Hall Of Fame Nominee: 'Sugar' Ray Leonard

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Sugar Ray Leonard

 

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Boxing record

Total fights 40

Wins 36

Wins by KO 25

Losses 3

Draws 1

No contests 0

 

 

Sugar Ray Leonard (born May 17, 1956) is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles. Leonard was the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses, and he is widely considered to be one of the best boxers of all time, winning world titles in five weight divisions and defeating future fellow International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Wilfred Benítez, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Durán and Marvin Hagler. Leonard was named "Boxer of the Decade" for the 1980s.

 

Early life

 

Leonard, the fifth of seven children, was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to Cicero and Getha Leonard. He grew up in Wilmington, N.C. When he was three, the family moved to Washington, D.C. When he was ten, they settled permanently in Palmer Park, Maryland. His father worked as a supermarket night manager, his mother was a nurse.

 

Leonard was a shy child, and aside from the time he nearly drowned in a creek during a Seat Pleasant flood, his childhood was uneventful. He stayed home a lot, reading comic books and playing with his dog. "He never did talk too much," his mother said. "We never could tell what he was thinking. But I never had any problems with him. I never had to go to school once because of him."

 

Amateur career

 

Leonard started boxing at the Palmer Park recreation center in 1969. His older brother Roger started boxing first. Roger helped start the boxing program, urging the center's director, Ollie Dunlap to form a team. Dave Jacobs, a former boxer, and Janks Morton volunteered as boxing coaches. Roger won some trophies and showed them off in front of Ray, goading him to start boxing.

 

In 1972, Leonard boxed in the featherweight quarterfinals of the National AAU Tournament, losing by decision to Jerome Artis. It was his first defeat. Later that year, he boxed in the Eastern Olympic Trials. The rules stated that a boxer had to be seventeen to box in international competition, so Leonard, only sixteen, lied about his age. He made it to the lightweight semifinals, losing a disputed decision to Greg Whaley, who took such a beating that he wasn't allowed to continue in the trials. Whaley never boxed again.

 

Sarge Johnson, assistant coach of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, said to Dave Jacobs, "That kid you got is sweet as sugar." The nickname stuck. However, given his style and first name, it was probably only a matter of time before people started calling him Sugar Ray, after the man many consider to be the best boxer of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson.

 

In 1973, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves Lightweight Championship, but lost to Randy Shields in the lightweight final of the National AAU Tournament. The following year, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Lightweight Championships.

 

Leonard suffered his last two losses as an amateur in 1973. He lost a disputed decision to Anatoli Kamnev in Moscow, after which, Kamnev gave the winner's trophy to Leonard. In Poland, Kazimier Szczerba was given a decision victory over Leonard, even though he was dominated in the first two rounds and dropped three times in the third.

 

Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Light Welterweight Championships in 1974. The following year, he again won the National AAU Light Welterweight Championship, as well as the Light Welterweight Championship at the Pan American Games.

 

In 1976, Leonard made the U.S. Olympic Team as the light welterweight representative. The team also included Leon and Michael Spinks, Howard Davis, Jr., Leo Randolph, Charles Mooney and John Tate. Many consider the 1976 U.S. team to be the greatest boxing team in the history of the Olympics.

 

Leonard won his first four Olympic bouts by 5–0 decisions. He faced Kazimier Szczerba in the semifinals and won by a 5–0 decision, avenging his last amateur loss. In the final, he boxed the great Cuban knockout artist Andrés Aldama, who scored five straight knockouts to reach the final.

 

Leonard landed several good left hooks in the first round. In the second, he dropped Aldama with a left to the chin. Late in the final round, he again hurt Aldama, which brought a standing eight count from the referee. With only a few seconds left in the fight, a Leonard combination forced another standing eight count. Leonard was awarded a 5–0 decision and the Olympic Gold Medal.

 

Afterward, Leonard announced, "I'm finished...I've fought my last fight. My journey has ended, my dream is fulfilled. Now I want to go to school." He was given a scholarship to the University of Maryland, a gift from the citizens of Glenarden, Maryland. He planned to study business administration and communications.

 

He finished his amateur career with a record of 145–5 and 75 KO's.[11][12]

 

Achievements

 

1973 National Golden Gloves Lightweight Champion, defeating Hilmer Kenty

1973 National AAU Light Welterweight Championship runner-up, losing to Randy Shields

1974 National AAU Light Welterweight Champion

1974 National Golden Gloves Light Welterweight Champion

1975 National AAU Light Welterweight Champion

1975 Pan American Games Light Welterweight Gold Medalist

1976 Olympic Light Welterweight Gold Medalist

 

Olympic Results

 

Defeated Ulf Carlsson (Sweden) points 5–0

Defeated Valery Limassov (Soviet Union) points 5–0

Defeated Clinton McKenzie (Great Britain) points 5–0

Defeated Ulrich Beyer (East Germany) points 5–0

Defeated Kazimierz Szczerba (Poland) points 5–0

Defeated Andrés Aldama (Cuba) points 5–0[13]

 

Change in plans

 

Juanita Wilkinson, Leonard's high school girlfriend, told him she was pregnant in the summer of 1973. They decided to have the baby but marriage would be put off until after the Olympics in 1976. Leonard would continue to pursue his Olympic dream while she and the baby, Ray Charles Leonard Jr., lived with her parents. When Leonard boxed in the Olympics, he had a picture of Wilkinson taped to his sock.

 

Shortly before the Olympics, Wilkinson had filed an application to receive $156 a month in child support payments from Prince Georges County. She named Leonard as the father and the county's state attorney's office filed a civil suit against Leonard to establish paternity and get support payments for the child. Leonard learned of the suit several days after returning home from the Olympics. The headline in the Washington Star read, "Sugar Ray Leonard Named in Welfare Dept. Paternity Suit."

 

Wilkinson went to the Olympics to watch Leonard box, but she did not tell him about the suit and never asked him for any money. "I didn't feel like being bothered by all those complications by asking him for any money for support," she said. Leonard pledged he would support his son, even if he had to scrap plans to attend college.

 

Leonard had hoped to get lucrative endorsements following his gold medal win, but the publicity from the paternity suit chased off any big commercial possibilities. To make matters worse, his father was hospitalized with meningitis, and his mother suffered a heart attack. With neither parent able to work, with his child and the mother of his child to support, and without any endorsement opportunities, Leonard decided to become a professional boxer.

 

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Professional career

Early professional career

 

When Leonard decided to turn professional, Janks Morton introduced him to Mike Trainer, a friend of his who was an attorney. Trainer talked twenty-four of his friends and clients into underwriting Leonard's career with an investment of $21,000 to be repaid within four years at 8% interest. Trainer then made Leonard the sole stockholder in Sugar Ray Leonard, Inc.

 

Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali's trainer, was brought in to be Leonard's trainer and manager. Many of the people being considered wanted absolute control and a cut somewhere near the manager's traditional 33%. Dundee had a different proposition. Although he would prescribe the training procedures, he would leave the day-to-day work to Dave Jacobs and Janks Morton. He would also choose Leonard's opponents. For his services, Dundee would get 15% of Leonard's purse.

 

Leonard made his professional debut on February 5, 1977 before a crowd of 10,270 at the Civic Center in Baltimore, Maryland. He was paid $40,044 for the fight. His opponent was Luis "The Bull" Vega, whom he defeated by a six-round unanimous decision. After the fight, Leonard paid back his $21,000 loan to the investors.

 

In his fourteenth professional fight, Leonard fought his first world-ranked opponent, Floyd Mayweather, who was ranked seventeenth. The fight took place on September 9, 1978. Leonard won by a tenth-round knockout. A month later, Leonard defeated his old amateur nemesis Randy Shields by a ten-round unanimous decision.

 

On August 12, 1979, Leonard knocked out Pete Ranzany in four rounds to win the NABF Welterweight Championship.The following month, he made his first title defense against Andy Price. Many felt that Price would give Leonard a tough fight, but Leonard took him out in the first round, advancing his record to 25–0 with 16 knockouts.

 

First world title

 

Leonard fought Wilfred Benitez for the WBC Welterweight Championship on November 30, 1979 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leonard received $1 million and Benitez, a two-division champion with a record of 38–0–1, received $1.2 million.

 

It was a highly competitive and tactical battle. In the first round, Leonard rocked Benitez with a left hook that came off a jab and right cross. Late in the third, Leonard dropped Benitez on the seat of his pants with a stiff left jab. More embarrassed than hurt, Benitez got up quickly.

 

Benitez started to do better in the fourth, slipping numerous punches and finding the range with his right hand. "I wasn't aware I was in a championship early because I hit him so easy," Leonard said. "But then he adjusted to my style. It was like looking in a mirror."

 

In the sixth, there was an accidental clash of heads, which opened a cut on the forehead of Benitez. Blood flowed down his forehead and the bridge of his nose but stayed out of his eyes.

 

Leonard landed the harder punches and had Benitez hurt several times late in the fight, but Leonard couldn't put him away. Benitez was very slick. "No one, I mean no one, can make me miss punches like that," Leonard said.

 

Going into the final round, Leonard led by scores of 137–130, 137–133, and 136–134. The two went toe-to-toe in the fifteenth. Late in the round, Leonard dropped Benitez with a left. He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. The time was 2:54 of round fifteen.

 

The Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring named Leonard "Fighter of the Year" for 1979.

 

Leonard made his first title defense in Landover, Maryland on March 31, 1980. His opponent was Dave "Boy" Green. The British challenger had a record of 33–2. In the fourth round, Leonard knocked Green out with a devastating left hook. Leonard called it "the hardest single punch I ever threw."

 

The brawl in Montreal

 

On June 20, 1980 Leonard returned to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal to defend his title against Roberto Durán before a crowd of 46,317. Duran, the former Undisputed World Lightweight Champion, had a record of 71–1 and was the #1 welterweight contender. Duran received $1.5 million and Leonard, working for a percentage of the closed-circuit gate as well as a guarantee, received over $9 million.

 

Angelo Dundee counseled Leonard to box, to move side to side and not to get caught on the ropes. However, Leonard decided to fight Duran's way. "Flat-footed," he said. "I will not run."

 

Duran forced the issue and took the fight to Leonard, cutting off the ring and denying Leonard space to fight his fight. Duran attacked at almost every turn. Leonard battled back again and again, but he had to work just to find room to breathe and swing, at times simply to survive. In the second, Duran rocked Leonard with a left hook, sending him into the ropes. Leonard started to do better by the fifth round, finding some punching room and throwing numerous multi-punch combinations. The two fought with great intensity throughout the fight. According to Bill Nack:

 

It was, from almost the opening salvo, a fight that belonged to Duran. The Panamanian seized the evening and gave it what shape and momentum it had. He took control, attacking and driving Leonard against the ropes, bulling him back, hitting him with lefts and rights to the body as he maneuvered the champion against the ropes from corner to corner. Always moving forward, he mauled and wrestled Leonard, scoring inside with hooks and rights. For three rounds Duran drove at Sugar Ray with a fury, and there were moments when it seemed the fight could not last five. Unable to get away, unable to counter and unable to slide away to open up the ring, Leonard seemed almost helpless under the assault. Now and then he got loose and countered—left-right-left to Duran's bobbing head—but he missed punches and could not work inside, could not jab, could not mount an offense to keep Duran at bay.

 

Duran was awarded a unanimous decision, although it was mistakenly read as a majority decision in the ring. The scorecard of judge Angelo Poletti was incorrectly added and announced as 147–147. He actually scored it 148–147. In rounds, he had it three for Duran, two for Leonard, and ten even. Sports Illustrated called his scorecard "a monument to indecision." Judges Raymond Baldeyrou and Harry Gibbs scored the fight 146–144 and 145–144, respectively. The Associated Press had it 144–141 for Duran, while The New York Times had Leonard ahead 144–142.

 

"I did the best I could," Leonard said. "I think I pretty much fought from the heart." Asked if Leonard was the best he ever fought, Duran thought for a moment and then answered, "Si, si." Duran said. "He does have a heart. That's why he's living."

 

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Revenge in New Orleans

 

The rematch took place November 25, 1980 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Leonard received $7 million and Duran received $8 million.

 

Dave Jacobs disagreed with the decision to have an immediate rematch with Duran and terminated his relationship with Leonard when the rematch was made. "My idea is that he should have a tuneup fight before he fights with Roberto again," Jacobs said. "I think he won the fight with Duran, but I don't think it is healthy for him to be fighting Duran right away."

 

After the Montreal fight Duran went on a partying binge and ballooned in weight. Leonard was aware of this, and in an interview for Beyond the Glory he said: "My intention was to fight Duran ASAP because I knew Duran's habits. I knew he would indulge himself, he'd gain 40–50 lbs and then sweat it off to make 147." Unlike the fight in Montreal, Leonard used his superior speed and movement to outbox and befuddle Duran. "The whole fight, I was moving, I was moving," Leonard said. "And Voom! I snapped his head back with a jab. Voom! I snapped it back again. He tried to get me against the ropes, I'd pivot, spin off and Pow! Come under with a punch."

 

In round seven, Leonard started to taunt Duran. Leonard's most memorable punch came late in the round. Winding up his right hand, as if to throw a bolo punch, Leonard snapped out a left jab and caught Duran flush in the face. "It made his eyes water," Leonard said. He continued to taunt Duran mercilessly. He stuck out his chin, inviting Duran to hit it. Duran hesitated. Leonard kept it up, continuing to move, stop, and mug.

 

In the closing seconds of the eighth round, Duran turned his back to Leonard and quit, saying to referee Octavio Meyran, "No Mas." Leonard was the winner by a technical knockout at 2:44 of round eight, regaining the WBC Welterweight Championship. Leonard led by scores of 68–66, 68–66 and 67–66.

 

Duran said he quit because of stomach cramps, caused by overeating after the weigh-in. "At the end of the fifth round, I got cramps in my stomach and it kept getting worse and worse," Duran later said. "I felt weaker and weaker in my body and arms." He then announced, "I am retiring from boxing right now." During the night Duran was admitted to hospital with stomach pains, and discharged the following day.

 

Everyone was surprised by Duran's actions, none more so than his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. "I was shocked," Brown said. "There was no indication that he was in pain or getting weak."Arcel was angry. "That's it," he said. "I've had it. This is terrible. I've handled thousands of fighters and never had anyone quit on me. I think he needs a psychiatrist more than he needs anything else." Durán's manager, Carlos Eleta, said, "Durán didn't quit because of stomach cramps. He quit because he was embarrassed. I know this." According to Randy Gordon, who witnessed Duran's antics beforehand and was in his dressing room immediately afterwards, Duran quit because of his huge eating binge prior to the fight.

 

"I made him quit," Leonard said. "To make a man quit, to make Roberto Duran quit, was better than knocking him out."

 

Second world title

 

On March 28, 1981, Leonard defended his title against Larry Bonds, the WBC sixth-ranked contender, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Bonds was a southpaw, which made him a good opponent for Leonard, given that his next opponent was scheduled to be the WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Ayub Kalule, a southpaw.

 

Leonard was the aggressor throughout, with Bonds circling the ring. He staggered Bonds with a right in the fourth round and dropped him with a follow-up combination. Bonds got up and continued to move, with Leonard in pursuit. Leonard dropped him again in the tenth. Bonds rose but Leonard didn't let him off the hook. The referee stopped the fight with Bonds taking punishment in a corner.[36]

 

Leonard moved up to the junior middleweight division and faced Kalule on June 25, 1981 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. Kalule, who was 36–0, had been the WBA Junior Middleweight Champion for two years.

 

Kalule and his handlers had expected Leonard to use lateral movement against him, but Leonard took the fight to Kalule. After eight tough rounds, he got Kalule in the ninth. Leonard hurt him with a right to the head. Shortly afterward, Leonard dropped him with a right-left-right combination. He got up but when the referee asked him if he was O.K., he shook his head. Leonard celebrated his victory with a full 360-degree, no-hands flip.

 

The Showdown

 

Promoted as "The Showdown", Leonard fought Thomas Hearns on September 16, 1981 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to unify the World Welterweight Championship in a scheduled fifteen-rounder. They fought before a live crowd of 23,618. Hearns was paid $5.1 million, and Leonard made over $11 million.

 

Hearns, 32–0 with 30 knockouts, won the WBA Welterweight Championship in 1980, scoring a second-round knockout of Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas in Detroit, Michigan. He made three successful title defenses, stopping Luis Primera, Randy Shields, and Pablo Baez.

 

The fight began as expected, Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns stalking. Leonard had difficulty with Hearns' long reach and sharp jab. By the end of round five, Leonard had a growing swelling under his left eye, and Hearns had built a considerable lead on the scorecards. Leonard, becoming more aggressive, hurt Hearns in the sixth with a left hook to the chin. Leonard battered Hearns in rounds six and seven, but Hearns regrouped. Hearns started to stick and move, and he started to pile up points again. The roles reversed: Leonard became the stalker and Hearns became the boxer. The fight billed as a classic showdown between a powerful knockout artist and the best boxer/puncher the middleweight division had seen in decades devolved into a tactical and boring fight.

 

Hearns won rounds nine through twelve on all three scorecards. Between rounds twelve and thirteen, Angelo Dundee told Leonard, "You're blowing it, son! You're blowing it!"

 

Leonard, with a badly swollen left eye, came out roaring for the thirteenth round. After hurting Hearns with a right, Leonard exploded with a combination of punches. Hearns' legs were clearly gone and after more pressure from Leonard he was bundled through the ropes, no knockdown was given as it wasn't a punch that sent him there. Hearns managed to rise, but was dropped by a flurry of hard punches near the end of the round.

 

In round fourteen, after staggering Hearns with an overhand right, Leonard pinned Hearns against the ropes, where he unleashed another furious combination, prompting referee Davey Pearl to stop the contest and award Sugar Ray Leonard the Unified World Welterweight Championship. Hearns was leading by scores of 124–122, 125–122, and 125–121.

 

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After the fight, there was controversy due to the scoring of rounds six and seven. Even though Leonard dominated, hurting Hearns and battering him, all three judges gave both rounds to Leonard by a 10–9 margin. Many felt that the ten-point must scoring system was not properly used and those rounds should have been scored 10–8.

 

The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring.

 

Leonard was named "Fighter of the Year" by The Ring and The Boxing Writers Association of America. He was also named "Athlete of the Year" by ABC's Wide World of Sports and "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated.

 

Retirement and return

 

On February 15, 1982, Leonard defended the unified title against Bruce Finch, the WBC #4 contender. Leonard knocked him out in the third round.[40] Leonard's next fight was scheduled to be against Roger Stafford on May 14, 1982 in Buffalo, New York. While training, Leonard started to see floaters. He went to a doctor and discovered that he had a detached retina.

 

On November 9, 1982, after consulting with doctors, friends and family, Leonard invited Marvin Hagler and other boxing dignitaries to a charity event in Baltimore, Maryland. Standing in a boxing ring with ABC's Howard Cosell nearby, Leonard announced his retirement, saying a bout with Hagler would unfortunately never happen. Leonard maintained his eye was fully healed, but that he just didn't want to box anymore.

 

Missing the limelight and the competition, Leonard announced in December 1983 that he was returning to the ring. Leonard boasted that he would have a couple of ten-round bouts and then take on Milton McCrory, Donald Curry, Duran, Hearns and finally Hagler. This decision was met with a torrent of criticism from fans and the media, who felt Leonard was taking unnecessary risks with his surgically repaired eye.

 

A bout with Philadelphia's Kevin Howard, who was 20–4–1, was scheduled for February 25, 1984. The fight was postponed when Leonard had minor corrective surgery on his right eye. This latest eye injury further fueled the flames of those who opposed Leonard's comeback.

 

Before the fight with Howard, Dave Jacobs rejoined Leonard's team in a limited role. Jacobs had quit in 1980, disagreeing with Leonard's decision to have an immediate rematch with Duran.

 

Leonard and Howard fought on May 11, 1984 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Howard knocked Leonard flat on his back in the fourth round. It was the first knockdown of Leonard's professional career. Leonard came back to stop Howard in the ninth round, but the stoppage was disputed, with some feeling that the referee stopped the fight prematurely. Leonard was ahead on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. At the post-fight press conference, Leonard surprised everyone by announcing his retirement again, saying he just didn't have it anymore.[46]

 

The Super Fight

 

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On March 10, 1986, Marvelous Marvin Hagler knocked out John "The Beast" Mugabi in eleven rounds to retain the Undisputed World Middleweight Championship for the twelfth time and advance his record to 62–2–2. "I was ringside," Leonard said. "I'm watching John 'The Beast' Mugabi outbox Hagler. Of all people, John 'The Beast' Mugabi." It was then that Leonard decided to come back and fight Hagler. He called Mike Trainer and said, "I can beat Hagler."

 

On May 1, 1986, Leonard announced on a Washington, D.C. talk show that he would return to the ring to fight Hagler. The announcement generated a lot of controversy because of Leonard's inactivity and eye injuries, yet it also excited many sports fans who had hoped to see them fight years earlier. Hagler took a few months to decide, then agreed to the match.

 

The fight, promoted as "The Super Fight", was scheduled for April 6, 1987 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Leonard was guaranteed $11 million, and Hagler was guaranteed $12 million. Hagler was a heavy favorite. The odds started at 4–1, then settled at 3–1.

 

The original fight plan for Leonard was to go toe-to-toe with Hagler and try to cut him, but the plan changed about five days before the fight. Leonard got hit by sparring partner Quincy Taylor and was badly buckled. "He almost knocked me out," Leonard said. After that, Leonard decided to box Hagler.

 

Many were surprised that Hagler, a natural southpaw, opened the fight boxing out of an orthodox stance. After the quick and slick Leonard won the first two rounds on all three scorecards, Hagler started the third round as a southpaw. Hagler did better, but Leonard's superior speed and boxing skill still allowed him to control the fight. Hagler looked stiff and mechanical and missed the speedy Leonard time and again prompting ringside commentator for the NBC network re-broadcast Gil Clancy to remark "...and is he ever missing...Leonard isn't doing anything to make him miss, he's just missing!"

 

By the fifth, Leonard, who was moving a lot, began to tire and Hagler started to get closer. Hagler buckled Leonard's knees with a right uppercut near the end of the round, which finished with Leonard on the ropes. Hagler continued to score somewhat effectively in round six. Leonard, having slowed down, was obliged to fight more and move less. However, he was able to outpunch Hagler along the ropes and got the better of several bristling exchanges. Hagler never seized control of the fight as he had against Thomas Hearns 2 years earlier brutalizing Tommy and scoring a 3rd round knockout. His punches lacked snap and, although he was scoring solidly to the body, he looked nothing like the dominant fighter he was in ruling the middleweight division for the previous 5 years. Leonard's observation that the Hagler that beat John Mugabi was older and slower proved to be spot on.

 

In rounds seven and eight, Hagler's southpaw jab was landing solidly and Leonard's counter flurries were less frequent. Round nine was the most exciting round of the fight. Hagler hurt Leonard with a left cross and pinned him in a corner. Leonard looked to be in trouble, but he furiously fought his way out of the corner. The action see-sawed back and forth for the rest of the round, with each man having his moments.

 

Round ten was tame by comparison, as the pace slowed after the furious action of the previous round. Despite Leonard's obvious fatigue, he boxed well in the eleventh. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier. Between rounds 11 and 12, Leonard's trainer Angelo Dundee implored Sugar Ray to get up off his stool yelling "We got three minutes...new champ...new champ!" Leonard yelled "Yeah!" and played to the screaming crowd. Hagler's corner was much more reserved prompting Clancy to comment "They're talking to him like it's an IBM meeting or something...no emotion." In the final round, Hagler continued to chase Leonard. He hit Leonard with a big left hand and backed him into a corner. Leonard responded with a furious flurry, landing few punches but whipping the upset hoping crowd into a frenzy. Hagler backed off, and Leonard danced away with Hagler in pursuit. The fight ended with Hagler and Leonard exchanging along the ropes. At the final bell, even uniformed ringside security rushed into the ring applauding and lauding Leonard's effort.

 

Leonard threw 629 punches and landed 306, while Hagler threw 792 and landed 291.

 

Leonard was awarded a controversial split-decision. Judge Dave Moretti scored it 115–113 for Leonard, while judge Lou Filippo had it 115–113 for Hagler. Judge Jose Guerra scored the fight 118–110 for Leonard. Many felt that Hagler deserved the decision because he was the aggressor and landed the harder punches. British boxing journalist Hugh McIlvanney wrote that Leonard's plan was to "steal rounds with a few flashy and carefully timed flurries....he was happy to exaggerate hand speed at the expense of power, and neither he nor two of the scorers seemed bothered by the fact that many of the punches landed on the champion's gloves and arms."

 

Many others felt that Leonard deservedly got the decision, arguing that Leonard landed more punches and showed better defense and ring generalship. Jim Murray, long-time sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, wrote, "It wasn't even close...He didn't just outpoint Hagler, he exposed him. He made him look like a guy chasing a bus. Leonard repeatedly beat Hagler to the punch. When he did, he hit harder. He hit more often. He made Hagler into what he perceived him to be throughout his career—a brawler, a swarmer, a man who could club you to death only if you stood there and let him. If you moved, he was lost."

 

The fight was named "Fight of the Year" and "Upset of the Year" by The Ring.

 

Despite requests from the Hagler camp, Leonard was uninterested in a rematch and retired on May 27, 1987. "I'll try, I'll give it a shot," Leonard said of his latest retirement. "But you guys know me." A month after Hagler's formal retirement in June 1988 Leonard would announce another comeback.

 

Another comeback

 

On November 7, 1988, Leonard made another comeback, facing Don Lalonde at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. They fought for Lalonde's WBC Light Heavyweight Championship and the newly created WBC Super Middleweight Championship, which meant that Lalonde had to make 168 lbs. Many were critical of Leonard for stipulating that his opponent—a natural 175 pounder—should weigh less than his usual fighting weight, weakening him. The newly created Super Middleweight division gave Leonard the opportunity to win a world title in yet another weight class.

 

Lalonde, 31–2 with 26 knockouts, was guaranteed at least $6 million and Leonard was guaranteed over $10 million.

 

This would be Leonard's first professional fight without Angelo Dundee. For Leonard's fight with Hagler, Dundee worked without a contract and received $175,000, which was less than 2% of Leonard's purse. Dundee was unhappy with that amount. He requested a contract for the Lalonde fight and Leonard refused. "I don't have contracts. My word is my bond," Leonard said. Janks Morton and Dave Jacobs trained Leonard for the Lalonde fight.

 

Lalonde's size and awkwardness troubled Leonard. In the fourth round, a right hand to the top of Leonard's head dropped him for just the second time in his career. Early in the ninth, Lalonde hurt Leonard with a right to the chin. Leonard fired back and hurt Lalonde with a right. He drove him to the ropes and unleashed a furious assault. Lalonde tried to tie up Leonard, but got dropped with a powerful left hook. He rose but was soon down again, and the fight was stopped. Judges Chuck Giampa and Franz Marti had Leonard ahead by scores of 77–74 and 77–75, respectively. Judge Stuart Kirshenbaum had Lalonde ahead 76–75.

 

After the fight, Leonard vacated the light heavyweight title, but kept the super middleweight title. Also, Leonard and Janks Morton split because of personal differences. Morton was replaced as co-trainer by Pepe Correa, who had worked with Leonard for most of the previous fifteen years.

 

On June 12, 1989, Leonard defended the WBC Super Middleweight Championship in a rematch with Thomas Hearns at Caesar's Palace. It was promoted as "The War." Hearns was guaranteed $11 million and Leonard was guaranteed $14 million.

 

Hearns dropped Leonard with a right cross in the third round, but Leonard came back and battered Hearns around the ring in the fifth. Early in the seventh round, Hearns hurt Leonard but punched himself out going for the knockout. With Hearns fatigued, Leonard came back and had a strong finish to the round. Rounds nine and ten were good rounds for Leonard, but he ran into trouble in the eleventh round. Three booming rights from Hearns sent Leonard down for the second time in the fight. Knowing he needed a big finish, Leonard fought furiously and had a big final round.

 

The judges scored the fight a draw and Leonard retained the title. Judge Jerry Roth scored the fight 113–112 for Hearns, Judge Tom Kazmarek scored it 113–112 for Leonard, and Judge Dalby Shirley scored it 112–112. Shirley was the only judge to give Leonard a 10–8 margin in the twelfth. If he had scored it 10–9, as his two colleagues did, Hearns would have won by a split decision. The decision was soundly booed, as most felt that Hearns had won. Eventually, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved the decision.

 

On December 7, 1989, Leonard defended the title against Roberto Durán, who was the reigning WBC Middleweight Champion. Duran was guaranteed $7.6 million and Leonard's arrangement guaranteed him over $13 million.

 

For the Duran fight, Leonard cut his entourage from twenty-one to six. Dave Jacobs was one of the people let go, leaving Correa as the sole trainer. Correa was instructed not to spare the whip. "For the first time in a long time, I allowed someone to push me," Leonard said.

 

The fight took place at the new Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Leonard used constant lateral movement and won by a lopsided twelve-round unanimous decision over a listless Duran. The scores were 120–110, 119–109, and 116–111. In a fight that many considered to be very boring, both fighters were booed often by the fans and many left the arena before the decision was announced. Pat Putnam of Sports Illustrated wrote, "Leonard gave them artistic perfection when they wanted heated battle, and they booed lustily. Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint Sunflowers, but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear." The victory over Duran came at the cost of a cut left eye which required multiple stitches to close. Many observed Leonard was lucky championship distance was now 12 rounds instead of the traditional 15. Had Duran inflicted the massive cut with 3-4 rounds to go, it's doubtful Leonard would have been able to finish and Duran would have been credited with one of boxing's great comeback stories.

 

In January 1990, Leonard relinquished the WBC Super Middleweight Championship, saying that he was unsure whether he would fight again. When Leonard decided to continue his career, he offered Hagler a rematch, but Hagler decided to stay retired. He then offered Hearns a third fight, but Hearns said he could no longer make the weight and moved up to the light heavyweight division.

 

On February 9, 1991, Leonard went down to 154 lbs and fought WBC Super Welterweight Champion Terry Norris at Madison Square Garden. Norris dominated the fight. He knocked Leonard down with a left hook in the second round, and in the seventh, he dropped Leonard again with a short right. This time, it was Sugar Ray who looked awkward and slow. His vaunted and crisp flurries that wowed judges and fans alike were now sloppy and wide. Unable to turn his punches over crisply, Leonard often slapped at his opponent. Leonard went the distance but lost by a lopsided decision. The scores were 120–104, 119–103, and 116–110. After the verdict was announced, Leonard announced his retirement. "It took this fight to show me it is no longer my time," Leonard said. "Tonight was my last fight. I know how Hagler felt now."

 

The last comeback

 

In October 1996, the 40-year-old Leonard announced that he was coming out of retirement to fight Héctor Camacho for the lightly regarded IBC Middleweight Championship. Camacho, a quick southpaw, had a record of 62–3–1.

 

Leonard attributed his poor performance against Norris to lack of motivation, a rib injury, moving down in weight, and divorce, which was being litigated while he was in training. "It was stupid for me to fight Norris at 154 lbs," Leonard said. "This is different. I'm in the best shape possible."[

 

For the Camacho fight, Leonard had a new trainer, Adrian Davis. "He's a great trainer, a throwback," Leonard said. "He has really helped me get ready."

 

In January 1997, it was announced that Leonard had been voted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York. The rules state that a boxer must be retired for five years before being eligible for induction. When the vote took place, Leonard had been retired for more than five years, therefore, he was eligible, even though he had a fight scheduled. The induction ceremony was on June 15, 1997.

 

The fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Leonard held his own in the first two rounds, but Camacho, who applied pressure from the opening bell, started to score well in the third. He continued to score well in the fourth and opened a cut above Leonard's right eye. In the fifth, Camacho dropped Leonard with a right followed by two left uppercuts. Leonard got up, but was unable to ward off Camacho. The referee stopped the fight with Leonard taking punishment on the ropes.

 

Afterward, Leonard retired again, saying, "For sure, my career is definitely over for me in the ring." However, less than a week after the fight, Leonard said he planned to fight again. He blamed his loss on a torn right calf muscle. His doctor suggested that he cancel the fight, but Leonard wanted to go through with it. Before the fight, he was given a shot of novacaine.

 

Leonard said he planned to have a series of tuneup fights before fighting a champion. He was scheduled to fight Tony Menefee on February 15, 1998 in Australia, but he pulled out of the fight, saying that he didn't have the motivation. The Camacho fight was Leonard's last. He finished his career with a record of 36–3–1 with 25 knockouts.

 

Source: wikipedia

[WelshDevilRob]

Nominated by Razz-MCFC

 

Sugar Ray Leonard

 

"Ray is one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the sport and he really did have the complete package. Slick, brilliant footwork, flashy hand speed, quick reflexes, timing and an immaculate set of boxing skills to match. When you comb the history books you'll struggle to find many, if any better technical boxers than Sugar Ray, with the exception of his namesake, Sugar Ray Robinson. Add to that his record is outstanding with wins over fellow elite fighters, and future hall of famers such as 'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler, Tommy 'Hitman' Hearns, Roberto Duran and Wilfred Benitez.

 

He really did demonstrate the true meaning of the term 'the sweet science'.

 

Anybody who knows their boxing knows Sugar Ray Leonard is a dead certain for any hall of fame."

[WelshDevilRob]

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hd2UOFou0Uw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r8INHy35zWg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[gavpowell]

He was cynical and opportunistic, but he fought the best and was the first fighter to make my jaw drop when I saw him in action. Got my vote.

[davemurphy]

An easy vote, not much thought requried here.

[Dallen]

You dont even have to ask a big yes for me

[McBride]

Not achance.

 

Was doing what Pakow does now when he and his family were still scavanging out of Fillipino dustbins.

 

Obviously a huge talent, but equally as obviously lacked the confidence in that talent, hence him being the most manipulative wanker in the recent history of the sport.

[WelshDevilRob]

Like the articles state he beat fellow Hall of Famers and that's some accomplishment.

 

He is possibly the most gifted fighter I have seen. Full range of punches, tremendous hand and foot speed, heart, killer Instinct, tenacity - infact I'd say he was the complete fighter.

[Siren1927]

Not achance.

 

Was doing what Pakow does now when he and his family were still scavanging out of Fillipino dustbins.

 

Obviously a huge talent, but equally as obviously lacked the confidence in that talent, hence him being the most manipulative wanker in the recent history of the sport.

 

lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol//

 

No Brainer and a yes

[RAZZ-MCFC]

Not achance.

 

Was doing what Pakow does now when he and his family were still scavanging out of Fillipino dustbins.

 

Obviously a huge talent, but equally as obviously lacked the confidence in that talent, hence him being the most manipulative wanker in the recent history of the sport.

 

lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol// lol//

 

No Brainer and a yes

 

What i thought as well...

 

May have been manipulative but he still beat the best there was to offer including 3 ATG's, as well as being one of the best ever pure boxers.

 

His opinion at the end of the day though but i would of thought if Nigel Benn gets the nod for him then Sugar Ray most definitely should

[McBride]

Nigel Benn did not demand all sorts of crap to agree to fights, and as sure as hell he didn't get stopped by a powder puff puncher like Hector Camacho at any stage of his career.

 

If people like Siren and other divs think its funny for one fighter to manipulate and control the sport with their demands, like objecting to referees and judges that they dont think suits them, good enough, but then dont piss and whinge when fighters take drugs to ensure they have an advantage.

 

My 2 favourite Leonard fights to watch are the humiliations he suffered at the hands of Norris, and Camacho, where all his bullshit didn't pay off.

[Crusader]

He was one of great, but my personal vote is no !!

 

SRL represents the type of fighter that I do not like it at all and as a personal's vote is also the result of passion, emotion...Leonard gives me the same feeling that gives me the hard-disk of my personal computer...obviously is just my opinion

[smokin]

as a fighter yes

[McBride]

[

 

His opinion at the end of the day though but i would of thought if Nigel Benn gets the nod for him then Sugar Ray most definitely should

 

It seems as though I'm not the only one, and with all due respect these two guy are complete opposites. Benn came across as a give me an opponent, and a destination and I'll fight the guy.

 

Leonard wanted every kind of favour and advabtage available, then pushed for more or spat his dummy out.

 

I dont think anyone would claim Benn had the skills of Leonard tbf.

[RAZZ-MCFC]

[

 

His opinion at the end of the day though but i would of thought if Nigel Benn gets the nod for him then Sugar Ray most definitely should

 

It seems as though I'm not the only one, and with all due respect these two guy are complete opposites. Benn came across as a give me an opponent, and a destination and I'll fight the guy.

 

Leonard wanted every kind of favour and advabtage available, then pushed for more or spat his dummy out.

 

I dont think anyone would claim Benn had the skills of Leonard tbf.

 

That's fair enough mate and like i said it's opinions at the end of the day

[Yiddle]

leonard yes

[DemolitionDan]

Leonard I do think is overrated by most, but he is a definite yes from me. He has a good resume and superb skills.

[londoner]

Definite yes.

 

Some people say he dodged Aaron Pryor or Mike McCallum but no boxer can fight every single contender. It's impossible. Most fans are fine with a boxer naturally missing out half a dozen or so other great boxers of his era.

 

But, for all the boxers he didn't fight, he did fight even better ones. He fought Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns (twice), Roberto Duran (3 times), Wilfred Benitez, Ayub Kalule, Donny Lalonde, Dave Green, Terry Norris, Hector Camacho. That's a pretty decent list of opponents.

 

One criticism i do have of him is that he is not a 5 weight World champion. Not even close. He's at best a 3 weight World champion or even 2 weight. He beat the main guys at welterweight and he dethroned the number one middleweight in the World. That makes him a genuine champion at 147 and 160.

 

As for the other titles he won.....

 

- He beat Ayub Kalule in 1981 for the WBA light middleweight title. The WBC champion was Maurice Hope. I would say Kalule was the better of the two champions so have no problem with Leonard beating Kalule. But, he won the title and then gave it straight up. He isn't the first to do that and won't be the last. But, that isn't a title reign. It is what it is: A cheap win. Grab the title, drop the title, move back down.

 

- He beat Donny Lalonde in 1988 for the light heavyweight and vacant super middleweight titles. Yeah, you can't make this up! Two titles for two different weight classes in ONE fight. And we complain about World titles today!!!

 

His win against Lalone was a good one. Lalonde was a decent competitor. But, the other champions at 175 at the time were: Virgil Hill (WBA), Charles Williams (IBF) and Michael Moorer (WBO). All 3 of those fighters went on to have long reigns with those titles. I think those 3 are all better than Donny Lalonde. Leonard beat the easiest of the 4 World champions at 175.

 

He would then drop the light heavyweight title because otherwise he would have to have fought the 3 other champions who i think he would have been underdog against.

 

- He kept the super middleweight title and would defend it against Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. Neither of those had any business at super middleweight. Other contenders around at 160-168 in the late 80s/early 90s included Benn, Eubank, Collins, Nunn, Toney, McCallum, Rocchigiani etc.

 

I don't consider him to have won the light middleweight, super middleweight or light heavyweight titles.

 

However, despite all that he DID have a very good reign at welterweight, he did beat the best middleweight in the World and he did have some very decent wins. Definite yes from me but his career is nowhere near as fantastic as many people seem to think.

[WelshDevilRob]

'Sugar' Ray Leonard has qualified for the Ringnews24/Budweiser Boxing Hall of Fame with over 85% 'Yes' votes after 20 votes.