Sugar Ray Leonard's Comments On Mora...
Say It Ain't So Ray

By William Trillo

While everyone else was busy posting the press release with comments from Sugar Ray Leonard and his thoughts about Sergio Mora who will be facing Vernon Forrest this weekend, I couldn't help but sit back and reflect on Ray's illustrious career and wonder how someone with his pedigree could give his seal of approval to this Reality TV made Champion Sergio Mora.
 
I can't even imagine what a fighter of Leonard's caliber would have thought if this Reality TV Champ were to have appeared on the scene in his day and age.
 
Leonard was an amateur standout, he won three National Golden Gloves titles, two AAU championships and the 1975 Pan-American Games crown. Leonard earned a spot on the 1976 Olympic U.S. team. In Montreal Leonard overcame all the odds and brought home the Gold Medal.
 
His success in the pro's is legendary and he will always be considered one of the best fighters of all time.
 
That is why I am befuddled by the recent statements Leonard made about Mora, who let's face it, pales in comparison on every level to a fighter like Leonard. Likewise Mora has no business getting in the ring this Saturday with Vernon Forrest and somewhere deep down inside Sugar Ray's bowels, I know he knows that too.
 
Yet look at these statements from Ray:
 
“For Sergio, it’s do or die. It’s a fight to determine his last hurrah.” 
 
Can someone tell me his first hurrah? And please don't say The Contender.
 
“Mora has so much natural talent, speed and power in his punches.  He just needs to put it all together.” 
 
POWER??? 5 KO'S IN 20 WINS AGAINST A LOAD OF STIFFS!! AM I MISSING SOMETHING?
 
“Mora is getting in the ring with a guy who has tons of experience and can certainly punch.” 
                 
And Forrest is getting into the ring with a guy with tons of...umm...ahhhh....
 
“This is a great chance for Mora and excellent exposure.  He needs to capitalize on it.”
 
So was the fight with Jermain...what happened there? How soon we forget, Ray.
 
“Stylistically, this will be a good fight.   Sergio can box and Vernon can punch.  I think it will be an action-filled fight.”
        
Vernon is one of the best boxer punchers in the game. Stylistically this is a match of epic proportions.
 
“Whoever loses goes to the back of the line.  And at their age, it could be over.”
 
Correction, Mora is already at the back of the line, if Vernon loses it will be the biggest upset of the decade and he should retire immediately.
 
 
Forrest beat Shane Mosley twice, Mora has beaten Peter Manfredo, who is now on the bum a month circuit after getting totally exposed. Could it be that all those shots from Hearns and Duran are finally showing their affect? Could Leonard be punchy? Or does Ray just have his own motivation$ to make these statements?
 
Mora is a creation of Reality TV which makes him about as important as the actors on MTV's
"Exposed", which is coincidentally what Mora is going to be this Saturday night.
 
Vernon Forrest, with his shoulder healed is at the top of his game. Mora doesn’t have the game to deal with him, period. To Forrest, this isn’t even a stay busy fight, it’s like a session on the heavy bag.
 
Yet, to Ray, this somehow has him trying to convince us this is going to be a compelling fight.
 
Ray Leonard coming out of retirement to take on middleweight champ Marvin Hagler, now that was compelling.
 
Sergio Mora coming off running away from middleweight Champ Jermain Taylor only to fight two stiffs and then getting forced to fight Jr. Middle Champ Vernon Forrest (or else) is far from compelling.
 
Sugar Ray trying to tell us otherwise is a huge disappointment.
Questions Or Comments? Email Will "The Thrill" Trillo