Thread: pernell whitaker vs leonard

who wins pound for pound at there best weights

I think Whitaker is better PFP.
If they fought at 147, I'd give Leonard the slight edge, since that's the weight where he started his career, whereas Pernell moved up to 147 from 135.

Originally Posted by SweetPea

I think Whitaker is better PFP.
If they fought at 147, I'd give Leonard the slight edge, since that's the weight where he started his career, whereas Pernell moved up to 147 from 135.

I agree

I think Whitaker is a better PFP
And prime for prime he would have beat Leonard

Here's the big thing that I think that Ali, Robinson, Whitaker, Roy all have the same problem because oftheir reflexes they fought too often with their hands down, and learned to fight in a way that utilized their speed advantage. Floyd had this problem against Zab Judah because he needed to adapt to somebody his speed. Leonard had a hard time with Hearns' speed as much as his height because he was used to being able to avoid the opponents punches then come in with the counter. Whitaker never fought a guy as fast as him let alone as fast as Leonard. He is too confident in his reflexes, and I think Leonard, Robinson, Mayweather, M. Taylor are all too fast for him to fight them like that and he gets hit alot. I say Leonard wins. A better fight would be Meldrick Taylor vs. Whitaker because Taylor is alot more one dimensional than Leonard.

I don't think Whitaker fought that much with his hands down. Certainly nowhere near as often as guys like Ali or Jones, who did it all the time.

Sometimes he did. Regardless he relied alot too much on his reflexes to fight a guy faster than him the way he did. Especially if he tried to fight Leonard in close, and from the outside Leonard is so much taller and so good with his feet.

Originally Posted by Taeth

Sometimes he did. Regardless he relied alot too much on his reflexes to fight a guy faster than him the way he did. Especially if he tried to fight Leonard in close, and from the outside Leonard is so much taller and so good with his feet.

I don't necessarily agree that Leonard was faster than Whitaker. I think their speed is about the same. Leonard was just flashier, but that doesn't mean he was faster.

Like I said before though, I would favor Leonard over Pernell at 147, because Leonard was the naturally bigger man.

Leonard wins, Whitakers defense would keep him in the fight but Leonard would be the better man!

I'm torn on this one, mainly because I don't really have anything to gauge each of them on. Whitaker never saw anyone at 147 like Leonard, and Leonard never saw anyone at 147 like Whitaker. I'd have to flip a coin.

draw or close decision for leonard or whitaker

All of these scenarios are tough. This could go either way, I'd have to say I'd lean towards Leonard at 147(cant stand SRL, and Pernell is one of my favs), but SRL would win, mostly because he was loved, and Pernell always got shafted, and it would definately go to the cards. I'd really like to have a tourney of all the speedy defensive guys at 147=SRL,SRR,Pernell,Floyd,Mosely,etc. That would be a dream come true.

close points win for sweet pea

Leonard had better foot movement maybe lil quicker and had more power Whitaker had great defense but Leonards defense wern't to shabby either i think Leonard wins because he has lil bit more than Whitaker in most areas.

Originally Posted by SweetPea

Originally Posted by Taeth

Sometimes he did. Regardless he relied alot too much on his reflexes to fight a guy faster than him the way he did. Especially if he tried to fight Leonard in close, and from the outside Leonard is so much taller and so good with his feet.

I don't necessarily agree that Leonard was faster than Whitaker. I think their speed is about the same. Leonard was just flashier, but that doesn't mean he was faster.

Like I said before though, I would favor Leonard over Pernell at 147, because Leonard was the naturally bigger man.

I don't know why you think Whitaker is so fast. He's not. He had a better than average speed, but he didn't have the elite speed p4p like Mayweather, Jones Jr., Mosley, Leonard, Ali, etc. He was quick with great reflexes, but his hand speed wasn't up there with them.