Okay Mayweather lovers, can you all do me this favor?

Question

Since there are some people on here crazy enough to believe that Floyd Mayweather jr. could've beaten Sugar Ray Leonard, let's match them against each others top welterweight opponents. Who would win these fights?

Mayweather vs. Roberto Duran
Mayweather vs. Wilfred Benitez
Mayweather vs. Thomas Hearns

Leonard vs. Zab Judah
Leonard vs. Carlos Baldomir
Leonard vs. Sharmba Mitchell

Please pick the winner of each of these fights.
And please try to keep a straight face when picking the Leonard fights, Thanks.

pedritor, predritor, either you are a member of the Mayweather family or you lack some serious boxing knowledge. No way on this planet does Mayweather beat Ray Leonard! Sure, Ray lost, but that will happen when you fight other great champions, you run the risk of losing! So should his Ray's win over Hearns be diminished because he had to come from behind? And don't forget, he turned the feared, undefeated knockout artist Hearns into a boxer/jabber/runner after almost knocking him out in both rounds 6 & 7. That's why he had to come from behind cause he had to chase Tommy the rest of the night! You really think Mayweather would have beaten Hearns, Duran, and Benitez? Are you on medication? Who has Floyd beaten to make you even dream this? I'll give Floyd the Diego Corrales fight, he looked impressive against a good, but not great fighter. But regardless of what you may say, everyone KNOWS he lost the 1st Castillo fight! And who else has he beaten that would come close to being great?

pedritor, to continue this topic, name me one great fighter that Floyd has beaten! Castillo? good, but hardly great. Gatti? C'mon! Baldomir? please! Manfredy? No way! And you bring up Leonard's losses to Norris and Camacho as if he lost to them in 1981. Ray was way past his prime when he fought both guys. Should we be hard on Ali and say he wasn't great and diminish his career because he lost to Trevor Berbick? The answer would be NO! He was at the end of his career. Ray at his peak would have slaughtered Norris and Camacho. Listen, everyone on here is entitled to their opinion, but read some of the answers from the excellent boxing experts on here like Santana, Smitty, Pancho, Brad, bludevil and a lot of other guys who really know boxing inside out and you will really learn a whole lot because you have to be lacking knowledge if you think Mayweather would beat Ray Leonard at his peak, or you're drunk! So don't drink and type!

nypokerp, you say Mayweather would push the action against Leonard because Leonard is always moving back. Riiiiiiiight! When you get a chance, please come back to our planet!

Answer 1

Lovely Lady - Will you marry me? Your boxing knowledge is great!

Being serious on to the match ups.
Pretty Boy vs. Hands of Stone - Floyd wouldn't be pretty after this fight. Duran pulls a Davey Moore flashback and tortures Pretty Boy KO round 7.

Pretty Boy vs. The Bible of Boxing - I hate to say this but this would be a tactical fight with both fighters looking for the other to lead so they could counter. Wilfred albeit a ring genius would eke out a split decision win in a slow paced fight. Both men are hesitant to press the action.

Pretty Boy vs. The Motor City Cobra - Hearns pressed the action at the opening bell, overwhelms Floyd and KO's the bicycling Mayweather in round 5.

Leonard gives all three of these men a boxing lesson. TKO's Judah in round 8. Baldomir doesn't win a round, but I'll give him credit for having a good chin. Leonard by UD as he gives Carlos a beating. MItchell tastes the canvas in a Dave"Boy" Green replay. KO round 4.

Floyd is not in the same stratosphere as Leonard.

Answer 2

Your spot on with this question Lovely Lady Vette, Mayweather gets knocked out by Hearns and Duran, he takes Benitez to points but still loses. Leonard absolutely schools all three of those opponents probably stopping all three at some point if he wanted to do so, if he couldnt be bothered to go for the stoppage and have an easy night the points on the scorecards would be that embarrassing that none of the opponents would ever get back in the ring.

Leonard fought the best around in an era where some of the best were around, Mayweather fights against the people that he either knows he can beat or are 5 years past their prime, for people to compare the two is a joke, i dont think many people will remember Floyd for to long after he finishs boxing, the only thing i will remember him for is being annoying.

Answer 3

I respect Floyd as a very talented fighter, but as i stated in another answer, he's not in the same class as Ray, and i know that Ray would've beaten him. Floyd is a very good fighter with exceptional skills, but Sugar was an all time great who fought and beat some of the best ever and you just can't compare the two. Especially since Floyd has not beaten all the big names in his division yet. Floyd has beaten some good fighters, but none anywhere near the caliber of Ray's opponents. If Floyd beats Oscar in May, then fights and beats Mosley, Cotto, Hatton, and Margarito, then he stands a better chance of being on the level of a Ray Leonard. It still wouldn't guarantee it though. But, to pick the fights that you selected, i think Duran stops Floyd in 10, Benitez beats him in a close decision, Hearns stops him in 7, too big and too much power for Floyd. Leonard would demolish Mitchell in 2, stop a tough Baldomir in 6, and stop Judah in 5.

Answer 4

Lovely Lady Vette ~

Not a good day to be Floyd. Duran would punish him in the fashion he punished De Jesus, then Duran would either slap or spit on Floyd's uncle Roger. In my opinion, Roberto would make this fight go a few rounds longer than need be. Duran would stop Mayweather inside of 8 rounds.

Wilfred Benitez would counter Floyd all night long. This fight would be technical for the first 2 maybe 3 rounds than Floyd would be just totally out of the game. Wilfred unanimous decision.


Tommy Hearns blows Floyd out of the water in less time than anyone. Tommy stops Floyd in 3 rounds that's as long as would take before Tommy's jab and long right hand bust up Floyd. Floyd's just too small to handle Tommy and I believe Floyd's chin is suspect.

Leonard stops Judah in 4. Leonard stops Baldomir in 6. Leonard stops Mitchell in 3. Leonard was leaps and bounds better than any of these fighters, not only did he possess the speed but the power to separate himself well beyond this crop.

Thanks for the question LLV.

Answer 5

Another nostalgic hanger on. Listen, I watched all these guys fight and although Leonard may have faced better competition dont forget that he lost to Duran, was losing to Tommy before he came back to KO him (Tommy was a freakish 145lb and 6'1) and was very close with Benitez too.
My second point is that what makes you think Floyd would just stand there and wait for these guys to hit him? The guys today and the guys back then would not have been able to touch him. Remember Pernell Whitaker? Willie Pep? Not big guys but they were VERY difficult to hit. Well Floyd is like that only bigger and with better combinations. There is a reason he was an amateur standout and undefeated professional. I think Floyd would have beaten all three as would Ray. They were both the best of their eras. The guys who gave Ray the most trouble were boxers (Hearns when he boxed, Duran when he boxed and stood his ground, and Benitez. Later in his career he lost to Hearns (draw), Norris, and Camacho. ALL boxers (in Hearns and Durans case boxers who could also punch). And for the record, Castillo did not beat Mayweather in the first fight dont kid yourself. HBO has called many fights wrong and if youre one of those fans who goes by whatever they say then you unfortunately dont know enough about what goes on behind the scenes to know that it happens more often than they'd like to admit.

Answer 6

1. Mayweather by unanimous decsion - he would be way to fast for duran and his stamina is unheard of.

2. Mayweather

3. Hearns - this would be a tough one to call. Tommy could hit mayweather. Might even be able to KO him.

Leonard would have beaten all 3 Judah, baldomir, and mitchell. I think if lleonard fought mayweather it would be a good matchup, but I have to give the edge to mayweather. I think he would push the action more, and sugar ray was always moving back. That would be the difference.

Answer 7

Duran, Benitez, Hearns


Leonard Leonard Leonard

Answer 8

Vette, I think you really have a knowledgeable analysis here. Floyd is too skilled for Manny. He is far more skilled than Cotto or Hatton. Your points about the left hook and the straight right were very astute. What you can add to this is that Floyd is a fast defensive genius who wont be as easily hit as Cotto and Hatton were (both paying very little attention to defense and being slow). Another thing that bring Manny Pacquiao trouble is great boxer/ counterpunchers (ex: Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez)...what will he do against the best counterpuncher/ boxer of our time. Manny's style is tailor made for Floyd. His punches are often wild and wide and he is very aggressive. Floyd has fought many guys who said, "I will put pressure on him like no one else has." The approach favors Floyd because that fighter doesn't understand how intelligent Floyd is and how he lays traps and Manny will walk into something. Lastly, Floyd's speed will equalize Manny's speed advantage that he usually has over all his opponents. Speed kills but what do you do when your opponent is as fast as you? I think Floyd will fight reserved and not get a KO...but I think he will win this fight like 9 rounds to 3...UD.

Answer 9

Duran
Mayweather
Hearns

Leonard for all the three fights.

Mayweather is a great fighter but great among the current breed. Historically he will not seen as an alltime great such as Leonard, Duran and Hearns. (This is my opinion)

Answer 10

U MADE A POINT WITH YOUR DREAM BOUTS. MAYWEATHER LOSES ALL THREE. FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, BY THE TIME HE RETIRES WE MAY SEE THAT FLOYD COULD NOT BE KO'ED AND THAT HE MULTIPLE TITLES HIS WAY TO GREATNESS.

LEONARD WINS ALL THREE OF THESE FIGHTS BY KO.