“He (Crawford) reminds me of “Sugar” Ray Leonard. That to me is a great, great compliment because I always thought Leonard was the best, and this guy is equal, or better than Ray,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum.
When this writer thinks of “Sugar” Ray Leonard I believe he was the best pound for pound in modern boxing history. Comparing Terence Crawford to him is ludicrous. Comparing Leonard and Crawford in a “tag team” match against in my opinion the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world “Sugar” Ray Robinson! He would take both of them on the same night, same card!
When one thinks of Leonard’s opponents such as Thomas “The Hit Man” Hearns, Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran and Wilfredo Benitez who does Crawford have to compare them to? He beat Scotlands Rick “Rickster” Burns for the WBO Lightweight title. The Ukraine’s Viktor “The Ice Man” Postol who he defeated for the WBC Super Lightweight title? The Nambia’s Julius “Blue Machine” Indongo? Can you image any of the defeating Hearns, Duran or Benitez. Defeating Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor or Floyd “Money” Mayweather?
I believe this is hype on the part of Arum being he just signed a multi-fight contract with Crawford. What little I have seen of Crawford starting at ringside when in his fourth fight in York, PA, he didn’t stand out as something special.
Crawford was 58-12 as an amateur losing to the likes of Mike Dallas, Jr., Darnell Jiles, Jr., “The New” Ray Robinson, split with Danny Garcia, Jerry Belmontes, Yordenis Ugas, Miguel Angel Gonzalez twice and Sadam Ali. While Leonard, defeated Hilmer Kenty, Cuban’s Victor Corona and Andres Aldama.
As a professional, Leonard won the welterweight title stopping Benitez, winning 2 of 3 from Duran, winning the junior middleweight title stopping Ayub Kalule, stopping Hearns, winning the middleweight title defeating “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, after being inactive for 3 years and winning the Super Middleweight and light heavyweight title’s defeating Donny Lalonde.
Do I make my case? Or should I say “did “Sugar” Ray Leonard make his case?