Sugar Ray Leonard thinks Roberto Duran would beat Floyd Mayweather if they fought in their prime. The boxing legend shared his opinion in a recent chat with Box Hub TV.
Leonard's view carries weight. He fought iconic battles with Duran at welterweight, the same division where Mayweather later dominated. Both Duran and Mayweather were champions at 147 pounds, but in different eras.
Duran's career peaked in the 1980s. He won world titles in four weight classes from lightweight to middleweight. Mayweather, known as 'Money', conquered five divisions from super-featherweight to light middleweight before retiring in 2017 after beating Conor McGregor.
Leonard didn't hold back when asked about these hypothetical matchups. He said to Box Hub TV:
"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."
The "four of us" Leonard mentioned refers to the 'Four Kings' - himself, Duran, 'Marvellous' Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns. These legendary fighters rose to super-stardom during the golden era of the 80's, creating some of boxing's most memorable moments.
Leonard didn't dismiss Mayweather's skills entirely. He added:
"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 abilities and understanding of a fighter's mentality. Every boxer must believe they can beat anyone to succeed at the highest level.
Mayweather's record speaks for itself. He retired undefeated with wins over greats like Manny Pacquiao and 'Sugar' Shane Mosley. But Leonard's opinion suggests the 'Four Kings' era might have been a tougher test for 'Money' Mayweather.
These discussions about cross-era matchups always spark debate among boxing fans. They're fun to think about, even if we'll never know for sure how they'd play out.
