Best of the 1980s-

[The Balletic Bomber]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

[The Balletic Bomber]

Let’s not forget that Evander was a brilliant cruiserweight champ in the 1980’s.

[Ezzard]

Sanchez, Pedroza and Fenech could be on that list too.

[Ambling Alp II]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

That's a pretty good list.

[The Balletic Bomber]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

That's a pretty good list.

Thanks, Ambling! Let’s see yours.

[The Balletic Bomber]

Sanchez, Pedroza and Fenech could be on that list too.

Ezzard, I can’t believe I left Sanchez off. One of my favorite fighters. I would put him right after Larry Holmes.

[Ambling Alp II]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

That's a pretty good list.

Thanks, Ambling! Let’s see yours.

It is similar. Sanchez would probably have been higher had he lived longer. The Decade thing is always tricky. Guys who were at their best at end of one decade and the early part of the next always get the shaft. .ie. Wilfred Benitez. Still fun to do.

1. Leonard
2. M. Spinks
3. Hagler
4. Whitaker
5. Chavez
6. Holmes
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. Sanchez

[The Balletic Bomber]

That's a pretty good list.

Thanks, Ambling! Let’s see yours.

It is similar. Sanchez would probably have been higher had he lived longer. The Decade thing is always tricky. Guys who were at their best at end of one decade and the early part of the next always get the shaft. .ie. Wilfred Benitez. Still fun to do.

1. Leonard
2. M. Spinks
3. Hagler
4. Whitaker
5. Chavez
6. Holmes
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. Sanchez

Yes, your is pretty close. But I would change my list to
To put Sanchez to no. 6 and move Spinks down to 7.

[elmersalsa]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

My top 10 of the 1980s decade:
1. Sugar Ray Leonard
2. Marvelous Marvin Hagler
3. Salvador Sanchez
4. Julio Cesar Chavez
5. Mike Tyson
6. Thomas Hearns
7. Larry Holmes
8. Michael Spinks
9. Azumah Nelson
10. Roberto Duran

[The Balletic Bomber]

Best of this decade-

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Whitaker
4. Chavez
5. Holmes
6. M Spinks
7. Hearns
8. Pryor
9. Holyfield
10. Tyson
11. Arguello
12. Gomez
13. Qawi
14. A Nelson
15. McCallum

My top 10 of the 1980s decade:
1. Sugar Ray Leonard
2. Marvelous Marvin Hagler
3. Salvador Sanchez
4. Julio Cesar Chavez
5. Mike Tyson
6. Thomas Hearns
7. Larry Holmes
8. Michael Spinks
9. Azumah Nelson
10. Roberto Duran

Good list, but I would think Pernell Whitaker at lightweight was better than Mike Tyson—Mark

[tiny_acres]

Leonards record in the 80's was 10-1-1 with impressive wins over Duran in the rematch, a come from behind win against Hearns and a close call with Hagler.
But he had a loss to Duran and a draw with Tommy.
Mostly on again off again career in the 80's.
4 of those wins were against so so competition in Green, Bonds, Finch and Howard.

Not trying to take anything away from Leonard but was that enough to be the fighter of the decade???

[The Balletic Bomber]

Leonards record in the 80's was 10-1-1 with impressive wins over Duran in the rematch, a come from behind win against Hearns and a close call with Hagler.
But he had a loss to Duran and a draw with Tommy.
Mostly on again off again career in the 80's.
4 of those wins were against so so competition in Green, Bonds, Finch and Howard.

Not trying to take anything away from Leonard but was that enough to be the fighter of the decade???

Yes, because he was the decade’s best fighter.

[tiny_acres]

Leonards record in the 80's was 10-1-1 with impressive wins over Duran in the rematch, a come from behind win against Hearns and a close call with Hagler.
But he had a loss to Duran and a draw with Tommy.
Mostly on again off again career in the 80's.
4 of those wins were against so so competition in Green, Bonds, Finch and Howard.

Not trying to take anything away from Leonard but was that enough to be the fighter of the decade???

Yes, because he was the decade’s best fighter.

Has there been another fighter in history with only 12 fights in a decade that would of been the fighter of the decade?

[elmersalsa]

Nope. But, Sugar Ray beat a fading Marvelous Marvin Hagler to prove who was the decade's best. The 80s was the beginning of the big fights in PPV and close circuit telecasts.

That's why I don't regard Leonard a top 10 ATG pound per pound fighter because of big inactivity rate. He only had 40 fights. When other great fighters have at least 60+ fights and many years in their resume.

I have him top 20, though. At #18...I think that that's the best we can do for him if we rate him objectively.

How can a fighter with only 40 fights can be better than the great Archie Moore for example?

[The Balletic Bomber]

Also, Sugar Ray Leonard was named Fighter of the Decade by The Ring magazine and KO magazine.

[The Balletic Bomber]

Nope. But, Sugar Ray beat a fading Marvelous Marvin Hagler to prove who was the decade's best. The 80s was the beginning of the big fights in PPV and close circuit telecasts.

That's why I don't regard Leonard a top 10 ATG pound per pound fighter because of big inactivity rate. He only had 40 fights. When other great fighters have at least 60+ fights and many years in their resume.

I have him top 20, though. At #18...I think that sonars that's the best we can do for him if we rate him objectively.

How can a fighter with only 40 fights can be better than the great Archie Moore for example?

Elmersalsa, why do you rank Roberto Duran over Harry Greb when Duran had 119 fights and Greb had 299? That’s 180 more fights. See, Sugar Ray Leonard is my guy. I know that Duran is your guy. I stand up for Leonard. I saw how you stood up for Duran in the Best of the 70s thread. Elmersalsa, have a beautiful day or evening my friend!—Mark

[The Balletic Bomber]

Nope. But, Sugar Ray beat a fading Marvelous Marvin Hagler to prove who was the decade's best. The 80s was the beginning of the big fights in PPV and close circuit telecasts.

I have him top 20, though. At #18...

Sugar Ray Leonard should be in everyone’s top 20. I have him in the top 10 at no. 8.

[The Balletic Bomber]

Leonards record in the 80's was 10-1-1 with impressive wins over Duran in the rematch, a come from behind win against Hearns and a close call with Hagler.
But he had a loss to Duran and a draw with Tommy.
Mostly on again off again career in the 80's.
4 of those wins were against so so competition in Green, Bonds, Finch and Howard.

Not trying to take anything away from Leonard but was that enough to be the fighter of the decade???

Yes, because he was the decade’s best fighter.

Has there been another fighter in history with only 12 fights in a decade that would of been the fighter of the decade?

Had there been multimillion dollar non-heavyweight mega fights before Leonard came along? Leonard was boxing’s biggest box office draw and television attraction. He defeated Hagler, Hearns, and Duran. And Benitez just before the 80’s began. He was clearly the 80s best fighter and its most important fighter.
And one of the greatest pugilists of all time.

[tiny_acres]

Yes, because he was the decade’s best fighter.

Has there been another fighter in history with only 12 fights in a decade that would of been the fighter of the decade?

Had there been multimillion dollar non-heavyweight mega fights before Leonard came along? Leonard was boxing’s biggest box office draw and television attraction. He defeated Hagler, Hearns, and Duran. And Benitez just before the 80’s began. He was clearly the 80s best fighter and its most important fighter.
And one of the greatest pugilists of all time.

No one is arguing Leonard is not an all time great.
I'm asking a question for all that say longevity matters. Is 12 fights and 10-1-1 record enough to win fighter of the decade.
Just a question for the numbers matter arguments

[The Balletic Bomber]

Has there been another fighter in history with only 12 fights in a decade that would of been the fighter of the decade?

Had there been multimillion dollar non-heavyweight mega fights before Leonard came along? Leonard was boxing’s biggest box office draw and television attraction. He defeated Hagler, Hearns, and Duran.

No one is arguing Leonard is not an all time great.
I'm asking a question for all that say longevity matters. Is 12 fights and 10-1-1 record enough to win fighter of the decade.
Just a question for the numbers matter arguments

tiny_acres, I agree with you that longevity is an important factor, but to me greatness is even more important. Also, despite his limited number of fights during the decade, I’m making the argument that he was the one that had the most impact of any boxer of the decade. Ordinarily I would agree that a fighter would have needed to have been more active than Leonard, but when you look at the quality of the fighters he defeated, I feel we need to make an exception.

[The Balletic Bomber]

tiny_acres, I suppose I am as passionate about Leonard as elmersalsa is about Duran. You may have seen how elmer came out swinging on the ”best of the 70s” and “Duran: The best I Faced” threads when he felt someone diminished Duran. You posed a good question about longevity. But there can be exceptions to every rule.

[elmersalsa]

Yesterday was Sugar Ray's birthday. Happy 66th, Sugar Ray!

[tiny_acres]

Yesterday was Sugar Ray's birthday. Happy 66th, Sugar Ray!

Damn it seems like yesterday that he won his first belt
Seeing your heroes age makes you feel old

[The Balletic Bomber]

Yesterday was Sugar Ray's birthday. Happy 66th, Sugar Ray!

Damn it seems like yesterday that he won his first belt
Seeing your heroes age makes you feel old

Yes indeed!

[The Balletic Bomber]

Yesterday was Sugar Ray's birthday. Happy 66th, Sugar Ray!

Happy Birthday To the Balletic Bomber! That was what a boxing writer called Leonard many years ago, I adopted it as a username here.—Mark