Sugar Ray Leonard is one of most iconic figures in boxing history. His fights with Roberto Duran are looked at as some of the most iconic fights in boxing history.
Leonard has lost only 3 fights in his professional career; only one of those losses were by way of knockout. The difficulties of getting over a loss whether it be by decision or KO takes its effect on a fighter. More so a knockout loss.
Leonard believes that Pacquiao possesses the mental capability to block out the knockout loss but Rios is more than capable to bring back memories with the power Rios possesses in his punches and that the winner of the fight will be the fighter who sticks to his game plan more effectively and takes control of the fight.
“What Brandon Rios needs to do not let Pacquiao forget about what took place his last fight,” said Leonard. “Rios has to be right up on top of Pacquiao because what happens when you get knocked out in the fashion that Pacquiao was knocked out, it becomes like an Achilles heel. If there is anyone that could block that out, Pacquiao is the guy that could do that. This fight is about who sticks to their game plan and who takes control thoroughly through the fight.”