Quote Originally Posted by ICB View Post
Quote Originally Posted by JazMerkin View Post
Quote Originally Posted by ICB View Post

I know about suppoedly SRR avoiding Charles Burley, and SRL supposedly ducking Aaron Pryor. But who did Roberto Duran supposedly duck ? i thought he fought pretty much everyone didn't he ?
Pryor again. Like I said, I don't personally buy that he ducked him, I think Duran would have taken on anybody, but I have heard that one thrown around.

Robinson did avoid Burley like the plague and was very careful about picking his fights (hence why he reportedly never gave Jose Basora a rematch when he got a debatable draw)

Leonard really did pick his fights, certainly following his win over Hearns. Leonard & Robinson are two of my favourite fighters, but it's amazing the rose-tinted spectacles many current fans who are unaware of boxing history view them through (not accusing you of that Ice, just a lot of people on here).
Yea i agree somewhat Wilfredo Benitez, Tommy Hearns. Should of had immediate rematches, and the Marvin Hagler fight should of happened 3 years before it actually did.

I don't really know about SRR just alot of rumours or ETC, i heard he sparked out SRR in sparring. But thats probably a myth, he also supposedly avoided another well known fighter, but his name escapes me at the moment.

But even the greatest fighters have at somepoint picked fights carefully.
Exactly my point Ice, they've all done it, yet I've seen so many people dismiss Mayweather & Pacquiao as being ATGs off not fighting far less noteworthy guys than many of these greats have missed off.

I agree about the Burley sparking him out myth, although what I would say is that Robinson never did well with quicker counter-punchers. However, I think more likely Burley beat him up a bit and it became exaggerated, but the fact is he wanted none of it.

I'll give Leonard a pass on the Benitez fight, as he moved straight up to Light-Middle, and he did take on Duran & Hearns after that. But Hearns deserved a rematch sometime before 1989, and he took the piss with the shit he pulled with Hagler. Not to say he avoided anybody, but he always made sure things were favourable to him.

You won't find any fighter who's called the shots who hasn't done the same.