Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard (born 1956) is an American former boxer. He was one of the leading boxers in the world in the 1970s and 1980s, winning world titles at multiple weights and triumphing in contests with such celebrated opponents as Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler. Born Ray Charles Leonard, named for the singing legend Ray Charles, Leonard later adopted the nickname used by Sugar Ray Robinson.

Retirement and Comeback

Leonard decided to take a job as a commentator with HBO, and a few months after pondering his future, he invited Hagler and other boxing dignitaries to an event in Washington D.C., where he announced his retirement. Hagler left the conference disappointed, and Leonard, who said "Unfortunately, that fight (vs Hagler) will never happen", would later learn to never say never again.

Related Topics:
HBO - Boxing - Washington D.C.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1984, after media darling Leonard had spent part of 1983 announcing such enterprises as Golden Skillet chicken and Franklin sporting goods, he announced a comeback. With Hagler in attendance, Leonard was dropped for the first time in his career, by journeyman Kevin Howard, and although he got up and scored a 9 round technical knockout win, in the press conference after the fight, he announced that he would go back into retirement.

Related Topics:
1984 - 1983 - Golden Skillet - Franklin - Kevin Howard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1983 saw the creation of the Sugar Ray Leonard network, a short-lived TV station from Maryland commandeered by Leonard and dedicated to 24 hour boxing news, interviews and fights.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1986 came, and rumors surfaced that Leonard was training again and considering a fight with Hagler. It was a given by many boxing fans that Hagler would easily manage the laid off boxer, who had not been at his best in his last fight 3 years before. But once again, Leonard surprised the experts in their April 6, 1987 fight, hanging on to win a controversial split decision to become the world's middleweight champion, and the boxer who came back after the longest lay-off in history to win a world title in his first fight back.

Related Topics:
1986 - April 6 - 1987

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leonard went up in weight again on November 7, 1988 and came off the canvas to win two world titles the same night, the vacant world Super Middleweight championship, and Don Lalonde's world light heavyweight championship, knocking Lalonde out in the ninth round, and then in 1989 he embarked on a trip that would take him through two meetings with old enemies. He met Hearns again at Caesar's Palace and had to endure two falls and a rocky start to pull out a twelve round draw, and then five months later, patiently fought Roberto Duran for a third time, at the Mirage hotel, also in Las Vegas, winning a twelve round unanimous decision.

Related Topics:
November 7 - 1988 - Don Lalonde - 1989 - Caesar's Palace - Mirage hotel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~