Sugar ray leonard fights. Sugar Ray Leonard. One day with the champion. Training and nutrition. “Boxing was the only career option where I wouldn’t have to start from scratch. I had a good resume"
On 17-5-1956 Sugar Ray Leonard (nickname: Sugar) was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States. He made his 120 million dollar fortune with National Golden Gloves Lightweight Champion, Olympic Light Welterweight Gold Medalist. The boxer is married to Bernadette Robi, his starsign is Taurus and he is now 63 years of age.
Sugar Ray Leonard Facts & Wiki
Where does Sugar Ray Leonard live? And how much money does Sugar Ray Leonard earn?| Birth Date | 17-5-1956 |
| Heritage/origin | American |
| Ethnicity | Afro-American |
| Religion - believes in God? | Greek-Orthodox |
| Residence | He lives together in a house in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States. |
Sugar Ray Leonard Net Worth, Salary, Cars & Houses
| Estimated Net Worth | 120 million dollars Celebrity Net Worth Revealed: The 55 Richest Actors Alive in 2019! |
| Yearly Salary | N/A SURPRISING: The 10 Best Salaries in Television! |
| Product Endorsements | Tristar Productions |
| Colleagues | Thomas Hearns & Muhammad Ali |
Houses
- Photo: house/residence of cool friendly fun 120 million earning Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States-resident
- Mryland house ($4 million) (Swimming Pool Tennis Court Jacuzzi Sauna Parking Lot)
Cars
- Cadillac
Sugar Ray Leonard: Wife, Dating, Family & Friends
Sugar Ray Leonard with cool, beautiful, Wife Bernadette RobiWho is Sugar Ray Leonard dating in 2019?
| Relationship status | Married (Since 1993) |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Current Wife of Sugar Ray Leonard | Bernadette Robi |
| Ex-girlfriends or ex-wives | Juanita Wilkinson |
| More info | Was previously married and divorced |
| Has any kids? | Yes, father of: Jarrel, Ray Charles Leonard, Jr., Camille, Daniel Ray |
Names of father, mother, children, brothers & sisters.
- Cicero Leonard (Father)Getha Leonard (Mother)Camille Leonard (Daughter)Ray Charles Leonard, Jr. (Son)Daniel Ray Leonard (Son)Jarrel Leonard (Son)
Friends
Skin, Hair & Eye color
This cool friendly fun boxer originating from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States has a athletic body & long face type.
| Hair color | Black |
| Hair type | Straight |
| Hair Length | near-shaved hair |
| Hairstyle | alternative |
| Distinct feature | hair color |
| Skin Tone/Complexion | Type VI: Black brown skin |
| Skin Type | Normal |
| Beard or Mustache | Beardless |
| Eye color | Dark Brown |
| Does Sugar Ray Leonard smoke? | Yes, on occasion CAUGHT SMOKING: The 60 Most Shocking Celebrity Smokers! |
Sugar Ray Leonard - 2019 Black hair & alternative hair style.
Sugar Ray Leonard smoking a cigarette (or weed)
Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Tattoos & Style
| Height | 178 cm | Weight | 76 kilo | Clothing style | alternative |
| Favorite colors | blue |
| Feet size | N/A |
| Does Sugar Ray Leonard have a tattoo? | Yes Official websites/fansites: www.sugarrayleonard.com Does Sugar Ray Leonard have official Social Media profiles? |
Sugar Ray Leonard. I present to you exclusive material about training, nutrition, fight statistics, and methods of preparing the great boxer for the most important fights of his career against Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez.
When it comes to the best of the best, the great one immediately comes to mind. Olympic champion. Best boxer of the decade. World champion in five weight categories. The man who defeated all the best boxers of his era. He had incredible charisma and acting skills. An ideal boxer and an example of a successful person after finishing his career.
Leonard's best fights will be watched by many more generations of boxing fans. However, another side is hidden from their eyes, which Ray always talks about in his interviews - the diet and training that made him a great boxer.
Diet: Ray's height is 178 centimeters. Arm span is 188 centimeters. Leonard began his career as a welterweight ( up to 66.6 kilograms), and reached the light heavyweight division ( fight with Donny Lalonde at catchweight). However, his diet remained virtually unchanged. Only the number of servings of a particular product changed. It was hard to catch Ray in bad shape. Even in the offseason, his body looked lean. This is not possible without a well-developed diet.
Ray woke up at 5 o'clock in the morning and went for a run. About 4-5 miles ( 6.5-8 kilometers). He even ran on Sunday.
Upon his return, Leonard drank a glass of water. That's all. Next, he performed air throws and rested before the main workout. Breakfast came only at 10 am: 5-6 boiled eggs, two toasts, and a glass of milk. Immediately before training, Ray would drink a protein shake or simply eat some fruit ( banana or avocado) with milk.
The training took place from 12:00 to 13:30. Afterwards, Ray drank several glasses of water, took a shower and took vitamins. Half an hour later the second meal arrived. Lunch consisted of a portion of boiled chicken ( thighs, wings, or breast) and brown rice. Or it was modified into a vegetable stew with chicken. Ray ate food without salt or spices. He cut out sugar and drank a lot of water. After lunch, he drank his usual glass of low-fat milk.
The great boxer allowed himself some indulgences. But he didn't do it regularly. Being in shape and at the peak of physical activity, a spoonful of honey or dessert was not critical for him.
Ray always trained once a day unless there was a media showcase. The third meal took place at approximately 18:00. If it was in a restaurant, then Leonard would order a simple cut of vegetables ( red pepper, broccoli, tomatoes), without sauce. And if at home, I ate boiled lentils or beans, washing it all down with a standard glass of low-fat milk. Toast was only included in the first meal. During the day, Ray did not eat flour or starch products. There was always a decanter of clean water near his bed. He drank even at night, always maintaining water balance in his body.
There were no secrets in the diet of the great Leonard: natural boiled foods, no sweets or fatty foods, and regular adherence to the regime even during the off-season. This is exactly how Ray ate in preparation for the main fights of his career against Thomas Hearns and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez. This simple scheme brought him success.
Workout: Ray was a perfect boxer with no weaknesses. He had it all: a powerful blow, excellent movement on his feet, excellent reaction, endurance, and the ability to take a blow. He developed all these qualities from early childhood.
Leonard's standard boxing program:
- Jump rope: 15 minutes ( many people came to watch Ray jump rope using various spins and tricks)
- Shadowboxing without time: 15 minutes
- Sparring: 5 to 10 rounds ( As the fight approached, Ray reached 25 rounds per training with different partners)
- Heavy bag: 4 rounds x 3 minutes
- Speed bag: from 10 minutes without a break
Next, he performed an interesting set: lying down push-ups - 20 times, turned over on his back and did crunches - 20 times. He brought the number of such approaches to 7-8 per workout. If he wished, Ray could perform pull-ups on the horizontal bar. Moreover, he performed this exercise with an exclusively narrow grip ( direct and reverse). Sometimes he asked someone from the audience to hold his legs, and he walked on his hands around the hall in several circles.
After training, Leonard spent 15 minutes stretching. At the peak of his form, he could freely sit on the longitudinal and transverse splits, as well as stand on the bridge from a standing position.
Just like nutrition, there are no big secrets in Ray's training. He just does his job regularly. He is a natural talent and was able to develop his best qualities. Simple rules helped him realize his potential and defeat the best boxers of his time: Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez.
Sugar Ray Leonard is considered by many boxing experts to be the greatest boxer of all time. In this article you will find out why...
“Once I put on the gloves, boxing became my life.”
Ray Charles Leonard was born on May 17, 1956 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His parents, Geta and Cicero Leonard, had seven children. The father of the family worked as a supermarket manager, and the mother was a nurse. Geta Leonard named her son after the famous performer Ray Charles, whose work she madly loved. Her son also had vocal talent: Ray sang in church with his two sisters, and parishioners told Goethe that his voice sounded like the rhythm and blues of the famous singer Sam Cooke.
Leonard grew up as a shy child. He often sat at home, read comics and played with his dog.
"Ray has always been quiet"- says his mother. “We could never guess what he was thinking. But I never had any problems with him. I was never called to school."
At the age of 14, the teenager became interested in boxing. By the way, his father and older brother also succeeded in this sport, but each in their own way. Ray Leonard lived in Palmer, a racially mixed, poor suburb of Baltimore. Two local volunteer trainers recognized the boy's natural talent and began training him. As a fighter, Leonard demonstrated skill and grace in the ring in his early years. Later, his handsome style would contrast with the bullies and sluggers as he fought and outclassed boxers of other styles. In the end, he received the prestigious nickname "Sugar", the same as legendary boxer Ray Robinson, who is considered one of the best boxers of all time.
Leonard's small body contained solid explosive power. The boy could hit hard, but from his youth he encountered pain in his fists.
Sugar's amateur career includes two National Golden Gloves tournaments at junior welterweight (1973 and 1974), three US National tournaments and a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games.
FACT: On May 16, 1974, Leonard fought with Anatoly Kamnev in the Soviet Union. Kamnev won by controversial decision. The crowd booed this decision, and Anatoly gave Leonard the championship trophy that he had just won. On January 18, 1975, in Las Vegas, Leonard defeated Kamnev on points.
(As a teenager, Leonard was sexually abused by his coach. Many years later, he described this in his autobiographical book. You can read this story )
Our hero’s amateur career was more than successful; Leo made his way into the 1976 Olympic team.
At the Montreal Olympics, Leonard brilliantly defeated each of his opponents, but the main public attention was focused not on him, but on the star from his own team - Howard Davis. Before the final fight, Ray was considered an underdog. He was to share the ring with a Cuban knockout artist named Andres Aldama.
Leonard interrupted the larger Aldama, acting on the retreat and systematically unloading with spectacular combinations of blows. In the second round, Andres was knocked down. The amateur fight between the American and the Cuban turned out to be more spectacular than other professional fights. Sugar overcame severe pain in both arms and won a landslide unanimous decision. Ray Leonard won all fights at the Olympic Games with a score of 5-0. His spectacular path to the final and Olympic gold brought him recognition from the boxing community.
(Orig. Cov. Date 8/2/76, 2/17/77)
Credit: Neil Leifer
SetNumber: X20678
Record Sugar as a result of his amateur career: 145-5 (75 KOs).
After winning the Olympic gold medal, Leonard announced his intention to retire from boxing, claiming that he had achieved his dream. Initially, Ray wanted to go to university and become a lawyer, but his plan was derailed by the illness of his father and mother.
By that time, “Leo” had become a father himself, and his family also needed support. Juanita Wilkinson, the mother of his illegitimate son, filed a paternity suit in an attempt to get Ray to receive food stamps.
All of the above circumstances pushed our hero to the decision to make a living as a professional boxer. Ray Leonard immediately worked with the right people. He hired former trainer Muhammad Ali and lawyer Mike Trainer to become his business manager.
“Boxing was the only career option where I wouldn’t have to start from scratch. I had a good resume"
Early career: Mayweather, Muniz, Ranzani
On February 5, 1977, in his debut fight, Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Luis Vega, a strong boxer from Puerto Rico, by a decision over six rounds, winning each of them. Our hero's first fee was impressive for a debutant $ 40.044 .
At the very beginning of his career, Leonard competed as a junior welterweight (up to 63.5 kg), and after several fights he rose to welterweight. He passed medium-sized opponents without any problems, gaining experience. At that time, many opponents mentioned that they were impressed primarily by Ray’s speed, which they could not cope with. In 1978, Leo knocked out Javier Muniz in the first round. And everything would be fine, but the fight before that Muniz spent 10 rounds with the lightweight monster Roberto Duran.
After defeating Muniz, Leonard defeated now-famous manager Al Haymon's brother, Bobby Haymon. This fight set a record for the largest attendance at an indoor arena in Maryland - 15,272 people came to watch boxing. On July 18, 1978, Ray defeated Dickie Eklund. In the ninth round of this fight, Sugar slipped, and Eklund bragged for years after the fight that he knocked him down. Later, he nevertheless admitted that there was no smell of any knockdown there.
Two months later, Leonard goes to fight Floyd Mayweather ( Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s father - approx. website). At that time, Sugar Ray was already among the top five in the WBA rankings. Mayweather was not even in the top ten, but he was on the 6th line of the welterweight rating from The Ring.
The larger Floyd started the fight first and was more than active. In addition, he turned out to be a strong guy and skillfully combined offensive and defensive actions. Therefore, it was not easy to break through. Working back, Mayweather relied on a powerful right hand. The fight was intense; in the 3rd round, Leonard still shocked his opponent. In the last minute of the eighth three-minute period, he knocked Floyd down twice.
Signature shoulder protection ( the Philadelphia shell is a trick of Floyd, and then his son, which Leonard, we note, himself used well in this fight with Mayweather, and then with Ranzani - approx. website) did not protect Mayweather from accurate lefts from the side. In the middle of the 10th round, Floyd was shocked again, the referee considered it necessary to stop the fight.
Just a month later, Sugar Ray Leonard defeated top contender Randy Shields, to whom he had lost as an AAU amateur in 1973, by decision. There were no knockdowns in this fight, but in the ninth round our hero accidentally hit referee Tom Kelly with a left hand. He suffered a cut above his eye and was replaced by referee Harry Cecchini.
Leo's next appearance in the ring was less than a month later (in total, in 1978, he had 11 fights) and also marked a kind of record. 6,500 spectators came to watch the fight, which at that time was an unprecedented result for the sparsely populated state of Maine.
On December 9, 1978, Leonard had a fight with strong contender Armando Muniz, who had a good amateur background and had tried to become a champion four times. By that time, Ray was already a contender for the championship title, but the owner of this very title, Carlos Palomino, was in no hurry to give him a chance.
Muniz went forward, Sugar Ray Leonard worked on the retreat and tied up a dangerous opponent close. Sugar was faster and more accurate, starting to escalate things already in the first round. In the second segment of the fight, Muniz increased the pace, but he still failed to catch on to the fast and agile Leo. From the third round, Armando was able to drag his opponent into a fuss close up, and also began to work on the floors. This brought some success. The second half of the third round was a very spectacular exchange of blows.
From the fourth segment of the fight, Sugar Ray Leonard again began to act mainly from a long distance, where he felt more confident. Armando Muniz continued to pursue him and had local success, but Leo was better. At the end of the sixth round, he shook Muniz; between the 6th and 7th corners, Armando decided to refuse to continue the fight, citing an injured left hand.
“This is my toughest fight to date” - Ray Leonard.
“Sugar Ray hits really well. If Palomino has any courage, he will give him a chance next year." - Armando Muniz.
On the same day, Leonard's brother and cousin also scored victories in their professional careers.
In the ring, Sugar Ray Leonard was a boxer without any obvious flaws. He wasn't a hard puncher, but he had a pretty strong punch. He worked well with his front hand and was extremely precise. He analyzed his opponent's style well and was able to make adjustments to change the course of the battle in his favor.
The expression “speed kills” is about Leo. There is no point in describing his footwork and hand speed, it has to be seen. Sugar delivered a series of 6 or more blows in an instant and was famous for his spurts (sharp explosive and high-speed attacks).
His skills, combined with his vibrant personality and charisma, made Ray a star at a time when the sport needed a new hero. As the era of Muhammad Ali came to an end, comparisons with the sports icon were inevitable. Famous sports commentator Howard Cossell even called Leonard "the new Muhammad."
As a charming personality, a flamboyant fighter in the ring and a contender for the title of national hero, Sugar Ray Leonard managed to fill this void. As with Ali, Leonard's fans were divided into two camps: those who loved him and those who chided the boxer for his vanity (To some, the nickname "Sugar Ray" seemed the height of arrogance).
Ray himself could only do one thing - ignore the attention of his ill-wishers and confirm the advances given to him in the ring.
Young Leo and his coach Dundee
Leo won several more victories, including one of them in the junior middleweight division, and in April 1979 he met with another strong contender, Adolfo Viruet. This was his first left-handed opponent.
Ray mainly acted as the first number, and Adolfo worked in a retaliatory manner. The fight took place at a low pace, only the endings of the rounds were bright. In the fourth segment of the fight, Viruet missed a right straight and was knocked down for the first time in his entire career. At the end of 10 rounds, Sugar Ray Leonard celebrated his victory by unanimous decision.
In May of the same year, he again fought in the junior middleweight division. His opponent was former Mexico and California middleweight champion Marcos Geraldo. Sugar Ray defeated the much larger Geraldo by decision in a spectacular fight.
“Geraldo hit me and saw three opponents instead of one. I thought, “Oh, shit,” and couldn’t tell which one was real. Then he hit me again, and I realized it was the one in the middle. In this fight I learned what it takes to survive when you are overwhelmed. In addition, I had to use all the skills and abilities that I knew and even those that I didn’t know.”
(In 1982, Leonard would be diagnosed with retinal detachment. In his 2011 biography, “The Big Fight, My Life in and Out of the Ring,” Ray shared his opinion that the injury may have been related to the fight against Marcos Geraldo. website).
At that stage of his career, Leonard was already seeking fights with WBC champion Wilfred Benitez, as well as with Roberto Duran, who managed to rise from lightweight to welterweight and won victory after victory. However, despite the bright performances of Sugar himself, there was a lot of criticism towards him. He was mainly blamed for his lack of striking power.
27-year-old Ranzani quickly went forward from the first seconds, but 23-year-old Leonard “calculated” him already in the middle of the opening three minutes, and began to work hard and accurately in response. The battle turned out to be intense, but short-lived. Midway through the fourth round, Sugar Ray rocked his opponent with a straight right. After a brutal finishing move, Ranzani falls and has difficulty getting up. Another finish, and the referee stops the match. For this victory, Leo received $150.ooo and his first (albeit secondary) title.
A month and a half later, Ray entered the ring with tough Californian Andy Price, who promised to surprise everyone and defeat Leonard. That evening of boxing was packed with star names. Larry Holmes defended the title against Earnie Shavers, and Roberto Duran, Wilfredo Gomez, and Jimmy Young also fought. Among all this variety of stars, Leonard managed to stand out by giving a bright and short performance. Already at the end of the first round, he brutally beat Andy Price against the ropes, after which he could not get to his feet for a long time.
At the initial stage of his career, Sugar Ray Leonard scored 25 victories, 15 of which were knockouts. Now he had to fight for a full championship title.
Highlights, part 1: Benitez and Duran
This same fight took place on November 30, 1979, in Las Vegas. The world champion from Puerto Rico was opposed to Sugar Ray. For Benitez himself, the meeting with Leo was the second defense of the WBC welterweight title. The Puerto Rican went undefeated and surpassed Sugar in experience, despite the fact that he was two years younger (at the time of the fight, Benitez was 21 years old).
However, Ray was considered a 3 to 1 favorite. On the eve of the fight, Benitez's father and coach wrote an article, "Why Wilfred Won't Beat Leonard," which was published in The Ring in November 1979. There he made every possible reference to the complete lack of discipline of his brilliant offspring.
The moment of truth has come. Two similar fighters met in the ring - fast, talented and trained. As Ray later recalled: “It was like I was looking in a mirror in this fight.”. Sugar wisely used his advantage in arm length (his reach is 10 cm longer than Benitez's arm span).
Both with an annoying jab and simply with forceful, but constant blows with his front hand, Leonard managed to pin down the right hand of the Puerto Rican defensive genius. He was forced to keep his long glove under his chin all the time. In addition, Sugar was not inferior to Benitez in speed, and his tactics for the fight were much more successful (at least they were). At the end of the third segment, Ray knocked down his opponent with a quick left kick. From the fourth round, Benitez began to literally box like his opponent.
Most of the fight took place in the center of the ring. Leonard continued to tease the champion with false movements, but both boxers missed quite a few times in their attacks. In the sixth round, during a mutual clash of heads, a cut opened on Wilfred's forehead. In the 11th, which was rich in exchanges (compared to all other rounds), Leo shocked Benitez. The 15th segment of the battle took place on a collision course and turned out to be very brutal.
30 seconds before its completion, Wilfred Benitez was knocked down. After a short finishing move, just 6 seconds before the end of the fight, the referee stopped the match. The stop looked premature * , but there was absolutely no doubt about Sugar’s victory. He confidently dealt with one of the best boxers in the world at that time and, as time will tell, one of the greatest fighters of all time.
(* Possible However, the early stoppage of the fight was due to the death of Willy Klassen, who died two days earlier from injuries received in a fight with Wilford Scipio).
"Leonard - Benitez"
“From a technical point of view, there was so much on display in this fight that I haven’t seen in a very long time.”- said Ray's coach - Angelo Dundee.
“No one has ever made me miss so much.” —
“At the moment, Sugar Ray is the best boxer in the world. I was glad for this fight, he is a good opponent and will be a worthy champion." — Benitez .
Wilfred received a fee of $1.2 million, and Ray received $1 million. At that time, it was highest paid fight two boxers not competing in the heavyweight division.
In his first title defense, Sugar knocked out Dave Boy Green with a superb left hook in the fourth round. Next, Ray faced a dangerous challenge in the person of the previously mentioned Roberto Duran. Coming from lightweight, the Panamanian at that time managed to win many victories in the welterweight division, including over former champion Carlos Palomino.
Duran wasn't just a good fighter, he was one hell of a fighter. At the time of the meeting with Leonard, this Panamanian had fought more than 70 professional fights and was defeated in only one, having come back twice. Roberto was the embodiment of Latin American machismo. Difficult childhood, street fighting, ruthless, fearless, courageous and trained fighter with a hard punch. This image, associated with primitive aggression, was the opposite of the smart, handsome and graceful Leonard.
Two famous promoters, Bob Arum and Don King, organized this event together. The fight took place on June 20, 1980 in Montreal, Canada, the same place where Ray Leonard won Olympic gold four years earlier. He was considered a 9 to 5 favorite. Duran's fee was tentatively estimated at $1.5 million - he had never received more than that before. According to some estimates, Leonard earned between $7.5 and $10 million for the fight.
Before the fight, Duran said that he studied his opponent as thoroughly as he studied his shadow, and stated that he was ready for anything. Leonard spoke reservedly of Roberto as a man to be feared.
In the opening round, Duran indicated his intention to work close. Leo acted in response. In the middle of the second segment of the fight, Roberto shook the American with a left hand. The Panamanian sought to put his opponent against the ropes in order to take a frontal position and work with power blows from both hands. And, I must say, he successfully succeeded.
And Leonard himself was not against fighting on a collision course. Even in the third round, it became clear that he did not intend to box from a distance, holding his opponent at arm's length. Sugar accepted the fight with force, and therefore the meeting was full of exchanges, permanent aggression and anger, for which it was nicknamed the “Massacre in Montreal.” Ray spent most of the time with his back to the ropes.
Following a close fight, Roberto Duran won by unanimous decision. On average he inflicted 61 hit per round, but had to hit the target - 21 . Sugar applied on average 50 strikes per round, of which were on target 18 . More than 46,000 people watched the fight live.
“He's the best I've fought. He surprised me a couple of times, but I wasn't in a bad position. Leonard just had to be well prepared because he was fighting me." — Roberto Duran.
“I said I won’t run from Duran. I had no options. People wondered if I could take a big hit. I showed that I can. I have to give Roberto credit, he’s the toughest guy I’ve ever fought.”
“The Montreal fight was not a boxing match. It was a street fight. I didn't use my skills. He was just determined to stand his ground and trade blows with Duran. I don't like his manner. He acts like he owns the world."
“After the 14th round, I knew he took this fight. I felt like I gave it my hundred percent, but I didn’t conduct the fight correctly. Emotional devastation is what I felt. My family and friends cried. Everyone cried, but not me."— .
"Leonard - Durand 1"
Our hero's pride cost him zero in the defeat column. Five months later, the fighters held a rematch, which Sugar insisted on. Despite the result of the first fight, Leonard was a slight favorite. According to statements by the Panamanian's manager and translator, before the second fight Roberto Duran had serious weight problems.
For this fight, Leonard, who usually competes in red, white and blue, chose black shorts and boxers. The fight was very different from the first. Sugar constantly moved, pulled his opponent apart and quickly attacked with movement and in response. Roberto was successful in episodes, but for the most part he failed to catch on with Ray. In the seventh round, Leonard began to tease his counterpart.
30 seconds before the end of the eighth three-minute period, Duran refused to continue the fight. According to referee Octavio Meiran, he told the Panamanian in Spanish "fight!", but he answered "No mas", which means "enough". This phrase will forever be associated with his remarkable sports career. The scandalous situation immediately acquired many versions.
“I was just as confused as everyone else, just shocked. I thought it was a trick, I thought he wanted to pretend he was refusing to continue and then hit me, catching me off guard.”
Durant himself stated in the ESPN documentary that he did not say the words “No mas”; it was allegedly made up by a commentator. Roberto himself referred to stomach problems, saying that on the eve of the fight he ate hot food and washed it down with cold juice. According to him, he wanted to refuse to continue in the fifth round.
Roberto's manager, Carlos Eleta, believed that it was Leonard's manner in the ring that confused Duran and forced him to refuse to continue the fight. This version found the most adherents. Eleta also claimed that after the fight, on the way to the hospital, Duran repented, saying that he was ashamed of his action and that he should not have “given up.”
The day after the incident, Roberto was fined $7,500 by the athletic commission. A comprehensive medical examination of Duran did not reveal any serious abnormalities. He stated that he was retiring from boxing and did not want to fight anymore.
“I did everything as I said and made him surrender. Doing this to Roberto Duran is even better than knocking him out."
“The same thing happened to me, it’s terrible. I had thousands of fighters and no one ever gave up. I think what this guy needs most is the help of a psychiatrist. What about him? He was a fighter. If someone had told me that Roberto Duran might give up, I would never have believed it.”- Duran coach Ray Arcel.
"Leonard - Durand 2"
Also in 1980, Leonard married Juanita Wilkinson, the mother of his son, and began defending the title. In 1981, he aggressively defeated the third southpaw in his career, Larry Bonds.
Highlights Part 2: Kalule and Hearns
On June 25, 1981, Sugar Ray Leonard fought in the junior middleweight division against WBA champion Ayub Kalule. The champion was originally from Uganda but lived in Denmark. At that time, he had defended his belt four times and was undefeated.
Promoter Bob Arum, who agreed to promote the event at the insistence of Leonard's manager, Mike Trainer, called the idea "idiotic." Even then, Sugar was scheduled to fight with WBA welterweight champion Thomas Hearns, who boxed on the same evening as Leo and Kalule. But Arum was confident that Kalule would defeat Ray and ruin his reputation.
Leonard, 25, entered the ring wearing black briefs with a yellow snake on the right side. Before the fight, he studied Ugandan culture and learned that Ugandan witch healers were afraid of the color black and were wary of snakes.
Ray did not give to the African left-hander ( Kalule is naturally right-handed, but boxed in a left-handed stance - approx. website) ring space. He acted towards him, trying once again not to get too close to the tough African, and was often in a more advantageous position for striking, stepping behind his opponent’s front leg. Kalule pressed Sugar and alternated shots on the floors.
In the fourth segment of the competitive fight, Leo went forward, it seemed that he was investing in every blow. He managed to slightly shake his opponent and give the fans an extremely bright ending to the round. In the final seconds of a thrilling ninth round, Ray Leonard sent Kalule to the canvas. He stood up, but the referee decided to stop the match. Afterwards, the African admitted that he himself asked the referee to intervene. Well, Sugar, celebrating his victory, performed a backflip right within the ring.
It's time to face WBA champion Thomas Hearns for the undisputed welterweight title. Tall, long-armed and lean, Tommy knocked out everyone left and right. Two weeks before the fight, Hearns even broke the jaw of sparring partner Marlon Starling with his right hand, who as a result had to postpone his own fight.
Bookmakers initially opened Leonard as a slight favorite, but closer to the date of the fight he was already in the status of an underdog. The fight took place on September 16, 1981 and was widely broadcast around the world.
“This fight cannot be won by skill alone. Here the one who has a stronger desire to win will achieve victory.”
Hearns worked quickly with his front hand and instantly found the right distance. Leonard moved a lot at the beginning of the fight, avoiding the vast majority of his counterpart's attacks. He was able to respond only in the middle of the second round. In the third segment, Sugar began to act more successfully, occasionally intercepting his opponent’s attacks. Hearns connected with blows to the body, the start of the match was definitely his.
The second half of the sixth round was a brilliant exchange of blows, during which Ray Leonard managed to shake Thomas. From that moment on, Leo began to escalate more and more often. In the seventh round he shocked his opponent again. Now Sugar had the initiative and was better in the middle rounds. However, during the same period, a hematoma began to close his left eye. In rounds 10-11, Thomas Hearns again took the initiative. To win this fight, Ray needed to either knock out his opponent or knock him down several times.
In the middle of the 13th round, Sugar managed to stagger Hearns with a right hand. He went for the finish and sent his opponent under the ropes. The referee did not consider it a knockdown. Another finish from Ray, Hearns hung on the ropes, but was saved by the bell. In the 14th segment of the fight, Leonard, like a predator, continued to look for opportunities for a knockout. Midway through the round he found it, stunning Thomas again with a right hand. Soon after several pointed hits from Ray, the referee stops the fight. The situation seemed stalemate, but the concept of “giving up” simply was not in Sugar’s vocabulary.
At that point, Hearns had a serious lead on all three judges' cards. Sugar Ray Leonard did what only a great fighter could do - find a solution in a difficult situation and get a victory over a real welterweight monster. Ray Leonard became the undisputed world champion, and his fight with Thomas Hearns was named “Fight of the Year 1981” according to The Ring. Later, in 1996, he would take 9th place on the list of "Greatest Fights of All Time".
In total, including fees and percentages from sales, Sugar Ray received more than $11 million for the fight, and Hearns about $8 million. The total income from pay-per-view (PPV) purchases alone amounted to $7.5 million.
Later, in the 2011 biography I already mentioned, Leonard admitted that sparring partner Odell Hadley accidentally hit his left eye with his elbow two weeks before the fight. The next morning, the eye began to swell and there was talk about postponing the fight, but everything worked out.
Sugar Ray Leonard knocks out Hearns. (Photo by John Iacono/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X26024 TK1 R13 F3)
“I have proven that I am the best welterweight in the world. This fight covers all my professional achievements"
Hearns' trainer Emanuel Steward agreed that the stoppage was more than fair.
Sugar Ray met Benitez, Duran, Kalule and Hearns in a very short period from November 1979 to September 1981. The total record of these fighters at the time of the meeting with him is 177-1-1 .
Health problems and career end:
In February 1982, Leonard defended his titles against North American champion Bruce Finch in Reno, Nevada. This was the first championship fight held in this town since the confrontation between Jack Johnson and James Jeffries in 1910. Sugar won an early victory, sending his opponent to the canvas several times.
A fight was then scheduled against Roger Stafford, but during training Leonard increasingly had vision problems and saw spots. As a result, Ray was found to have retinal detachment of the left eye. After a successful operation, Sugar Ray Leonard decides to retire from his career, which he announces on November 9, 1982.
One hundred percent recognition, the largest bank accounts and a guaranteed job in the field of boxing television broadcasting - Sugar had it all, and he had no reason to return to the ring. Except for one thing - the champion, hungry for victory, did not see any beauty in a well-fed life without risk.
“I left boxing at 26, but I knew I wasn’t done as a fighter yet. This feeling burned me from the inside, devoured me every single day.”
In the end, Ray's ego overcame his fear of losing his sight. On December 10, 1983, Leonard announced his return to the ring. Ten days later, rumors began to circulate about his fight with a medium-caliber fighter from Pennsylvania, Kevin Howard. A month later, this was officially announced. Sugar Ray stated that he intends to regain his welterweight title, and in 2-3 years to meet the absolute middleweight champion, Marvin Hagler.
(*At that time, the middleweight champion was a very talented fighter - “The Amazing” Marvin Hagler, who had excellent technical skills, a powerful punch, and a rather gloomy disposition. The meeting between Leonard and Hagler seemed inevitable and was widely discussed in boxing circles even then).
Leonard was carefully examined and, despite minor problems with his other, right eye, he was still given a boxing license. Sugar himself insisted that both men wear special gloves with the thumb hidden when fighting Howard in order to reduce the risk to the eyes.
The meeting took place on May 11, 1984. Marvin Hagler was present at the fight, whom Ray asked to come and for whom he paid for the ticket himself.
Howard fought aggressively, tugging at Leo and trying to get in close. Leonard mostly tried to respond from a distance. With 30 seconds left in the 4th round, Howard managed to catch his opponent with an accurate right hand to the jaw immediately after Sugar threw a jab. Ray fell, it was first knockdown of his career.
Kevin Howard consistently landed right hands in response, and the fight turned out to be competitive. In the ninth round, Ray staggered his opponent with a left hand. After a protracted series of blows, the referee stops the fight. Sugar won, but was so disappointed with his performance that at the post-match press conference he again announced his retirement:
“I am currently retired. There is no point in deceiving yourself or anyone else. I was afraid for my health, there is no point in continuing to disgrace myself.”
During his periods of inactivity, Leonard took a job as a boxing commentator for the cable television network HBO. In addition, he also launched a television network in his name from Maryland, which showed news, interviews and fights around the clock.
Sugar Ray Leonard, right, fight Kevin Howard, left, (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
"I wanted to fight monsters"
In 1986, the boxing world learned that Leonard was starting to train again and was seriously considering a meeting with. By the way, at that time the middleweight king defeated Duran, brutally knocked out Hearns and beat every top middleweight who decided to encroach on his titles. It was in this regard that many observers believed that the ruthless Hagler would easily cope with Leonard, who had not entered the ring for three years, and had only fought one fight in the previous 5 years.
“Michael J. Fox and I attended the Hagler-John Mugabi fight. We sat and drank beer, and while watching the fight, I told Michael that I could beat Hagler. Michael responded, “Ray, would you like another beer?” I said "Yeah, but I can still beat Marvin"
Their mentalities were as different as their paths to titles. For their first fight as a pro, Hagler received $50, Leo - 40,000. It took Marvin more than 50 fights to become a champion, Sugar - 26. They were like fire and water in everything. Bright, open, charming Ray Leonard against the reserved, reserved and brutal Hagler.
The long-awaited fight was scheduled for April 6, 1987. In terms of its scale at that time, the event was simply grandiose. Leonard agreed to the condition that Hagler receive a larger payday (Marvin earned about $20 million in total, Ray about $12 million), and Marvelous allowed Sugar to choose the gloves, the number of rounds and the size of the ring.
Of Hagler's three titles, only the WBC middleweight title was on the line. The WBA stripped him of his title because Marvin did not face mandatory challenger Erol Graham, and the IBF simply refused to sanction the fight, declaring that if Leonard won, the title would become vacant.
"This fight puts Leonard's eyesight and life at risk, as well as the reputation of any commission that approves him."- said the famous sports doctor and boxing commentator Ferdie Pacheco.
The alarming mood was not accidental. Marvin Hagler was the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world according to KO Magazine. In a UPI poll, 18 of 21 boxing writers bet on Hagler to win, while only three picked Sugar. On the eve of the fight, Marvin was considered a 3 to 1 favorite.
Only the lazy did not dissuade Ray from this adventurous venture. Sugar's friends and wife were against Sugar dating Marvin; all close people were afraid that Leonard might go blind or suffer severe beatings. Few people believed in the boxer except himself.
The moment of truth has arrived. Hagler walked forward. Leo tried not to stagnate in front of him: he struck and moved. Marvin pays attention to working on his opponent’s torso and already in the first round changes stances from right-handed to left-handed. In round 3, Sugar begins to act differently: he hit and stuck to his opponent. In the fourth, Hagler picked up the pace and again became southpaw (at the beginning of the fight, the southpaw stance brought him more success). Despite this, the start of the battle is with Leonard.
In the middle rounds, Marvin Hagler found the right pace and increasingly overtook his opponent, forcing him to exchange. After the first six rounds of the fight, Sugar's punch accuracy was 50%. The middle of the fight was almost entirely in favor of the champion. From the eighth round, Leonard began to move a lot again, stopping only to deliver a short series of punches. The ninth three-minute period turned out to be dramatic and bright; Ray barely made it to the end. The end of the battle was with him with a slight advantage.
After twelve rounds of a high-class and exciting fight, Sugar Ray Leonard won by split decision. He got it to the goal 306 out of 629 hits(49%), and Hagler - 291 of 792(37%). Their fight was named “Fight of the Year 1987” and “Upset of the Year”, and later “Upset of the Decade”.
The judge's decision gave rise to heated discussions among the boxing media. Hagler himself disagreed with the official verdict, and various publications kept putting up their own scores, giving victory to one or the other, but everyone agreed on one thing - the fight was close.
"Leonard - Hagler"
Later, it became known that during downtime in the 80s, Ray began using cocaine and alcohol as adrenaline substitutes, in search of new sensations. Leonard admitted that he used cocaine from 1984 to 1989. This caused irreparable damage to his marriage; his first wife, Juanita, left him in 1990.
Donnie Lalonde and rematch with Tommy Hearns
Despite another promise to retire, Sugar returned to the ring a year and a half after the fight with Hagler. His opponent was Canadian Donny Lalonde, who was on a good winning streak and also held the WBC light heavyweight title. It is worth saying that in this fight another belt was at stake - the vacant WBC in the new weight category - super middleweight. ( The fighters fought in the super-middleweight division - approx. website). Sugar was considered the favorite.
The fight took place on November 7, 1988. It was highly publicized and Leonard's purse was at least $15 million. It was also Sugar's first fight without the authoritative mentor Angelo Dundee in his corner. Dundee was outraged by the low fee received for the fight with Hagler, as a result of which the famous and mega-successful “trainer-fighter” duo broke up. Jenks Morton was now in command in Ray's corner.
Despite the substantial salary and titles in two divisions, there was a corresponding risk for Sugar. The powerful Donny Lalonde was 10 cm taller. He took the center of the ring and actively acted with his front hand. Sugar circled around his opponent, looking for an opportunity for a quick spurt of attack, and from the first round he began to hit with emphasis.
In the middle of the fourth round, Ray missed a counter right hand to the top of his head and ended up on the floor of the ring. In the same round, a cut opened on the bridge of his nose. As the fight progressed, it became more intense and exciting. At the end of the fifth segment of the fight, Sugar shook his opponent with a right hand from the side.
As in the fight with Hagler, Leonard was clearly tired by the eighth round. In the middle of the ninth, Lalonde shook him and went for the finish, but Ray survived and managed to seize the initiative. After just 20 seconds, he sent his opponent to the floor. Lalonde stands up. A short finish from Sugar - Donnie falls backward and cannot recover for a long time, his face is covered in blood.
At the end of 9 rounds, Ray reached the target 205 of 382 strikes (54%), and Lalonde - 122 of 508(24%). Leonard became the second boxer in history (after Thomas Hearns) to win titles in five weight classes.
“When I step into the ring, something happens to me. All the motivation I need is competition, a competitive moment. People think I'm motivated by attention, money, my ego. But I just love competition, I love to compete and win.”(c) Sugar Ray Leonard.
After defeating Lalonde, Ray vacated the light heavyweight title and faced Thomas Hearns, who had also won the WBO super middleweight belt in his previous bout.
However, Leonard refused to have Tommy's title on the line due to the WBO's involvement in apartheid in South Africa. And if Leonard has not lost since their first meeting, then Hearns, in addition to many significant victories, managed to suffer two early defeats from middleweights Marvin Hagler and Airen Barkley.
Sugar was considered a 3 to 1 favorite. Leo's guaranteed purse was $13 million, Thomas's was $11 million. One of Ray's conditions was a fine for a fighter who would weigh more than 74.4 kg at the official weigh-in.
At a press conference before the fight, Hearns' trainer and manager Emanuel Steward accused Leonard of taking steroids, to which he laughed and suggested that he undergo a doping test. ( The Nevada State Athletic Commission at that time only took urine tests immediately before the fight - approx. website).
The rematch between 33-year-old Sugar and 30-year-old Hitman took place on June 12, 1989. Ray entered the fight wearing red and white shorts with the inscription AMANDLA. This word means "Power" in Zulu and was often used in anti-apartheid demonstrations. Leonard’s action was due to the fact that on the same day was the 25th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment for an anti-government conspiracy.
As in their first meeting, Hearns started the fight on top, throwing straight punches. Leonard worked back, focusing on his opponent's body and the single right hands that got him results in the first fight. In the middle of the third round, he was given a knockdown, but on the replay it became clear that the blow hit the back of the head when Sugar Ray went down, performing a defensive element.
In the fifth round, Leo managed to shake his opponent, but Hitman withstood a prolonged barrage of blows. From the middle of the fight, Ray clearly looks primed for a knockout blow (mainly a left side). In the second half of the fight, Hearns was more effective. At the beginning of the eleventh segment of the fight, Thomas again knocked down his opponent, this time with a completely legitimate knockdown. In the last three minutes, Leonard went all-in, understanding the need to knock out his opponent, and even shocked Thomas.
Following the results of twelve rounds of competitive battle, the judges declared a draw. The crowd booed the decision, with most feeling that Hearns had done enough to win. Many years later, Ray Leonard admits that he lost the second fight against Thomas. However, neither fighter complained. Directly at the post-match press conference, both warriors referred to the fact that “this is the decision of the judges and they know better.”
Afterwards, they tried more than once to organize a third fight between Leonard and Hearns, but in the end they could not agree on the issue of the weight limit.
"Leonard - Hearns 2"
Final stage of career
Six months after the rematch with Hitman, Leo meets Roberto Duran in his third fight. The Panamanian had scored a surprise victory over Airen Barkley in the middleweight division eight months earlier. However, the fight with Leo took place at an intermediate weight - 162 pounds (up to 73.5 kg). Sugar was the favorite.
The event took place in an outdoor arena on a cold night. For the most part, the whole action took place in the center of the ring and resembled a competition in speed and accuracy, where Leonard was better. He allowed himself to flaunt his opponent a lot and systematically hit straight right hands from long range.
Overall, Ray more than successfully took the fight, which was difficult for Duran to give more than two rounds. The sixth segment of the battle turned out to be bright. During the fight, Sugar received three cuts and $15 million, becoming the first boxer in history to earn more than $100 million in his career.
After the fight, Leonard retired from boxing again. But a little over a year later, at the age of 34, he returned. Of course, for the chance to become a champion again, but in junior middleweight. This very chance was provided by the young WBC champion Terry Norris. Sugar, who was almost 11 years older than his opponent, was considered a 12 to 5 favorite.
Norris was more accurate in combat, especially with his front hand. He neutralized his opponent's jab by knocking it down, blocking it or moving away from it. At the end of the second round, Leo missed a left hook and ended up on the canvas. Norris, in his usual manner, added a right hand to his opponent, who was already flying to the canvas. At the start of the third round, Sugar Ray found himself shaken.
Leonard had local success, but Terry was better than him in everything. At the end of the sixth round, Ray accidentally hit the referee, and at the end of the seventh he was knocked down again. Sugar continued to take a lot of damage, but still moved forward and looked for his chance. The chance did not present itself, Norris won a crushing victory. After the fight, Leo announced right in the ring that this was his last appearance in the ring. As for Norris, he would make many more title defenses and become one of the greatest fighters in the history of the junior middleweight division.
“It was a sad victory. Ray is my idol, and I beat him." — Terry Norris.
“He was fast and smart. Norris is a young Sugar Ray Leonard. If he continues like this, he will dominate for a very long time." — .
Despite the promise, another return to the ring still took place more than six years later. His opponent was the famous ex-champion Hector Camacho. Camacho was also far from at the peak of his career, but still in better shape than the 40-year-old Sugar.
“I’m not like the others, I can come back” -
“This is your last return, I guarantee you.” — Hector Camacho.
Throughout the fight, Camacho looked better than Leonard, and at the beginning of the fifth round he sent him to the canvas. After the finish, the referee stopped the fight. Until 1998, Leonard had several fights scheduled in succession, all of which fell through. He never returned to the ring.
Life outside the ring, legacy
At just over 60 years old, Ray Leonard is in excellent shape. He has appeared in many films and television shows. He starred in commercials and sponsored a research foundation that was looking for a cure for diabetes. Leonard has given a number of motivational talks to children and teenagers. He now has four children and lives in California with his second wife, Bernadette.
Sugar Ray Leonard was voted Fighter of the Decade during the most competitive time in professional boxing history - the 1980s. He was repeatedly recognized as boxer of the year by various publications, became a world champion in five weight categories and is rightfully one of the greatest fighters in the many years of professional boxing.
He dominated the middleweights' most competitive era. He never felt it necessary to sign an agreement with the two promoters who ruled boxing, Don King and Bob Arum. Ray remained a free agent who forged his own career while keeping himself clear of the sport's pervasive corruption. However, he couldn't avoid one mistake that tarnishes the careers of many great fighters: He couldn't resist the temptation of "one more fight."
Sugar Ray can be safely called a symbol of an entire era, a symbol of the struggle with oneself. The man who couldn't live without challenges
Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the strongest boxers of the 80s, competing in five weight categories (welterweight, 1st middleweight, middleweight, 2nd middleweight, light heavyweight). Multiple world champion in several boxing versions of different years, in different categories, champion of the 1976 Olympic Games, best boxer of 1976, 79, 81.
The boxer's first fight took place on February 5, 1977, the last on March 1, 1997. Ray Leonard's track record includes 40 fights, 36 wins (25 of them by knockout), 3 losses, 1 draw.
A unique sports personality, Ray Leonard entered the world boxing ring “at the right time.” His extraordinary abilities, excellent speed and amazing charisma did their job: the hearts of the fans, who were grieving the departure of the legendary Muhammad Ali from the ring, began to beat animatedly again at the appearance of a new idol.
Leonard - the fighter of the decade of the 80s - entered it as a champion and left as a champion. Over the years, he was the only one in the history of boxing who managed to become a champion in 5 weight categories!
The athlete gained universal fame in 1976, when the US team won Olympic gold five times for the first time in history at the boxing tournament of the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal. Leonard also distinguished himself by defeating Soviet boxer V. Limasov in the 1/16 finals, and in the final defeating Cuban Anders Aldamo, who had previously won four matches by knockout.
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1977 brought Ray Leonard a gift from his namesake - Ray Robinson (the famous middleweight boxer) - the nickname Sugar (Sugar), which “stuck” so well to the new owner that it became part of his name.
Leonard received his first professional belt (WBC version) in 1979, defeating Wilfred Benitas; but I couldn’t hold him for long. Only one defense followed, after which Sugar met in the ring with the great Roberto Duran and lost to him in a fifteen-round fight.
The boxer bounced back in the rematch, knocking out Duran in the eighth round. Taking the next weight, Leonard victoriously fought local champion Eyoub Kalule, followed by a fight with WBA champion Thomas Hearns, who was knocked out in the fourteenth round.
The next fight almost became Sugar’s last: progressive detachment of the retina of one eye threatened the boxer with blindness and the end of his sports career.
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However, despite medical prohibitions, Leonard returned to the ring in 1984: he defeated Kevin Howard and “calmed down” for the next 3 years. The boxer's next appearance in the ring took place in 1987: a fight with Marvin Hagler brought Sugar victory and a championship belt in the middle weight category.
Having defended his current championship title four times, Ray Leonard met Canadian Donny Lalonde in the ring. This victory brought Sugar the WBC super middleweight champion belt. Having fought against formidable opponents Hearns and Duran and won two victories, Leonard leaves the ring again. At this moment, the 33-year-old boxer has 38 fights under his belt, including 35 wins (25 by knockout) and a capital of $108 million.
Sugar Ray Leonard's last two "big" appearances in the ring did not bring him any luck. In 1991, he lost a 12-round fight to Terry Norris. And in March 1997, the famous champion fought with Hector Camacho, who knocked him out in the fifth round. This was the first, only and last knockout in Sugar's brilliant boxing career.
Today, the former boxer trains young athletes, is involved in television, and is working on his autobiography. Thus, in a book entitled “The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring,” Sugar made several sensational confessions, in some places characterizing him as not at all “sugar.” For example, at one time Leonard used cocaine, was a victim of domestic violence, and survived a serious car accident as a child... The book contains many “exciting” details from the life of a boxing star, and will be of interest to all fans of the famous athlete.
