Leonard, a five-weight world champion who fought from 1977 to 1997, was part of the iconic 'Four Kings' alongside Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns. These fighters are known for their epic battles with one another and are considered some of the greatest boxers of all time.
Mayweather, who retired with a perfect 50-0 record, is also viewed as one of the best ever. He won world titles in five weight classes and beat notable opponents like Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, and Oscar De La Hoya during his career from 1996 to 2017.
Leonard gave his take to Boxing Hub TV on how Mayweather would fare against the 'Four Kings':
"Mayweather can compete with the four of us in our era, but a bit more fire would come his way. Could he beat me? No. Could he beat Tommy? I don't think so. Could he beat Hagler? No. Could he beat Duran? No."
While Leonard believes Mayweather could compete in their era, he thinks the undefeated champion would face tougher, more aggressive opposition. Leonard predicted losses for Mayweather against all four of the legendary fighters.
Leonard also shared his perspective on fighters' mentality:
"With that being said and all due respect to Mayweather who was an incredible technician, if you ask him he would say the same thing that he could beat us and beat our guys in my era. Fighters say that and believe that. Fighters believe they can beat anyone, and if you don't say you can beat anyone, you're not a fighter."
This statement shows Leonard's respect for Mayweather's skills while acknowledging the self-belief that drives all great fighters. The article mentioned that Mayweather's father had an opinion on the matter, but didn't provide details.
Debates about how fighters from different eras would match up continue to spark interest among boxing fans. While we'll never know for sure how these hypothetical matchups would play out, they keep the legacy of great fighters alive and fuel discussions about boxing history.