard would be top. Pac is close or maybe ahead...

Leonard
Pac
Whittaker
Chavez
Hearns
Holyfield

[Syntax Error]

I'm confused by the title of the thread.

Are we talking about accomplishments from 1980 and forward? If so, I think that Hearns, Leonard & Whitaker are almost even. Very close between those three, and if forced to say who I might lean towards I would say Hearns based on his ability to ascend up in weight with big wins at : 147, 154, 160, 168 (that is if you believe he deserved the W in the rematch against Leonard) & 175.

It's unfortunate with Hearns, if only he were a little smarter he could have been remembered as one of the absolute greats of all-time (where as now he's probably somewhere in the top 30-50 - depending on your criteria and outlook).

I've always said that Tommy Hearns was a bit of stamina & ring smarts short of being the greatest fighter that ever lived.

If he had stamina & ring smarts like Leonard for example, it's doubtful he would have lost a fight in his prime.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I'd say Leonard would be top. Pac is close or maybe ahead...

Leonard
Pac
Whittaker
Chavez
Hearns
Holyfield

Pac over Whitaker and Chavez over Hearns? I can't see any justification for those two.

[Syntax Error]

You guy think SRL could beat Roy in a p4p fight.?

P4P, I would say so.

SRL is just as fast, but is the better technician & is more prepared to take a gamble in order to win.

[Techno89]

Yes I would say he is.

[elmersalsa]

Technically sound, since 1980, I pick the great Sugar Ray Leonard. A complete fighter and probably one of the top 5 greatest fighters that I have seen in my lifetime watching boxing. A phenomenal fighter when it comes to skills

Awards and accomplishments, since 1980, I pick the great Manny Pacquiao. Eight world titles in 8 different weight classes. Four of those crowns beating the lineal champion at the time. A phenomenal fighter.

[BoxBuzz]

Whitaker at his peak. No one since 1980 can touch him. Not even SRL. IMHO.

SRL just managed to keep his head on straighter, and parlay the skills he possessed in a more effective/successful manner.

So if you want to tip it his way for that, I can understand the reasoning.

But pure ability? It's Sweet Pea.

[Crease]

If we are talking about boxing ability then the likes of:
Leonard, Whitaker, Pacquaio and Mayweather come to mind (suppose you could maybe throw Bernard Hopkins in there as well)

But in terms of accomplishment, no-one gets past Pacquaio.

[Datsue]

I'd say Leonard would be top. Pac is close or maybe ahead...

Leonard
Pac
Whittaker
Chavez
Hearns
Holyfield

Nice list.