As far as boxing legends go, Sugar Ray Leonard and Joe Calzaghe are two of the most accomplished fighters to have graced the sport in the last five decades.
Leonard won world titles across five weight divisions throughout the course of his outstanding career, which spanned for twenty years between 1977 and 1997.
The American star secured his place as a member of the famous Four Kings, a legendary quartet that was made up of himself, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. Leonard is the only fighter to defeat all three of those rivals, his final victory of which came against Duran in the super middleweight ranks.
The division has hosted some of the sport’s best talents since its introduction, not least one Welshman.
Speaking ringside ahead of Calzaghe’s 2007 WBO super middleweight world title defence against Peter Manfredo Jr, Leonard gave plaudits to the British boxing icon, paying homage to his power and general skillset.
“Joe has got great punching power and has all the attributes you need.”
‘Sugar’ Ray then said that Calzaghe would have ‘held his own’ against himself and his rivals.
“He would have held his own against all the greats I fought, like Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns. And he would hold his own with the others like Bernard Hopkins. He has the talent and heart.”
After making 20 successful defences of his WBO super-middleweight title over a ten year period, Calzaghe would eventually unify the WBC, WBA and WBO titles with a career-defining victory over Mikkel Kessler in November of 2007.
The Welsh great would make the jump up to 175lbs shortly after where he shared the ring with Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins, getting the better of both men in what would be his final ring appearances before his official retirement, undefeated, at the beginning of 2009.