Who ranks higher, Mayweather or Leonard?

My first take on this subject was Leonard by mile, but as one expert I spoke with made a case for Mayweather I began to think that it is actually very close.

Leonard fought on better era, didn't duck anyone and met several legends. Mayweather however has made the longer career and fought much more at championship level.

Leonard concentrated in fighting only the best while Mayweather has fought plenty of the best and also some lower-level contenders - this can be seen as an edge for either one depending on how you look at it.

Both have fought in numerous weight divisions. Leonard always looked for the biggest bouts after he left welterweight while Mayweather has spent longer time in his weight classes.

Leonard's style was much the more pleasing, Mayweather probably has even the better technique. They both are annoying primadonnas

So, which one ranks higher and is it close at all?

 

Leonard by a mile... I don't see any argument for Mayweather unless you are in the "Fighters have never been better" camp, in which case I could totally understand ranking Floyd as high or higher.

IMO, Put Leonard in with the fighters that Floyd has fought at 147 and above and he destroys them

Put Floyd in with SRL's top guys... He's losing, IMO

 

While this is obviously true, I think Mayweather peaked at super-featherweight. Back then when he was toying with the likes of Corrales and Manfredy he was on the level that Leonard was at 147 or very close to it. As a welterweight he is clearly worse

 

I rank Floyd among the 3 or 4 greatest 130 pounders of all time

However, toying with Corrales, while certainly impressive, does not compare favorably with beating Benitez, Hearns and Duran

 

leonard started his career 17lbs higher than mayweather jr did

 

Leonard, & it's NOT Even Close...

1st & Foremost, Leonard BEATS Floyd, Head to Head, 8 or 9 Times Out of 10...But even in Terms of Accomplishments, Leonard WINS...Leonard's wins Over Hearns & Hagler SHIT on Anything Floyd's EVER Done...& REED Didn't Even Mention Duran or Benitez...

Leonard was Every Bit as OPPORTUNISTIC as Floyd, but @ the End of the Day, he Fought Everybody he NEEDED to Fight...There's NOfuckingWAY Leonard Would've WILLINGLY Allowed a Fight like Floyd-Pacquiao to Slip Through his Fingers, for ANY Reason...

In Terms of RESUME, You're Hard Pressed to Find ANY Fighter that's Faced as Many QUALITY Guys, in the Relatively LIMITED Amount of Bouts that Leonard Had...He Fought 40 Times, to Be EXACT (36-3-1, 25 KO's), yet has a CLEARLY SUPERIOR Resume to that of Floyd (44-0, 26 KO's...

While REED has a HEALTHY Respect for "Back in the Day" Boxing, he's NOT Afraid to Speak Up & SUPPORT More CONTEMPORARY Fighters Either...If Floyd Mayweather Rightfully Ranked HIGHER than Ray Leonard, All Time, REED would have No Problem SAYING it...

Floyd DOESN'T...

REED:kidcool:

 

I was speaking in "P4P" terms... Corrales is a much lesser fighter than Hearns/Benitez/Duran/Hagler

 

Yeah, that Donnie Lalonde bout was huge. And Leonard did almost nothing BUT duck tough fights when he came back from the detached retina.

Hell, wasn't a fight with Aaron Pryor actually a done deal when Leonard had to "retire" due his detached retina?

For as much cherry picking as Maywether has done, he's been willing to fight anyone when compared to Leonard.

 

Is this a serious post?

 

Gayntry mile. ::

 

Sorry. After Leonard claimed titles in 2 weight classes for beating Donnie Lalonde, I swore to never take his side in ANY debate.

So, yeah, this is dead serious bitch.

 

Leonard's quality of opposition at Welterweight is unassailable, beyond reproach

 

And he lost the first mega fight of his career at that weight against a former Lightweight.

 

:: fair.

Still, you're full of baloney.

 

Yeah, pretty much.

 

He did more in a couple of years at 147 than McCallum did in 15 years in three different weight classes

 

Leonard fought Benitez, Duran x2, Kalule and Hearns over a span of 22 months.

 

You Say that as if it was just Any Ol' "Former Lightweight"...




REED::

 

worrd

I hate Ray Leonard, but that is a Murderer's Row of opponents if ever there was one... precious few can come up with anything that compares

 

This isn't about the greatest 154 pounder of All-Time. It's about a guy that retired to avoid fights and then came back when he thought he could line up easy fights.

Stay on topic and never mention McCallum in the same post with Leonard again. I know where you live. Well, the region anyway.

 

:: seriously, like he lost to Hilmer Kenty or Greg Haugen or John-John Molina or some shit like that

 

Who, Thomas Hearns?:aye:

 

No, but I hate the way people gloss over the loss. During the murder's row just mentioned, Leonard lost in the biggest fight of his career to that point.

 

Trplsec trolling, yo. :nono:

 

Now that made me chuckle.

 

INSANE...

That just MIGHT Be the Most IMPRESSIVE 22 Month Stretch in Boxing History....w/NO Traces of Exaggeration, Ray Leonard Did MORE, in LESS Fights than Practically Anybody who Ever Laced 'em Up...



REED:hammert:

 

Hearns comatosed Roberto Duran and 11-4'd Benitez with a broken right hand at 154

Better than any McCallum wins at the weight

 

One crucial point that must be made is that Leonard was fighting great fighters, but they were his own size. Floyd's competition is obviously far weaker, but all throughout his career he has fought guys who are often 3 divisions bigger than him on fight night.

 

Is that the same Duran that lost to Kirkland Laing at 154.

:atu:

 

Re:Mayweather being technically better than Leonard - imagine Ray fighting Gatti or Ortiz or Baldomir and fighting as cautiously as Floyd does.....how many punches would Ray take?