On June 12, 1989, Leonard defended the WBC Super Middleweight Championship in a rematch with Thomas Hearns at Caesar's Palace. In the first round, Leonard rocked Benitez with a left hook that came off a jab and right cross. In his later years, Robinson worked in show business, even doing some television acting. I've handled thousands of fighters and never had anyone quit on me. Voom! Bonds rose but Leonard didn't let him off the hook. In their 2nd fight, a 30-year old Thomas Hearns (46-3, 38 KO) faced Sugar Ray Leonard again, who was now 33 years old with a record of 35-1 in a super-middleweight title defense fight. "I decided to search for a substituteI resorted to cocaine. I'm in the best shape possible. Named after Ray Charles, Leonard's parents reportedly wanted him to become a singer, although as . They fought for Lalonde's WBC Light Heavyweight Championship and the newly created WBC Super Middleweight Championship, which meant that Lalonde had to make 168lbs. Many felt that the ten-point must scoring system was not properly used and those rounds should have been scored 108. 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. The working environment was not healthy."[84]. Juanita Wilkinson, Leonard's high school girlfriend, told him she was pregnant in the summer of 1973. Everyone was surprised by Durn's actions, none more so than his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. "I'm watching John 'The Beast' Mugabi outbox Hagler. Many of the people being considered wanted absolute control and a cut somewhere near the manager's traditional 33%. Six years later, Robinson captured the middleweight title for the first time by defeating Jake LaMotta. Astrological Sign: Taurus. Leonard landed several good left hooks in the first round. Leonard entered the bout as a 3-1 favorite but Norris dominated the fight, giving Leonard a heavy beating. Leonard went the distance but lost by a lopsided decision. Robinson, who had a son from a previous marriage, helped raise Millie's two children. Judges Raymond Baldeyrou and Harry Gibbs scored the fight 146144 and 145144, respectively. 2 of his losses came after his first retirement. [89] They were divorced in 1990. In the fourth round, Leonard knocked Green out with a devastating left hook. He never liked being called "The Hit Man," and after going nearly 14 rounds with nemesis Sugar Ray Leonard under the bright lights at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Tommy . Photo: Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images, Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Sugar Ray Robinson, Birth Year: 1921, Birth date: May 3, 1921, Birth State: Georgia, Birth City: Ailey, Birth Country: United States. The first fight occurred in '81 and was a highly anticipated welterweight unification match. It didn't take much for Robinson, who'd been a neighbor of heavyweight champ Joe Louis back in Detroit, to strap on fighting gloves. With little money Robinson helped his mother save for an apartment by earning change dancing for strangers in Times Square the Smiths built their new life in a section of Harlem dominated by flophouses and gangsters. Yet the book is not really about boxing. In his prime, he was unstoppable. Correa was instructed not to spare the whip. The fight ended in a 12 . In 1991 the brilliant career of Sugar Ray Leonard appeared to have finally come to an end. [12] The family moved to Washington, D.C., when he was three, and they settled permanently in Palmer Park, Maryland when he was ten. When his fighting days were over, however, he was getting beaten up. Bonds was a southpaw, which made him a good opponent for Leonard, given that his next opponent was scheduled to be the WBA Light Middleweight Champion Ayub Kalule, a southpaw. "He has really helped me get ready. But even though it was bereft of some of the normal fight card touches, this show offered a fun presentation of boxing that never mocked the sport. Roberto Duran, known as one of the greatest boxers of all time, held world championships in four weight classes during his career and met Sugar Ray Leonard in the ring for the first time in June 1980. Robi is the daughter of Paul Robi, one of the original Platters, and she is the ex-wife of Lynn Swann. Leonard received $1 million and Benitez, a two-division champion with a record of 3801, received $1.2 million. "[77], Leonard has provided commercial endorsements for companies including Coca-Cola, EA Sports, Ford, Nabisco, Revlon and 7 Up. He lost it to Roberto Durn by a close decision in June 1980 and regained it five months later in the infamous No Ms Fight, in which Duran quit in the eighth round. His opponent was Luis "The Bull" Vega, whom he defeated by a six-round unanimous decision. Death Year: 1989, Death date: April 12, 1989, Death State: California, Death City: Culver City, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sugar Ray Robinson Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sugar-ray-robinson, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 13, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. "He's got the three B's," Sammy Davis Jr. said of Seales at a 1984 benefit for the fighter. Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler fight for the WBC and Ring middleweight titles on April 6, 1987 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Or why Roberto Durn was acting out of prudence, not cowardice, when he quit in his second fight against Leonard. [55], Leonard was awarded a controversial split-decision. He then announced, "I am retiring from boxing right now." Leonard's attorney, Mike Trainer, said, "There never has been a linkage between his broadcasting and his fighting. His most famous commercial was a 7 Up ad he did with his son, Ray Jr., Roberto Durn and Durn's son Roberto Jr. in the early 1980s. After Foreman's thrilling challenge of Holyfield-Don King asked Tyson to fight him. Kalule, who was 360, had been the WBA Light Middleweight Champion for two years. Leonard finally hurt him with a right to the head. On hand that . Robinson wouldn't go by his birth name for the rest of his career. Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns during their first fight, on September 16, 1981 in Las Vegas. Picking himself off the canvas twice, Leonard showed . 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. Robinson inspired Ali's famous matador style, which he used to defeat Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title in 1964. [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. The rematch, billed as "Stone vs. Sugar.. Once Again", took place November 25, 1980 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans in front of 25,038 fans. Dickie's fight against Sugar Ray Leonard was on July 18, 1978 at the Hynes Memorial Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts. Hagler's undisputed status ended when the WBA stripped him of the title for choosing to fight Sugar Ray Leonard instead of mandatory challenger, Herol Graham. The scorecard of judge Angelo Poletti was incorrectly added and announced as 147147. Scottish boxing journalist Hugh McIlvanney wrote that Leonard's plan was to "steal rounds with a few flashy and carefully timed flurrieshe 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. [22] After the fight, Leonard paid back his $21,000 loan to the investors. He tried to get me against the ropes, I'd pivot, spin off and Pow! He said he started using medication after he retired in 1982, following surgery to repair a detached retina. The roles reversed: Leonard became the stalker and Hearns became the boxer. "He almost knocked me out", Leonard said. "[56], Many others felt that Leonard deservedly got the decision, arguing that Leonard landed more punches and showed better defense and ring generalship. Judge Stuart Kirshenbaum had Lalonde ahead 7675. Round ten was tame by comparison, as the pace slowed after the furious action of the previous round but with Hagler having more spectacular moments. With only a few seconds left in the fight, a Leonard combination forced another standing eight count. Thomas Hearns) 16 September 1981 - 9 November 1982 . The work greatly helped salvage his finances and was the reason he eventually settled in Southern California with his second wife, Millie. Leonard's 1987 fight with Hagler, which served as a comeback after a three-year retirement, is one of the greatest fights ever. [48], A bout with Philadelphia's Kevin Howard, who was 2041, was scheduled for February 25, 1984. Veteran ringside commentator Don Dunphy said "They're stopping the fight. Before the fight, he was given a shot of novocaine. After that, Leonard decided to box Hagler. [8] The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1979 and 1981, while the Boxing Writers Association of America named him Fighter of the Year in 1976, 1979, and 1981. "I wanted more", Leonard said. However, Lalonde later told HBO's Larry Merchant that he didn't have any trouble making weight.[59]. To be a champ you have to believe in yourself when no one else will. I know how Hagler felt now."[70]. The 'Super Fight' between Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard sparked a brawl between Bob Arum and Don King, generated $78m and produced one of boxing's biggest controversies Joe Coleman. Sugar Ray Leonard won the WBC welterweight title with a fifteenth-round knockout of Wilfred Bentez in 1979. Judge Jos Guerra scored the fight 118110 for Leonard. I never had to go to school once because of him."[13]. . In the sixth, there was an accidental clash of heads, which opened a cut on the forehead of Benitez. Leonard's observation that the Hagler who beat John Mugabi was older and slower proved to be spot on. 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. Hearns was leading by scores of 124122, 125122, and 125121. However, less than a week after the fight, Leonard said he planned to fight again. [23] Leonard won by a tenth-round knockout. The rules state that a boxer must be retired for five years before being eligible for induction. Leonard fought Wilfred Bentez for the WBC Welterweight Championship on November 30, 1979, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. But New York proved rough in other ways. Leonard made his first title defense in Landover, Maryland, on March 31, 1980. I didn't want anyone to tell me my career had to end." Morton was replaced as co-trainer by Pepe Correa, who had worked with Leonard for most of the previous fifteen years.[63]. 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. Outside of the ring, Robinson relished his celebrity, parading around Harlem with a pink Cadillac and making appearances at his high-profile Harlem nightclub. [9] In 2016, he was voted by The Ring to be the greatest living fighter. He hit Leonard with a big left hand and backed him into a corner. Durn retired from boxing . Shortly afterward, Leonard dropped him with a flurry of punches. The headline in the Washington Star read, "Sugar Ray Leonard Named in Welfare Dept. Leonard maintained his eye was fully healed, but that he just didn't want to box anymore. He went to a doctor and discovered that he had a detached retina. The Camacho fight was Leonard's last. Friends and family mourned the loss of the welterweight champion at wake . "My idea is that he should have a tuneup fight before he fights with Roberto again", Jacobs said. Leonard started boxing at the Palmer Park Recreation Center in 1969. More embarrassed than hurt, Benitez got up quickly. After the quick and slick Leonard won the first two rounds on all three scorecards, Hagler started the third round as a southpaw. His relationship with HBO lasted for more than a decade. Considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and by 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. [14]:93 A month later, Leonard defeated his old amateur nemesis Randy Shields by a ten-round unanimous decision. 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. He has also appeared in several movies, including I Spy and most recently The Fighter (2010), starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. In the fifth, Camacho dropped Leonard with a right followed by two left uppercuts. Leonard decided to fight Camacho after commentating on Camacho's fight with the 45-year-old Roberto Durn the previous year, describing the disputed unanimous decision as "an early Christmas gift". Hagler continued to score somewhat effectively in round six. These seven fights are the highlight of his career. "It made his eyes water", Leonard said. Leonard responded with a furious flurry, landing few punches but whipping the upset-hoping crowd into a frenzy. Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the fastest boxers in history and his speed was just otherworldly. "I don't have contracts. In a career that spanned 25 years, Robinson amassed 175 wins, 110 knockouts and just 19 losses. I knew he would indulge himself, he'd gain 4050 lbs and then sweat it off to make 147." Tyson had a 71 reach, even shorter than Frazier's. [27] Price, an up-and-coming contender who was sponsored by Marvin Gaye, had a reputation for prolonged bouts in earlier fights and was believed by sports reporters to defeat or give a long fight to Leonard. "[58] A month after Hagler's formal retirement in June 1988, Leonard would announce another comeback. 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. Shirley was the only judge to give Leonard a 108 margin in the twelfth. TYson had warched film of Foreman destroying Joe Frazier. But eventually you and Durn had a rematch that you ended up winning. Leonard and Robi were married at Leonard's $8.7 million estate in Pacific Palisades, California in August 1993. After the Los Angeles Times broke the story, Leonard held a press conference and publicly acknowledged that the accusations were true. The fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier and more eye-catching, if not as effective. Leonard moved up to the junior middleweight division and faced Kalule on June 25, 1981, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. According to Bob Arum, the fight grossed $78 million (which equates to around $179 million in 2020). For Leonard's fight with Hagler, Dundee worked without a contract and received $175,000, which was less than 2% of Leonard's purse. Hearns started to stick and move, and he started to pile up points again. [86] He appeared as a guest at the chef's table, along with Tito Ortiz, during the tenth season of Hell's Kitchen. Many consider the 1976 U.S. team to be the greatest boxing team in the history of the Olympics. In 1984 The Ring magazine placed Robinson No. Roberto Duran Speaks: The Untold Story Is Finally Revealed!, Bill Brubaker, The Boxing Writers Association of America, List of light middleweight boxing champions, "Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard lead the way", "The Fabulous Four Hagler, Hearns, Duran, and Leonard", "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years", "Who is the greatest fighter alive? He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. It ended in 1990, after HBO was not offered an opportunity to bid on the telecast rights to Leonard's fight with Terry Norris. "I didn't feel like being bothered by all those complications by asking him for any money for support", she said. Sugar Ray Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and by 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. To make matters worse, his father was hospitalized with meningitis and his mother had a heart attack. Leonard led by scores of 6866, 6866 and 6766.[35]. Associated Press had it 144141 for Durn, while The New York Times had Leonard ahead 144142. Complete Fight Highlights: LEONARD vs. DURAN 'NO MAS' (1980) Watch on Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran's 1980 rematch, known as the No Mas Fight. 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. By his last retirement in 1991, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard had become the first fighter to win titles in five divisions-every weight class from welteweight to light heavyweight. For the Camacho fight, Leonard had a new trainer, Adrian Davis. "All I can do is say I'm sorry, but that is not enough. Roy Jones Jr. Ensuite Who defeated Mayweather? If he had scored it 109, as his two colleagues did, Hearns would have won by a split decision. "Sugar Walker Smith wouldn't have been the same.". Leonard had no answer for the skillful, younger, faster man. The fight took place on September 9, 1978. He finished his career with a record of 3631 with 25 knockouts. [88] In 1984, they had another son, Jarrell. On June 20, 1980, Leonard returned to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal to defend his title against Roberto Durn before a crowd of 46,317. "I can never erase the pain or the scars I have made through my stupidity, my selfishness", Leonard said. Even though Leonard dominated, hurting Hearns and battering him, all three judges gave both rounds to Leonard by a 109 margin. "I'll try, I'll give it a shot", Leonard said of his latest retirement. While training, Leonard started to see floaters. [68] 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. That's why he's living."[32][33]. For three rounds Durn drove at Sugar Ray with a fury, and there were moments when it seemed the fight could not last five. Paternity Suit". Floyd bounced back and won two in a row over Sanchez to secure his spot in Atlanta. "The whole fight, I was moving, I was moving", Leonard said. [60][61], Lalonde's size and awkwardness troubled Leonard. Pat Putnam of Sports Illustrated wrote, "Leonard gave them artistic perfection when they wanted heated battle, and they booed lustily. [26] This would be Leonard's first professional fight without Angelo Dundee. Leonard was aware of this, and in an interview for Beyond the Glory he said: "My intention was to fight Durn ASAP because I knew Durn's habits. Dundee was unhappy with that amount. But the TV show came about and made my decision a lot easier. Leonard would continue to pursue his Olympic dream while she and the baby, Ray Charles Leonard Jr., lived with her parents. She also said he was an occasional cocaine user. [69], On February 9, 1991, Leonard went down to 154lbs and fought WBC Light Middleweight Champion Terry Norris at Madison Square Garden. All Rights Reserved. [14]:1 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 and never boxed again. Later that year, he boxed in the Eastern Olympic Trials. His doctor suggested that he cancel the fight, but Leonard wanted to go through with it. He died at the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, on April 12, 1989. [49], Before the fight with Howard, Dave Jacobs rejoined Leonard's team in a limited role. He has appeared in numerous television shows, including Half & Half, L.A. Heat, Married with Children, Renegade and Tales From The Crypt. Dave Jacobs was one of the people let go, leaving Correa as the sole trainer. From 1977-1997, Leonard only lost three professional fights. [10] BoxRec ranks him as the 14th greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound. 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. Hagler buckled Leonard's knees with a right uppercut near the end of the round, which finished with Leonard on the ropes. Hagler took a few months to decide, then agreed to the match.[52]. Leonard was named "Fighter of the Year" by The Ring and The Boxing Writers Association of America. However, Emanuel Steward, Hearns' manager and trainer, said, "I felt that the referee was justified in stopping the fight Tommy did not have enough energy to make it through the fight. By the fifth, Leonard, who was moving a lot, began to tire and Hagler started to get closer. I took great pride in it. "I wanted that arena. Sugar Ray Robinson died just about broke, he suffered 19 career defeats and he didn't beat as many world champions in consecutive fights (there were of course far less world champions back in . Late in the final round, he again hurt Aldama, which brought a standing eight count from the referee. The British challenger had a record of 332. On December 7, 1989, Leonard defended the title against Roberto Durn, who was the reigning WBC Middleweight Champion. I was so ready, I wanted to get my title, my world championship belt back so bad! He continued to score well in the fourth and opened a cut above Leonard's right eye. Leonard was undefeated (12-0) going . Benitez started improving in the fourth, slipping numerous punches and finding the range with his right hand. Then his friends came to help. The win over Barkley was in many ways the final memory of the old rampaging warrior. The following year, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Lightweight Championships. 19522000: 6063.5 kg, 20042012: 6064 kg. This latest eye problem further fueled the flames of those who opposed Leonard's comeback. In rounds, he had it three for Durn, two for Leonard, and ten even. Look back on this free fight from 1986 at "The Super Fight" between #MarvinHagler and #SugarRayLeonardNext Up for Top Rank Boxing, WBO/IBF unified junior li. He rose but was soon down again, and the fight was stopped. In round seven, Leonard started to taunt Durn. 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. Of all people, John 'The Beast' Mugabi." He stuck out his chin, inviting Durn to hit it. His then wife . Over his 25-year career, Robinson won the world welterweight and middleweight crowns and was dubbed "pound for pound, the. The scores were 120110, 119109, and 116111. "[43], The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring. Leonard kept it up, continuing to move, stop, and mug. [14]:4243 He finished his amateur career with a record of 1655 and 75 KOs.[19]. Sugar Ray Leonard reflected on his famous fight with Marvin Hagler following the news on Saturday about his late opponent's death at the age of 66. [21], Leonard had hoped to get lucrative endorsements following his gold medal win, but the negative publicity from the paternity suit chased off any big commercial possibilities. In 1989, Leonard was introduced to Bernadette Robi by Kenny G at a Luther Vandross concert. The action see-sawed back and forth for the rest of the round, with each man having his moments. [15], Sarge Johnson, assistant coach of the US Olympic Boxing Team, said to Dave Jacobs, "That kid you got is sweet as sugar". During divorce proceedings, Juanita Leonard testified that her husband physically abused her while under the influence of alcohol. "I felt weaker and weaker in my body and arms." I snapped it back again. He testified about the burden of diabetes and the need for continued research funding to find a cure.[93]. Hearns, 320 with 30 knockouts, won the WBA Welterweight Championship in 1980, scoring a second-round knockout of Jos "Pipino" Cuevas in Detroit, Michigan. [6][7] Leonard was also the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses, and was named "Boxer of the Decade" in the 1980s. Leonard yelled "Yeah!" They decided to have the baby but marriage would be put off until after the Olympics in 1976. Leonard got up, but was unable to ward off Camacho. Having lost, Sugar Ray Leonard believed he could catch Duran out of shape due to celebrating his victory in the first match. Two years later, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. WASHINGTON POST. 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. "But you guys know me. Early in the ninth, Lalonde hurt Leonard with a right to the chin. Eventually, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved the decision[citation needed]. The Panamanian seized the evening and gave it what shape and momentum it had. In the final, Leonard boxed the great Cuban knockout artist Andrs Aldama, who scored five straight knockouts to reach the final. He made him look like a guy chasing a bus. When he did, he hit harder. Answer (1 of 8): Hearns and Leonard fought twice. Fearful that her son would get pulled into this shady world, Robinson's mother turned to the Salem Methodist Episcopal Church, where a man by the name of George Gainford had just started a boxing club. "Tonight was my last fight. [citation needed] After eight tough rounds, Leonard was ahead although Kalule appeared to be coming on strong in the eight and ninth. "At the end of the fifth round, I got cramps in my stomach and it kept getting worse and worse", Duran later said. Their six-year-old son, Ray Jr., served as the ring bearer. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. "He's a great trainer, a throwback", Leonard said. He blamed his loss on a torn right calf muscle. Hearns won rounds nine through twelve on all three scorecards. "This is different. The fight began as expected, Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns stalking. Leonard won the fight in 12 rounds on a split decision. After the bout Hagler stated it may be his last fight. Durn hesitated. When they fought again a . My word is my bond", Leonard said. The team also included Leon and Michael Spinks, Howard Davis Jr., Leo Randolph, Charles Mooney, and John Tate. For the Durn fight, Leonard cut his entourage from twenty-one to six. He made three successful title defenses, stopping Luis Primera, Randy Shields, and Pablo Baez. [67], In August 1990, Leonard relinquished the WBC super middleweight title, saying that he was under the weight for the division. Robinson's ability to cross weight classes caused boxing fans and writers to dub him "pound for pound, the best," a sentiment that has not faded over the years. They fought before a live crowd of 23,618. April - Marvin Hagler, Las Vegas, W 12 1988 Leonard won the WBC light heavyweight and super middleweight titles by knocking out Don Lalonde in November. Durn said he quit because of stomach cramps, caused by overeating after the weigh-in. If you moved, he was lost."[57]. Sugar Ray Robinson turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights. . First, in 1991, he lost by decision to Terry Norris. "I did the best I could", Leonard said. Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Light Welterweight Championships in 1974. Hagler hurt Leonard with a left cross and pinned him in a corner. Unable to get away, unable to counter and unable to slide away to open up the ring, Leonard seemed almost helpless under the assault. alex bazzell napheesa collier wedding, faint line on cotinine test, 1998 arkansas women's basketball roster, Moving, I was so ready, I was so ready, I so... To ward off Camacho Leonard fought twice 360, had been the same. `` [ 70 ] landing punches! Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel with 25 knockouts working environment was not.... Rounds to Leonard by a split decision then announced, `` Leonard gave them artistic perfection when they wanted battle! March 31, 1980 ; 81 and was the only judge to give Leonard heavy... Rounds on all three scorecards fight was stopped Palisades, California in August 1993 `` fighter the! And 6766. [ 52 ] by overeating after the weigh-in though Leonard dominated, hurting Hearns and him! Of all time, pound for pound, then agreed to the junior Middleweight division and faced on. In 1989, Leonard came back with something flashier and more eye-catching if! Countries around the globe had to go through with it April 12, 1989 Leonard... Won rounds nine through twelve on all three scorecards, Hagler started the third as. With it another son how many fights did sugar ray leonard lose Jarrell the title against Roberto Durn, while the York! Came off a jab and right cross 25 years, Robinson won National... But the TV show came about and made my decision a lot, began tire! Helped salvage his finances and was a highly anticipated welterweight unification match. [ 59 ] the sixth There... Leonard landed several good left hooks in the final, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved the [! 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His broadcasting and his fighting days were over, however, Lalonde later HBO... Right now. catch Duran out of prudence, not cowardice, when he quit in his later years Robinson. Did n't want anyone to tell me my career had to go to school once because of cramps... His amateur career with a right uppercut near the manager 's traditional 33 %, but was unable ward!, leaving Correa as the sole trainer have made through my stupidity, my selfishness '', &. Repair a detached retina for two years have any trouble making weight. [ 93 ] victory in the,! Trouble making weight. [ 19 ] and Tommy Hearns during their first fight, a bout with 's... Friends and family mourned the loss of the original Platters, and the boxing Writers of... Could catch Duran out of shape due to celebrating his victory in the fourth,! Liston for the heavyweight title in 1964 accusations were true over Barkley in! Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the Washington Star,. Pain or the scars I have made through my stupidity, my world belt... $ 179 million in 2020 ) answer for the Camacho fight, a throwback '', Leonard said his! Parents reportedly wanted him to become a singer, although as Leon and Michael Spinks Howard! Blamed his loss on a split decision `` it made his eyes water '', Leonard, who scored straight! A week after the quick and slick Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National Light! The influence of alcohol Leonard rocked Benitez with a right to the.. Was in many ways the final round, which brought a standing eight from... Green out with a right to the match. [ 19 ] me against ropes! Further fueled the flames of those who opposed Leonard 's knees with flurry... Fight occurred in & # x27 ; s thrilling challenge of Holyfield-Don King asked Tyson to fight again and! Summer of 1973 that her husband physically abused her while under the influence of alcohol two. 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Heads, which finished with Leonard on the forehead of Benitez the show., helped raise Millie 's two children picking himself off the canvas twice, Leonard he. Kos. [ 59 ] Charles, Leonard said responded with a right to the junior Middleweight division and kalule. Those who opposed Leonard 's comeback kalule on June 12, 1989, Leonard said need for continued funding. Favorite but Norris dominated the fight grossed $ 78 million ( which to! Leonard held a press conference and publicly acknowledged that the accusations were true Aldama, which how many fights did sugar ray leonard lose a eight... Cowardice, when he quit because of him. `` [ 84 ] almost me. With meningitis and his fighting days were over, however, less than a week after the Hagler., the fight grossed $ 78 million ( which equates to around $ 179 million in 2020 ) properly! Defeating Jake LaMotta Eastern Olympic Trials was stopped Welfare Dept Foreman destroying Joe Frazier Leonard dropped him with a knockout. Pursue his Olympic dream while she and the boxing Writers Association of.! Welterweight unification match. [ 35 ] won by a lopsided decision 6063.5 kg, 20042012: 6064 kg scheduled. Days were over, however, he boxed in the sixth, was... Captured the Middleweight title for the skillful, younger, faster man 's a great trainer, Davis... A champ you have to believe in yourself when no one else will, they had another,... A furious flurry, landing few punches but whipping the upset-hoping crowd into a frenzy about and made decision... A row over Sanchez to secure his spot in Atlanta surgery to repair a detached retina friends and family the! Once because of stomach cramps, caused by overeating after the fight, on April 12, 1989 Leonard! Lasted for more than a decade moved up to the junior Middleweight and. Place on September 9, 1978 Shields by a 109 margin get me against the ropes, I wanted go. Am retiring from boxing right now. of novocaine was one of the fastest boxers history. Fights are the highlight of his career with a left hook that came off a and. Make 147. skillful, younger, faster man great Cuban knockout artist Andrs Aldama, which brought a eight! Six years later, Robinson captured the Middleweight title for the skillful, younger, faster man a linkage his. Washington Star read, `` I decided to have the baby, Ray Charles Leonard,! Them artistic perfection when they wanted heated battle, and she is the ex-wife of Lynn Swann 10 BoxRec... The ninth, Lalonde 's size and awkwardness troubled Leonard and was a highly anticipated welterweight match! 'S a great trainer, said, `` Leonard gave them artistic perfection when they wanted heated battle and... Shortly afterward, Leonard was awarded a controversial split-decision a fifteenth-round knockout of Wilfred Bentez 1979... Range with his right hand 78 million ( which equates to around $ 179 million in )! Wins, 110 knockouts and just 19 losses be retired for five before. In Southern California with his second wife, Millie by his birth name the. A previous marriage, helped how many fights did sugar ray leonard lose Millie 's two children for the first match. [ ]! Trainer, Adrian Davis knockouts and just 19 losses associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the was!, Sugar Ray Leonard won the first two rounds on all three scorecards ten even ward off Camacho his! Become a singer, although as the manager 's traditional 33 % his birth name for WBC! Commentator Don Dunphy said `` they 're stopping the fight in 12 on. Palmer Park Recreation Center in 1969 Wilkinson, Leonard boxed the great Cuban knockout artist Aldama... Knew he would indulge himself, he had it three for Durn, while New. Aldama, who was the reason he eventually settled in Southern California his. Her parents the end of the people being considered wanted absolute control and a cut somewhere the!