Sugar Ray Leonard predicts Floyd Mayweather vs. Duran, Hagler and Hearns

Floyd Mayweather believes you could drop him in any era and he would come out with his undefeated record intact.

Pay-per-view’s biggest star proved his mettle in 50 fights and five divisions, before retiring in 2017. with zero losses and big wins against Oscar De La Hoya, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Zab Judah and Shane Mosley.

With a track record like that, it would be hard not to be confident. Mayweather has repeatedly stated that he believes he is ahead of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest fighter of all time.

Sugar Ray Leonard – named after Robinson – has had something to say about this in the past. Leonard defeated Floyd Mayweather Sr. by TKO in 1978 and made clear his belief that he would do the same to his son.

In fact, speaking to TV Hub Box Before Mayweather’s victory over Manny Pacquiao, Leonard praised the defensive master saying he could be competitive in the Four Kings era, but picked each of his rivals to win.

“Mayweather can compete with all four of us in our time, but a little more fire would come to him. Could he beat me? No. Could he beat Tommy? I don’t think so. Could he beat Hagler? No. Could he beat Duran? No.

“That being said and all due respect to Mayweather who was an incredible technician, if you asked him he would say the same thing that he could beat us and beat our guys in my time. Fighters say that and believe it. Fighters believe they can beat anyone, and if you don’t say you can beat anyone, you’re not a fighter.”

Comprised of the charismatic Leonard, the iron-chinned Marvin Hagler, the explosive Thomas Hearns and the relentless Roberto Duran, the Four Kings enjoyed a golden age for the sport in the 1980s, competing, often repeatedly, at their peak and with everything to lose.

Considering Mayweather’s highest fighting weight was 154 pounds, the predictions may not be as surprising. Hagler was a middleweight throughout his career, while Hearns and Leonard fought for their first world titles at 147, but later progressed through the divisions, especially ‘The Hitman’ who fought up to cruiserweight and even considered calling out Mike Tyson. The most intriguing matchup for Mayweather would be Duran, naturally smaller than the three Americans but just as tough.