when did sugar ray leonard die

It was just a death notice in the local paper a few lines with a photo. Education: Graduated from high school in Palmer Park, MD. In the first round, Leonard rocked Benitez with a left hook that came off a jab and right cross. He continued to score well in the fourth and opened a cut above Leonard's right eye. "This is different. While Hagler was grinding away against hard cases, Leonard was chilling and saving himself for the right moment. Leonard's most memorable punch came late in the round. He staggered Bonds with a right in the fourth round and dropped him with a follow-up combination. [50], Leonard and Howard fought on May 11, 1984, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Morton was replaced as co-trainer by Pepe Correa, who had worked with Leonard for most of the previous fifteen years.[63]. "I'm watching John 'The Beast' Mugabi outbox Hagler. Leonard received $1 million and Benitez, a two-division champion with a record of 3801, received $1.2 million. [14]:78, In 1973, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves Lightweight Championship but lost to Randy Shields in the lightweight final of the National AAU Tournament. Sugar Ray Leonard | Encyclopedia.com Leonard was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF . Leonard maintained his eye was fully healed, but that he just didn't want to box anymore. Durn meanwhile had won his third world title in 1983 rising from the ashes of No ms . In the fifth, Camacho dropped Leonard with a right followed by two left uppercuts. The fight was named "Fight of the Year" and "Upset of the Year" by The Ring. Hagler epitomized the savage side of boxing's great divide, a man tough enough, had he been born a hundred or so years earlier, to thrive as a bare-knuckle bruiser in fights to the finish. [86] He appeared as a guest at the chef's table, along with Tito Ortiz, during the tenth season of Hell's Kitchen. If I'd laid that riff on my father, he would have called it "bloody nonsense" and poured himself another bourbon. I'm in the best shape possible. Hearns, 320 with 30 knockouts, won the WBA Welterweight Championship in 1980, scoring a second-round knockout of Jos "Pipino" Cuevas in Detroit, Michigan. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. This would be Leonard's first professional fight without Angelo Dundee. Here's what to expect, Divisional rankings: Boots Ennis shines in welterweight showdown, Women's boxing divisional rankings: A new No. They fought before a live crowd of 23,618. Stylistic progression also played a role. [75] 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. As the manly art gradually morphed into the manly art of self defense, one deep-rooted ethos held fast until this very day -- the love of knockouts and the breed of fighter who seeks them. It slapped you in the face almost as hard as the desert heat. The scores were 120110, 119109, and 116111. Corrections? The take-as-few-risks-as-possible methodology reached its apex in Floyd Mayweather Jr. Sugar Ray Leonard, byname of Ray Charles Leonard, (born May 17, 1956, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S.), American boxer, known for his agility and finesse, who won 36 of 40 professional matches and various titles. Durn's manager, Carlos Eleta, said, "Durn didn't quit because of stomach cramps. Leonard looked to be in trouble, but he furiously fought his way out of the corner. [14]:6568, Leonard made his professional debut on February 5, 1977, before a crowd of 10,270 at the Civic Center in Baltimore. [12] The family moved to Washington, D.C., when he was three, and they settled permanently in Palmer Park, Maryland when he was ten. [62], After the fight, Leonard vacated the light heavyweight title, but kept the super middleweight title. [95] He has since made public appearances to bring attention to the issue of child sex abuse, declaring himself a "poster child" for the cause and encouraging victims to report their abuse.[96]. "It was stupid for me to fight Norris at 154 lbs", Leonard said. [4] Last fight and death He bent but refused to break and used his opponent's anger against him. Durn, the former Undisputed World Lightweight Champion for .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6+12 years, had a record of 711 and was the #1 welterweight contender and considered the best "Pound for Pound" fighter in the world. Paternity Suit". [14]:93 A month later, Leonard defeated his old amateur nemesis Randy Shields by a ten-round unanimous decision. Updates? According to Bob Arum, the fight grossed $78 million (which equates to around $179 million in 2020). Leonard entered the bout as a 3-1 favorite, but Norris dominated the fight, giving Leonard a heavy beating. "It made his eyes water", Leonard said. The fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roberto Durn, byname Manos de Piedra (Spanish: "Hands of Stone"), (born June 16, 1951, Guarar, Panama), Panamanian professional boxer who was world lightweight, welterweight, junior-middleweight, and middleweight champion. He has appeared in numerous television shows, including Half & Half, L.A. Heat, Married with Children, Renegade and Tales From The Crypt. Sugar Ray Leonard Reveals a Rare Photo of His Parents It took him a long time to reach the top, much longer than it should have. My journey has ended, my dream is fulfilled. After the bout Hagler stated it may be his last fight. [88] In 1984, they had another son, Jarrell. He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. Leonard suffered his last two losses as an amateur in 1974. The working environment was not healthy."[84]. However, Lalonde later told HBO's Larry Merchant that he didn't have any trouble making weight.[59]. His mother said: "He never did talk too much. Leonard fought just the way he told everybody he would, winning one round at a time, using lateral movement and hand speed. Following his Olympic victory in 1976, he announced his retirement from the sport but reentered the ring as a professional on February 5, 1977. "To make a man quit, to make Roberto Durn quit, was better than knocking him out."[35]. Leonard knocked him out in the third round. He lost a disputed decision to Anatoli Kamnev in Moscow, after which, Kamnev gave the winner's trophy to Leonard. During negotiations he acquiesced to the defending champion's demand for an extra million dollars, providing the match was scheduled for 12 rounds instead of 15. "It took this fight to show me it is no longer my time", Leonard said. That's why he's living."[32][33]. In snowshoesLeonard repeatedly beat Hagler to the punch. In the late 1970s a young fighter named Ray Leonard began using the old " Sugar Ray . Amateurboxer, 1969-76; professional boxer, 1976-91. During his 20-year career as a professional boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard won world titles in five weight classes, became the first in his sport to earn more than $100 million in prize money, and . He was given a scholarship to the University of Maryland, a gift from the citizens of Glenarden, Maryland. [80], Leonard has also worked as an actor. "But you guys know me. If different fighters were involved, it would have been a decision that ended with reasonable people agreeing to disagree, but not with Leonard-Hagler. "[56], Many others felt that Leonard deservedly got the decision, arguing that Leonard landed more punches and showed better defense and ring generalship. Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Middleweight Champion of the 1980s, Dies at 66 [76], Leonard has worked as a boxing analyst for ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, HBO and EPIX. 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. Late in the third, Leonard dropped Benitez on the seat of his pants with a stiff left jab. I took great pride in it. Leonard, having slowed down, was obliged to fight more and move less. "But then he adjusted to my style. 1 at super middleweight. Kalule got up but the referee waved it off. Sixty-six fights during a 14-year pro career had worn Hagler down. Leonard pledged he would support his son, even if he had to scrap plans to attend college. [15], Sarge Johnson, assistant coach of the US Olympic Boxing Team, said to Dave Jacobs, "That kid you got is sweet as sugar". Sugar Ray Leonard The referee stopped the fight with Camacho teeing off on a defenseless Leonard on the ropes. But to fully understand the long-running quarrel, we must look beyond punches thrown and landed, beyond rounds lost and won. This movie brought back memories of his fight with Dicky Eklund. he got shot in a house of two grand ppls. [60][61], Lalonde's size and awkwardness troubled Leonard. On May 1, 1986, Leonard announced on a Washington, D.C. talk show that he would return to the ring to fight Hagler. Leonard was ahead on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. The magnitude of the match definitely had something to do with it. He hit more oftenHe made Hagler into what he perceived him to be throughout his careera brawler, a swarmer, a man who could club you to death only if you stood there and let him. "[37] According to Randy Gordon, who witnessed Durn's antics beforehand and was in his dressing room immediately afterwards, Durn quit because of his huge eating binge prior to the fight. Even though Leonard dominated, hurting Hearns and battering him, all three judges gave both rounds to Leonard by a 109 margin. Well, that was the image, anyway. Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Style Breakdown | Boxing Life Sugar Ray Robinson, Boxing's 'Best,' Is Dead (Published 1989) Sugar Ray Leonard. Sugar Ray Leonard - Record, Age & Olympics - Biography He attended Parkdale High School. 19522000: 6063.5 kg, 20042012: 6064 kg. Professional career Doyle made his debut as a professional boxer in 1941 [3] and in 1947 lost to Sugar Ray Robinson by 8th round TKO. Leonard celebrated his victory with a full 360-degree, no-hands flip. WASHINGTON POST Fans flinched as much as Sugar Ray Leonard himself when Roberto Duran landed a right-handed punch on Leonard's left eye late in the 11th round of their fight in Las Vegas. Round nine was the most exciting round of the fight. He had a falling out with partner Bjorn Rebney, whom he called "a cancer in my company. At a Glance Born May 17, 1956, in Wilmington, NC; son ofCiceroand Getha Leonard; married Juanita Wilkinson January 19, 1980 (divorced, 1991); married Bernadette Robi (a model), August 20, 1993; children: (first marriage) Ray Jr., Jarre!. For many years, Leonard has been the International Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk for a Cure and is actively involved in raising both awareness and funds. Dave Jacobs was one of the people let go, leaving Correa as the sole trainer. "I've had it. I snapped his head back with a jab. The fight capitals of the world and the biggest fights to happen in them. The worst of them can make you feel ashamed of being associated with such a corrupt enterprise. "I felt weaker and weaker in my body and arms." Late in the final round, he again hurt Aldama, which brought a standing eight count from the referee. It was the first knockdown of Leonard's professional career. Durn said. "Michael Gene Trainer (Age 74) "On Wednesday, December 2, 2015 of Bethesda, Maryland at his home. 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. By 1983, Sugar Ray Leonard had already come out of retirement to face Hearns earning his second championship. He quit because he was embarrassed. [11], Leonard, the fifth of seven children of Cicero and Getha Leonard, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. [54], Leonard threw 629 punches and landed 306, while Hagler threw 792 and landed 291. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Thirteen years later, during induction weekend at the International Boxing Hall of Fame, my father interrupted Hagler's lunch to tell him he'd been robbed. It was his first defeat. "There was no indication that he was in pain or getting weak. Sports Illustrated called his scorecard "a monument to indecision." In November 1979 Leonard defeated the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion, Wilfred Bentez, only to lose the title in June 1980 in a famous match against Roberto Durn. On December 7, 1989, Leonard defended the title against Roberto Durn, who was the reigning WBC Middleweight Champion. No Problems Foreseen for Leonard's Eye Juanita W. Leonard, the ex-wife of former boxing champion and hometown hero Sugar Ray Leonard, said yesterday she was "shocked and outraged" by the recent disclosure of his cocaine . So heart-melting! "He's a great trainer, a throwback", Leonard said. Camacho applied pressure from the opening bell and started to score well in the third. Standing in a boxing ring with Howard Cosell, the master of ceremonies, Leonard announced his retirement, saying a bout with Hagler would unfortunately never happen. During the quarantine, he reflected . Winding up his right hand, as if to throw a bolo punch, Leonard snapped out a left jab and caught Durn flush in the face. In fact-checking the Hands of Stone movie, we learned that Roberto Duran received $1.65 million for the June 20, 1980 fight and Sugar Ray Leonard took home nearly $8.5 million, making him the highest-paid boxer in history at the time. Although he would prescribe the training procedures, he would leave the day-to-day work to Dave Jacobs and Janks Morton. Hearns won rounds nine through twelve on all three scorecards. Lalonde tried to tie up Leonard but got dropped with a powerful left hook. But I never had any problems with him. "Tonight, was my last fight. 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. But Leonard-Hagler wasn't one of those, certainly not in the same vein as Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis I, Tim Bradley-Manny Pacquiao I and countless other monstrosities. 12-12-2009, 03:33 PM Can you name me some great boxers who didn't lift any weights or even did any push-ups? His relationship with HBO lasted for more than a decade. Leonard was guaranteed $11 million, and Hagler was guaranteed $12 million. Considered one of the best fighters of all time, Ray Leonard burst onto the international scene by winning the light-welterweight gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. After the quick and slick Leonard won the first two rounds on all three scorecards, Hagler started the third round as a southpaw. It's as simple as that. Leonard testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs in 2009. Leonard learned of the suit several days after returning home from the Olympics. His lower lip was cut from a headbutt in the fourth round, his left eye was cut in the eleventh round, and his right eye was cut in the twelfth round. See answer (1) Best Answer. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier and more eye-catching, if not as effective. 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. Boxers who never did weights/pushups? - Boxing Forum Kalule and his handlers had expected Leonard to use lateral movement against him, but Leonard chose to fight inside instead. HBO believed it would be inappropriate for Leonard to continue with them if they couldn't bid on his fights. [46], On November 9, 1982, Leonard invited Marvin Hagler and other boxing dignitaries to a charity event in Baltimore, Maryland to hear him announce whether he would continue his career. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sugar-Ray-Leonard, Turner Classic Movies - Biography of Sugar Ray Leonard, Official Site of Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation, BlackPast - Biography of Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Leonard - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). I used when I felt bad, I used when I missed competing at that level", he said. "I was shocked", Brown said. "He almost knocked me out", Leonard said. Hearns was paid $5.1 million, and Leonard made over $11 million. Leonard and Robi were married at Leonard's $8.7 million estate in Pacific Palisades, California in August 1993. In 2007 he was awarded The Ambassador Award of Excellence by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission at the Riviera Country Club for his continued community involvement. It was like looking in a mirror". He retired from the sport in 1997 and was inducted into the Boxing Hall. Leonard had difficulty with Hearns' long reach and sharp jab. Despite Leonard's obvious fatigue, he boxed well in the eleventh. In 2009, the foundation expanded to support programs that help people rebuild their communities in ten cities across the United States. Come under with a punch.". Hearns was leading by scores of 124122, 125122, and 125121. Ever. His opponent was Dave "Boy" Green. [14]:3334,43, 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. Leonard called it "the hardest single punch I ever threw."[30]. Jacobs had quit in 1980, disagreeing with Leonard's decision to have an immediate rematch with Durn. Sugar Ray Leonard | Biography, Record, & Facts | Britannica He is survived by . In 1976, Leonard made the U.S. Olympic Team as the light welterweight representative. Turning Pro Duran vs Leonard (Getty Images) He testified about the burden of diabetes and the need for continued research funding to find a cure.[93]. Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Light Welterweight Championships in 1974. A paying crowd of 12,379 generated a live gate of $6.2 million. But boxing was our safe zone where a shared love of the fight game trumped the rest of the world and its troubles. The smell of money was everywhere. "I was ringside", Leonard said. Hagler backed off, and Leonard danced away with Hagler in pursuit. [34], After the Montreal fight Durn went on a partying binge and ballooned in weight. Study now. Equipped with speed, ability and charisma, Sugar Ray Leonard, filled the boxing void left when Muhammad Ali retired in 1981. Afterward, Leonard announced, "I'm finishedI've fought my last fight. Five months later Leonard regained the title by defeating Durn, and he successfully defended it thereafter, winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) version of the title with a victory over Thomas Hearns in 1981. Leonard didn't wait until the fight started to begin outmaneuvering Hagler. Many felt that Hagler deserved the decision because he was the aggressor and landed the harder punches. "[36] Arcel was angry. This is terrible. Famous Athletes Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Leonard was a champion Olympic and professional welterweight boxer. 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. As an amateur, he took an Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight class at the 1976 Games in Montreal. It was Guerra's score that fired up Hagler supporters and fueled rumors of a fix. The duality creates the whole. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? 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. Durn was guaranteed $7.6 million, and Leonard's arrangement guaranteed him over $13 million.[65]. The three finalists were Robinson, Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali. Even a guy named Marvelous Marvin, who once posed in a superhero costume for a magazine cover, is ultimately as vulnerable to the vagaries of the ring as anybody else. For the Durn fight, Leonard cut his entourage from twenty-one to six. He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. on May 17, 1956. How to fix boxing: Why is it so difficult to make the 'big fights'? Roberto Durn The scorecard of judge Angelo Poletti was incorrectly added and announced as 147147. Total agreement is as remote as the possibility of a rematch. Camacho, a light-hitting southpaw, was a three-time world champion with a record of 6231. [40] Despite an official stoppage time of 2.59, the fight was actually stopped at 3.06 into the round, meaning Kalule should have been saved by the bell.[41]. Hearns dropped Leonard with a right cross in the third round, but Leonard came back and battered Hearns around the ring in the fifth. Sugar Ray Leonard says he was sexually abused by his boxing coach starting at the age of 15. Always moving forward, he mauled and wrestled Leonard, scoring inside with hooks and rights. Eventually, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved the decision[citation needed]. He retired after the fight with a record of 36 wins (25 by knockout), 3 losses, and 1 draw. Leonard, becoming more aggressive, hurt Hearns in the sixth with a left hook to the chin. 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. Leonard was the boyishly handsome darling of the 1976 Olympics, a gifted charmer groomed for greatness. In the closing seconds of the eighth round, Durn turned his back to Leonard and quit, saying to referee Octavio Meyran, "No Ms" (English: "No more"). Leonard and his wife, Bernadette, founded the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and its annual Walk for a Cure. The fight was cancelled, and Leonard had surgery to repair the retina on May 9, 1982. Part of it was true, but as anybody who actually paid attention to what Leonard did inside the ring could attest, he was a stone-cold assassin. Leonard started boxing at the Palmer Park Recreation Center in 1969. "[91] In 2011, Leonard revealed in an NPR interview that he had been free of alcohol since July 2006. Asked if Leonard was the best he ever fought, Durn thought for a moment and then answered, "Si, si." Roberto Durn Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. While it's hard to imagine Leonard participating in bouts conducted under the old London Prize Ring Rules, he and Hagler had more in common than you might think. It ended in 1990, after HBO was not offered an opportunity to bid on the telecast rights to Leonard's fight with Terry Norris. With the American public in search of a new boxing superstar, Leonard came along at precisely the right time. The induction ceremony was on June 15, 1997.[73]. The rules stated that a boxer had to be seventeen to box in international competition, so Leonard, only sixteen, lied about his age. The fight began as expected Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns's stalking. Maybe that's as close as we're going to get to some sort of understanding. Some of us like punchers best, other prefer boxers. I can't give green k, but I'd appreciate. If you moved, he was lost."[57]. Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to "Sugar" Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday. [55], Leonard was awarded a controversial split-decision. On November 7, 1988, Leonard made another comeback, facing Donny Lalonde at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. The indirect impact on the Las Vegas economy was $350 million. In the fourth round, Leonard knocked Green out with a devastating left hook. Leonard married his high school sweetheart, Juanita Wilkinson, in January 1980. And why are opinions so dogmatic? [47], Missing the limelight and the competition, Leonard announced in December 1983 that he was returning to the ring. It was that kind of decision, felt deeply and passionately by both sides. Everyone was surprised by Durn's actions, none more so than his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. Image via Complex Original. Britannica Quiz I Am the Greatest (Athlete) "And Voom! Just like most of the world, former pro boxer Sugar Ray Leonard was stuck indoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Ring Magazine/The Ring Magazine/Getty Images) Why did he quit? That's almost $153 million in today's money. Jimmy Doyle (boxer) Sugar Ray Leonard IBHoF Bio Name: Ray Leonard Alias: Sugar Birth Name: Ray Charles Leonard Hometown: Palmer Park, Maryland, USA Birthplace: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA Stance: Orthodox Height: 175cm Reach: 179cm Promoter: Record Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Trainers: Angelo Dundee, Dave Jacobs, Janks Morton, Pepe Correa, Adrian Davis The Camacho fight was Leonard's last. Shortly before the Olympics, Wilkinson had filed an application to receive $156 a month in child support payments from Prince George's County, Maryland. Before the fight, he was given a shot of novocaine. The following month, he made his first title defense against Andy Price. The scorecards from the ringside press and broadcast media attest to the polarizing views and opinions of the fight. During divorce proceedings, Juanita Leonard testified that her husband physically abused her while under the influence of alcohol.
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