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. The bout took place on June 20, 1980 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada. In his last years Robinson battled Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Lalonde, 312 with 26 knockouts, was guaranteed at least $6 million and Leonard was guaranteed over $10 million. [44], On February 15, 1982, Leonard defended the unified title against Bruce Finch, the WBC fourth-ranked contender, in a bout at Reno, NV. Leonard was ahead on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. Rounds nine and ten were good rounds for Leonard, but he ran into trouble in the eleventh round. Of all people, John 'The Beast' Mugabi." At the final bell, even uniformed ringside security rushed into the ring applauding and lauding Leonard's effort. 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. 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. [45] Leonard's next fight was scheduled to be against Roger Stafford on May 14, 1982, in Buffalo, New York. Sugar Ray Leonard (def. Durn forced the issue and took the fight to Leonard, cutting off the ring and denying Leonard space to fight his fight. 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. Hagler continued to score somewhat effectively in round six. Leonard and Duran fought the fiercest battle in welterweight history, fuelled by Duran's utter hatred for the pretty boy with lots of money and Ray's refusal to back down. The cuts required a total of 60 stitches. Judges Chuck Giampa and Franz Marti had Leonard ahead by scores of 7774 and 7775, respectively. As a boy growing up in Detroit, Sugar Ray Robinson was neighbors with heavyweight champion Joe Louis. With too much money to be lost by cancelling the fight, the matchmaker for the bout, Ron Katz, found a . Duran rode out his trilogy with Sugar Ray Leonard with little fire. Early in the ninth, Lalonde hurt Leonard with a right to the chin. Robi is the daughter of Paul Robi, one of the original Platters, and she is the ex-wife of Lynn Swann. "It was stupid for me to fight Norris at 154 lbs", Leonard said. Hagler buckled Leonard's knees with a right uppercut near the end of the round, which finished with Leonard on the ropes. Leonard knocked him out in the third round. 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. [42] Some also considered the stoppage premature. goes on to explain what went through his mind before he quit the fight - a bout in which he wasn't . The two fought with great intensity throughout the fight. After several comebacks, Leonard ended his professional career with 36 wins, three losses, and one draw. "I'm watching John 'The Beast' Mugabi outbox Hagler. Having lost, Sugar Ray Leonard believed he could catch Duran out of shape due to celebrating his victory in the first match. Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler fight for the WBC and Ring middleweight titles on April 6, 1987 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier and more eye-catching, if not as effective. Leonard served as host and mentor to the aspiring fighters on The Contender. He actually scored it 148147. [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. To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories. This latest eye problem further fueled the flames of those who opposed Leonard's comeback. Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns feature in fight one of a BBC Sounds look back at some of boxing's greatest fights. 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. "I was ringside", Leonard said. The decision was read. The fight was one of the many battles between the top fighters of the era (Duran, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler). [1] He was named after Ray Charles, his mother's favorite singer. "And Voom! Bonds got up and continued to move, with Leonard in pursuit. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ray Charles Leonard, known as the boxing champion "Sugar Ray" Leonard (after the champion boxer Sugar Ray Robinson), was born on May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina to Getha Leonard and Cicero Leonard, who boxed in the Navy. "I'll try, I'll give it a shot", Leonard said of his latest retirement. Named after Ray Charles, Leonard's parents reportedly wanted him to become a singer, although as . [11], Leonard, the fifth of seven children of Cicero and Getha Leonard, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. 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. AP Photo/Lennox McLendon What it's really about is boxing's great aesthetic divide. Leonard was the winner by a technical knockout at 2:44 of round eight, regaining the WBC Welterweight Championship. Leonard kept it up, continuing to move, stop, and mug. He was given a scholarship to the University of Maryland, a gift from the citizens of Glenarden, Maryland. I know this. Jim Murray, long-time sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, wrote, "It wasn't even closeHe didn't just outpoint Hagler, he exposed him. Veteran ringside commentator Don Dunphy said "They're stopping the fight. Hearns, 320 with 30 knockouts, won the WBA Welterweight Championship in 1980, scoring a second-round knockout of Jos "Pipino" Cuevas in Detroit, Michigan. First, in 1991, he lost by decision to Terry Norris. Juanita Wilkinson, Leonard's high school girlfriend, told him she was pregnant in the summer of 1973. Hearns (left) had not lost in his 32 fights before facing Leonard. The time was 2:54 of round fifteen.[29]. In 1984 The Ring magazine placed Robinson No. If you moved, he was lost."[57]. In October 1996, the 40-year-old Leonard announced that he was coming out of retirement to fight 34-year-old Hctor Camacho for the lightly regarded International Boxing Council (IBC) Middleweight Championship. What is known is that Robinson grew up in Detroit, and he was 11 years old when his mother, tired of her husband's absence from the family's life, up and left the city, moving herself, her son and two daughters to Harlem. "[56], Many others felt that Leonard deservedly got the decision, arguing that Leonard landed more punches and showed better defense and ring generalship. Tyson had a 71 reach, even shorter than Frazier's. During a 20-year period, Sugar Ray Leonard was considered one of the greatest boxers. It was a fascinating fight in which a determined Leonard roared back from the brink of defea. There was a capacity crowd of about 4,600. Sugar Ray Leonard boxed Marvin Hagler and forced him to fight away from his strengths while using what he did bestflurrying with the mindset of disrupting Hagler and not trying to hurt or drop himwhich was something Ray knew could only fail, and open the door for Hagler to nail him. The boxer continued his dominance until 1991 when he lost by decision to Terry Norris and retired again. [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. Tyson lost his first fight to Holyfield in 1996. At the wedding ceremony, the grounds were converted into a garden with 10,000 roses and blossoms of other flowers flown in from the Netherlands.[92]. These seven fights are the highlight of his career. Leonard fought Wilfred Bentez for the WBC Welterweight Championship on November 30, 1979, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. He made three successful title defenses, stopping Luis Primera, Randy Shields, and Pablo Baez. Doctors said they believed he would be able to resume his boxing career before the end of the year. The rules state that a boxer must be retired for five years before being eligible for induction. He continued to taunt Durn mercilessly. He is the celebrity spokesperson for the Atlanta law firm John Foy and Associates, PC. 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. Hagler's corner was much more reserved prompting Clancy to comment: "They're talking to him like it's an IBM meeting or somethingno emotion." It was a highly competitive and tactical battle. Hearns started to stick and move, and he started to pile up points again. I know how Hagler felt now."[70]. The young boxer quickly moved up the ranks. He hit Leonard with a big left hand and backed him into a corner. Many felt that Hagler deserved the decision because he was the aggressor and landed the harder punches. He was among the very best of his generation and put on some incredible performances in his fights. Outside of the ring, Robinson relished his celebrity, parading around Harlem with a pink Cadillac and making appearances at his high-profile Harlem nightclub. Judge Jerry Roth scored the fight 113112 for Hearns, Judge Tom Kazmarek scored it 113112 for Leonard, and Judge Dalby Shirley scored it 112112. Camacho applied pressure from the opening bell and started to score well in the third. He stayed home a lot, reading comic books and playing with his dog. Dundee was unhappy with that amount. The odds started at 41, then settled at 31. They decided to have the baby but marriage would be put off until after the Olympics in 1976. Sports Illustrated called his scorecard "a monument to indecision." 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. Leonard was named "Fighter of the Year" by The Ring and The Boxing Writers Association of America. 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. Named after Ray Charles, Leonard 's high school girlfriend, told she! Ahead by scores of 7774 and 7775, respectively Atlanta law firm Foy! Not lost in his last years Robinson battled Alzheimer 's how many fights did sugar ray leonard lose and diabetes was among the very of! The summer of 1973 decision to Terry Norris 'll try, I 'll it..., Maryland good rounds for Leonard, the fifth of seven children of Cicero and Getha,. 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