By: Hans Themistode
For the vast majority of his twenty-one-year career, Floyd Mayweather seemed impossible to beat.
Things would always start the same, a highly touted opponent would claim that they’ll be the one to hand him his first defeat and saunter their way to the ring oozing with confidence. Yet, at the end of 12 mostly boring and lopsided rounds, Mayweather would hear his name called by the ring announcer as boo’s echoed throughout the arena.
With a spotless 50-0 record, it doesn’t appear that Mayweather is returning to the ring for the umpteenth time. For now, fans are simply forced to play imaginary matchmaker. On the shortlist of opponents believed to give Mayweather a serious test is former multiple division champion and all-time great, “Sugar” Ray Leonard.
When posed with the question of how he would conquer Mayweather, the 1997 Hall of Famers face turns dead serious. He pauses and shakes his head as his mind begins filling with thoughts. Then, he blurts out his answer in an unsure tone.
“There is no one way to beat Floyd,” said Leonard during an interview with Mike Tyson on Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson Clips. “I would have to pull out all my tools and figure it out. A lot of feints and body shots.”
Leonard, 64, officially hung up his gloves following a fifth-round knockout loss to Hector Camacho in 1997. Mayweather would follow suit 20 years, wrapping up a dominant career with a tenth-round stoppage win against UFC Conor McGregor.
While the possibility of both men squaring off in the ring is nothing more than a pipe dream, much like boxing fans who are curious as to how their showdown would have played out, Leonard wishes he could go back in time and give everyone a definitive answer to that question.