When Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran talk about boxing’s greatest fighter, they come to the same conclusion.
Leonard and Duran’s rivalry is well documented – their three fights spanning the 1980s remain some of the sport’s most memorable. Duran won their first meeting in Montreal, Leonard responded with a win in New Orleans that ended with Duran’s famous ‘No Mas’ moment, and Leonard took the final fight by unanimous decision in ’89.
Though they both possessed unwavering confidence in their abilities, however did admit one man in the history can safely claim the title of the best ever.
When Leonard was asked about his namesake by ESPN, he downplayed any comparison.
“Someone once said there was a comparison between Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson. Believe me, there’s no comparison. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest.”
Duran feels the same. In an interview with ES News, he said simply:
“Sugar Ray Robinson, he’s the best! Sugar Ray Robinson is the best!”
Robinson’s career is remarkable by any measure. He fought nearly 200 professional bouts, winning 174 of them, and held world titles at welterweight and middleweight. Beyond the numbers, Robinson was known for his speed, footwork, and ability to combine power with skill. His style and success set a standard for future generations, and many consider him the first true modern boxer.
When two of boxing’s best from the modern era both select Robinson as the greatest, it carries weight. For Leonard and Duran, the conversation about the GOAT ends with Sugar Ray Robinson.
