Sugar Ray Leonard. I present to you an exclusive material on training, nutrition, fight statistics, and methods of preparing a great boxer for the most important fights of his career against Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez.
When it comes to the best of the best, the great comes to mind. Olympic champion. Best boxer of the decade. World champion in five weight categories. The man who defeated all the best boxers of his era. He had incredible charisma and acting skills. An ideal boxer and an example of a successful person after the end of his career.
Many generations of boxing fans will watch Leonard's best fights. However, the other side is hidden from their eyes, which Ray always talks about in his interviews - the diet and training that made him a great boxer.
Diet: Ray's height is 178 centimeters. The span of the arms is 188 centimeters. Leonard began his career as a welterweight ( up to 66.6 kilograms), and reached the light heavyweight division ( fight with Donnie Lalonde in the intermediate weight). However, his diet remained virtually unchanged. Only the number of servings of one or another product changed. It was difficult to find Ray in bad shape. Even in the offseason, his body looked dry. This is not possible without a well-developed diet.
Ray woke up at 5 o'clock in the morning and went for a run. About 4-5 miles ( 6.5-8 kilometers). He even ran on Sunday.
On his return, Leonard drank a glass of water. That's all. Next, he performed the air throw and rest before the main workout. Breakfast came only at 10 am: 5-6 boiled eggs, two toast, and a glass of milk. Just prior to training, Ray drank a protein shake or just ate a few fruits ( banana or avocado) with milk.
The training took place from 12:00 to 13:30. After that, Ray drank several glasses of water, took a shower and took vitamins. Half an hour later came the second meal. Lunch consisted of a portion of boiled chicken ( hips, wings, or chest) and brown rice. Or modified into a vegetable stew with chicken. Ray ate food without salt and spices. He eliminated sugar and drank a lot of water. After dinner, he drank his usual glass of low-fat milk.
The great boxer allowed himself some indulgence. But he didn't do it regularly. Being in shape, and at the peak of physical activity, a spoonful of honey or dessert was not critical for him.
Ray always trained once a day when there was no media demonstration. The third meal took place at about 6 pm. If it was in a restaurant, Leonard would order a simple cut of vegetables ( red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes), without sauce. And if at home, then I used boiled lentils or beans, washed down with all this with a standard glass of low-fat milk. Toast was only in the first meal. During the day, Ray did not eat flour or starch products. There was always a decanter of clean water near his bed. He drank even at night, always keeping the body hydrated.
There were no secrets in the nutrition of the great Leonard: natural boiled foods, the absence of sweet and fatty foods, and regular adherence to the regime even during the off-season. This is how Ray ate in preparation for the main fights of his career against Thomas Hearns, and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez. This simple scheme brought him success.
Workouts: Ray was a perfect boxer with no weaknesses. He had everything: a powerful blow, excellent movement on his feet, excellent reaction, endurance, the ability to take a blow. He developed all these qualities from early childhood.
Leonard's Standard Boxing Program:
- Rope: 15 minutes ( many people came to watch Ray jump rope using various spins and tricks)
- Shadowboxing excluding time: 15 minutes
- Sparring: 5 to 10 rounds ( as the fight approached, Ray went up to 25 rounds per training with different partners)
- Heavy bag: 4 rounds of 3 minutes
- Speed \u200b\u200bPear: from 10 minutes without interruption
Further, he performed an interesting set: push-ups in the lying position - 20 times, turned over on his back and did twists - 20 times. He brought the number of such approaches to 7-8 in one workout. Ray could do chin-ups on the horizontal bar at will. Moreover, he performed this exercise with an exceptionally narrow grip ( direct and reverse). Sometimes he asked someone from the audience to hold his legs, and he himself walked in his arms around the hall for several circles.
After training, Leonard spent 15 minutes stretching. At the peak of his form, he could freely sit on the longitudinal and transverse types of twine, as well as stand on the bridge from a standing position.
As with nutrition, there are no big secrets to Ray's workouts. He just does his job regularly. He is a natural talent and was able to develop his best qualities. Simple rules helped him realize his potential and beat the best boxers of his time: Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Wilfred ( Wilfredo) Benitez.
Despite the fact that there are quite a lot of really worthy boxers in the professional ring, few of them could compare with their success Ray Sugar Robinson... The great Muhammad Ali himself called him the king and idol of boxing.
Boxing biography of Ray Sugar Robinson begins from childhood. Already at the age of 14, he first appeared in the ring. He applied to participate in the tournament under his real name - Walker Smith Jr. But since he was born in 1921, he was only 14, and in the tournament it was possible to participate only from the age of 16, he was refused. Then he applied again under the name Ray Robinson and was able to get into the ring.
Before starting his professional career, he managed to stun everyone with his results in the amateur ring. All 89 fights out of 89 he won, 69 of them ended in knockouts of opponents, of which 40 were committed in the first round. It was then that he received the nickname "Sugar" due to his special style.
Interestingly, ray Sugar Robinson Knockouts always amazed spectators and opponents with their surprise. His special fighting style did not allow predicting when the decisive blow would be inflicted. This technique was later adopted by Muhammad Ali, who began to keep the opponent in a tense state with mobile battle tactics.
On October 4, 1940, the professional biography of Ray Sugar Robinson began. His professional career spanned 25 years. During this time, he had many successes and failures. As a professional he took part in 200 fights, 173 of which ended in victory, and 108 of them - knocked out opponents.
The boxer became the winner in as many as 7 weight categories, and became the champion among professionals in the welterweight and middle weight categories. Ray Sugar Robinson inspired journalists to compose overall ranking of boxersin which weight categories were not taken into account (pound-for-pound). Ring magazine named Robinson in 2002 greatest boxer in history in all weight classes... The last professional fight of the great boxer took place on November 10, 1965, when he was defeated against Joey Archer, who was then considered not a very strong opponent.
Robinson fought quite often, even during his championship he sometimes fought at intervals of several days. Not a single boxer has ever been able to send him to a knockout or technical knockout, except for one case. During the fight against Joey Maxim the weather was extreme - the air temperature reached 41 degrees in the shade. In the 13th round, Robinson received heatstroke due to his active combat tactics and was unable to enter the ring, which was why his defeat was counted.
Sugar Ray Leonard is considered by many boxing experts as the greatest boxer of all time. In this article you will find out why ...
"As soon as I put on my gloves, boxing became my life."
Ray Charles Leonard was born on May 17, 1956 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His parents, Geta and Cicero Leonard, had seven children. The father of the family worked as a supermarket manager, and the mother was a nurse. Geta Leonard named her son after the famous artist Ray Charles, whose work she loved madly. Her son also had vocal abilities: Ray sang in church with two sisters, and the parishioners told Goethe that his voice sounded like the rhythm and blues of the famous singer Sam Cook.
Leonard grew up as a shy child. He often sat at home, read comics and played with his dog.
"Ray was always taciturn" - says his mother. “We could never guess what he was thinking. But I never had any problems with him. I have never been called to school. "
At the age of 14, the teenager became interested in boxing. By the way, his father and older brother also excelled in this sport, but each in their own way. Ray Leonard lived in Palmer, a racially mixed, poor suburb of Baltimore. Two local volunteer trainers recognized the guy's natural talent and began to train him. As a fighter, Leonard demonstrated skill and grace in the ring in his early years. Later, his handsome style would contrast with the aggressors and sluggers, and he fought and surpassed other boxers. In the end, he received the prestigious nickname "Sugar", the same as legendary boxer Ray Robinson, who is considered one of the best boxers of all time.
In Leonard's small body, there was a solid explosive power. The boy could hit hard, but already from his youth he faced pains in his fists.
Sugar has two National Golden Gloves light welterweight tournaments (1973 and 1974), three US nationals and a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games.
FACT: On May 16, 1974, Leonard's battle with Anatoly Kamnev took place in the Soviet Union. Kamnev won with a controversial decision. The crowd booed this decision, and Anatoly gave Leonard the championship trophy he had just won. On January 18, 1975 in Las Vegas, Leonard beat Kamnev on points.
(As a teenager, Leonard was sexually abused by his coach. Many years later, he described this in his autobiographical book. You can read this story )
The amateur career of our hero was more than successful, Leo made his way to the 1976 Olympic team.
At the Olympics in Montreal, Leonard brilliantly defeated each of the rivals, but the main attention of the public was riveted not on him, but on the star from his own team - Howard Davis. Before the final fight, Ray was considered an outsider. He was to split the ring with a Cuban puncher named Andres Aldama.
Leonard interrupted the larger Aldama, acting on the retreat and systematically "discharged" spectacular bundles of punches. In the second round, Andres was knocked down. The amateur duel between the American and the Cuban turned out to be more spectacular than other professional fights. Sugar overcame severe pain in both hands and won a landslide victory by unanimous decision. Ray Leonard won all fights in the Olympic Games 5-0. The spectacular path to the finals and the Olympic gold medal brought him recognition from the boxing community.
(Orig. Cov. Date 8/2/76, 2/17/77)
Credit: Neil Leifer
SetNumber: X20678
Record Sugar on the basis of amateur career: 145-5 (75 KOs).
After winning the Olympics and winning the gold medal, Leonard announced his intention to retire from boxing, claiming to have made his dream come true. Initially, Ray wanted to go to university and become a lawyer, but his plan was crippled by the illness of his father and mother.
By that time "Leo" had become a father himself, his family also needed support. Juanita Wilkinson, the mother of his illegitimate son, filed a paternity suit in an attempt to get Ray to get food stamps.
All these circumstances pushed our hero to the decision to make a living by professional boxing. Ray Leonard immediately worked with the right people. He hired former trainer Muhammad Ali and attorney Mike Trainer, who became his business manager.
“Boxing was the only career option where I didn't have to start from scratch. I had a good resume "
Career start: Mayweather, Muniz, Ranzani
On February 5, 1977, in his debut bout, Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Luis Vega, a tough boxer from Puerto Rico, by decision in six rounds, winning each of them. The first fee of our hero was impressive for a debutant $ 40.044 .
At the very beginning of his career, Leonard competed in the first welterweight (up to 63.5 kg), and after a few fights he rose to welterweight. He passed mid-range opponents without any problems, gaining experience. At that time, many of the rivals mentioned that they were primarily impressed by Ray's speed, which they could not control. In 1978, Leo knocked out Javier Muniz in the first round. And all would be fine, but in the fight before that Muniz spent 10 rounds with a lightweight monster - Roberto Duran.
After defeating Muniz, Leonard defeated the brother of the now famous manager Al Haymon named Bobby Haymon. This fight set the record for the attendance of an indoor arena in Maryland - 15,272 people came to watch the boxing. On July 18, 1978, Ray defeated Dickie Eklund. In the ninth round of that encounter, Sugar slipped, and Eklund bragged for years after the fight that he had knocked him down. Later, he nevertheless admitted that there was no smell of knockdown there.
Two months later, Leonard goes into battle against Floyd Mayweather ( father of Floyd Mayweather Jr. - approx. website). At that time, Sugar Ray was already in the top five of the WBA rating. Mayweather was not even in the top ten, but he was on the 6th line of the welterweight rankings from The Ring.
The larger Floyd started the fight with the first number and more than actively. In addition, he turned out to be a tough guy and skillfully combined attacking actions with defensive ones. Therefore, it was not easy to break through. Working in response, Mayweather relied on a power punch from the right. The fight was intense, in the 3rd round Leonard still shocked the opponent. In the last minute of the eighth three minutes, he twice knocked Floyd down.
Branded shoulder protection ( the Philadelphia shell is a feature of Floyd, and then of his son, which Leonard, we note, himself used quite well in this fight with Mayweather, and then with Ranzani - approx. website) did not save Mayweather from the exact left side. In the middle of the 10th round, Floyd was again shocked, the referee considered it necessary to stop the fight.
Just a month later, Sugar Ray Leonard defeated top contender Randy Shields by decision, to whom he lost in the AAU in 1973. There were no knockdowns in this fight, but in the ninth round our hero accidentally hit referee Tom Kelly with his left side. He had a cut above his eye and was replaced by Judge Harry Cecchini.
Leo's next appearance in the ring was less than a month later (in 1978 he had 11 fights in total) and also marked a kind of record. 6500 spectators came to watch the fight, which at that time was an unprecedented result for the sparsely populated state of Maine.
On December 9, 1978, Leonard faced a tough challenger Armando Muniz, who had a good amateur background and tried to become a champion four times. By that time, Ray was already a contender for the champion title, but the owner of this very title, Carlos Palomino, was in no hurry to give him a chance.
Muniz went ahead, Sugar Ray Leonard worked in the retreat and knitted a dangerous opponent up close. Sugar was faster and more accurate, starting to sharpen already in the first round. In the second segment of the fight, Muniz increased the pace, but still failed to catch on to the fast and agile Leo. From the third round, Armando was still able to drag his opponent into a fuss near, and also began to work on floors. This has brought some success. The second half of the third round was a very spectacular exchange of blows.
From the fourth segment of the fight, Sugar Ray Leonard again began to act mainly from a long distance, where he felt more confident. Armando Muniz continued to pursue him and had local successes, but Leo was better. At the end of the sixth round, he shook Muniz, between the 6th and 7th corner Armando decided to refuse to continue the fight, citing an injured left hand.
“This is my toughest fight so far.” - Ray Leonard.
“Sugar Ray hits very well. If Palomino has any courage, he will give him a chance next year. ”- Armando Muniz.
On the same day, Leonard's brother and cousin also won victories on their professional path.
In the ring, Sugar Ray Leonard was a boxer without pronounced flaws. He was not a tough puncher, but he had a fairly strong punch. He worked perfectly with his front hand, acted extremely accurately. He analyzed the opponent's style well and could make adjustments to change the course of the battle in his favor.
The expression "speed kills" is about Leo. It makes no sense to describe his footwork and quickness of his hands, it must be seen. Sugar delivered a series of 6 or more punches in an instant and was famous for his spurts (sharp explosive and high-speed attacks).
His skills, combined with a flamboyant personality and charisma, made Ray a star at a time when the sport needed a new hero. The era of Muhammad Ali was coming to an end, comparisons with the sports icon were inevitable. Renowned sports commentator Howard Kossel even called Leonard "the new Muhammad."
As a charming personality, a flamboyant fighter in the ring and a contender for the title of national hero, Sugar Ray Leonard has managed to fill this void. As with Ali, Leonard's fans were divided into two camps: those who loved him and those who scolded the boxer for vanity (For some, the nickname "Sugar Ray" seemed the height of arrogance).
Ray himself could only do one thing - to ignore the ill-wishers and confirm the advances given to him in the ring.
Young Leo and his coach Dundee
Leo won several more victories, including one in the first middleweight title, and in April 1979 he met with another strong challenger, Adolfo Viruet. This was his first left-handed opponent.
Ray mostly acted as number one, while Adolfo worked in a reciprocal manner. The fight took place at a low pace, only the endings of the rounds were bright. In the fourth stretch of the fight, Viruet missed a right straight and was knocked down for the first time in his career. At the end of 10 rounds, Sugar Ray Leonard celebrated the victory by unanimous decision.
In May of the same year, he again fought in the first middleweight division. His opponent was the former Mexican and California middleweight champion Marcos Geraldo. Sugar Ray defeated the much larger Geraldo by decision in a spectacular duel.
“Geraldo hit me and saw three opponents instead of one. I thought, "Oh shit," and I couldn't tell which one was the real one. Then he hit me again, and I realized - this is the one in the middle. In this battle, I learned what it takes to withstand when you are shaken. In addition, I had to apply all the skills and abilities that I knew and even those that I did not know. "
(In 1982, Leonard will be diagnosed with retinal detachment. In his 2011 biography, "The Big Fight, My Life in and Out of the Ring," Ray shared his opinion that this injury may have been related to the fight against Marcos Geraldo - approx. website).
At that stage of his career, Leonard was already aiming for fights with WBC champion Wilfred Benitez, as well as with Roberto Duran, who managed to rise from lightweight to welterweight and won victory after victory. However, despite the bright speeches of Sugar himself, there was a lot of criticism towards him. Basically, he was reproached for the lack of striking power.
27-year-old Ranzani from the first seconds quickly went forward, but 23-year-old Leonard "calculated" it already in the middle of the starting three-minute, and began to work hard and accurately in response. The fight turned out to be tight, but short-lived. In the middle of the fourth round, Sugar Ray shook the opponent with a right straight. After brutally finishing off, Ranzani collapses and struggles to get up. Another finishing move, and the referee stops the meeting. For this victory, Leo received $ 150.ooo and his first (albeit minor) title.
A month and a half later, Ray entered the ring with tough Californian Andy Price, who promised to surprise everyone and defeat Leonard. That boxing night was packed with stellar names. Larry Holmes defended the title against Ernie Shavers, and Roberto Duran, Wilfredo Gomez, Jimmy Young also fought. Among all this variety of stars, Leonard managed to stand out, rolling the brightest and shortest performance. Already at the end of the first round, he brutally beat Andy Price at the ropes, after which he could not get to his feet for a long time.
At the initial stage of his career, Sugar Ray Leonard won 25 victories, 15 of which were by knockout. Now he had to fight for a full-fledged champion title.
Peak of Career Part 1: Benitez and Duran
This very fight took place on November 30, 1979, in Las Vegas. Opposed to Sugar Ray was the world champion from Puerto Rico. For Benitez himself, the meeting with Leo was the second defense of the WBC welterweight title. The Puerto Rican walked unbeaten and surpassed Sugar in experience, despite the fact that he was two years younger (at the time of the fight Benitez was 21 years old).
However, Ray was considered a 3-to-1 favorite. On the eve of the fight, Benitez's father and coach wrote an article “Why Wilfred Doesn't Beat Leonard,” which was published in The Ring in November 1979. There he in every possible way referred to the complete lack of discipline of his genius offspring.
The moment of truth has come. Two similar fighters met in the ring - fast, talented and trained. As Ray later recalled: "It was like looking in the mirror in this battle."... Sugar wisely used his arm length advantage (his reach is 10 cm more than Benitez's arm span).
With both an annoying jab and just a forceful, but constant blows with his front hand, Leonard managed to shackle the right hand of the Puerto Rican genius of defense. He was forced to keep his distant glove at his chin all the time. In addition, Sugar was not inferior to Benitez in speed, and his tactics for the battle were much more successful (at least they were). At the end of the third segment, Ray sent his opponent into a light knockdown with a quick backhand. From the fourth round, Benitez began to box literally like a carbon copy, just like his opponent.
Most of the fight took place in the center of the ring. Leonard continued to jerk the champion with false moves, but both fighters missed a lot in their attacks. In the sixth round, during a double head collision, a cut opened on Wilfred's forehead. In a heavy exchange (compared to all other rounds) 11th, Leo shocked Benitez. The 15th segment of the battle took place on a collision course and turned out to be very brutal.
Wilfred Benitez was knocked down 30 seconds before its completion. After a short finish, just 6 seconds before the end of the fight, the referee stopped the meeting. Stopping looked premature * , but there was absolutely no doubt about Sugar's victory. He confidently dealt with one of the best boxers in the world at that time and, as time will tell, one of the greatest fighters of all time.
(* Possibility but, the early stoppage of the fight was associated with the death of Willie Klassen, who had died two days earlier from injuries sustained in a fight with Wilford Scipio).
"Leonard - Benitez"
"From a technical point of view, this fight has demonstrated so much that I have not seen in a very long time." - said Ray's coach - Angelo Dundee.
"No one has ever made me miss so much." —
“At the moment, Sugar Ray is the best boxer in the world. I was happy about this fight, he is a good opponent and will be a worthy champion " — Benitez .
Wilfred received a fee of $ 1.2 million, and Ray received $ 1 million. At that time, it was highest paid fight two non-heavyweight boxers.
As part of his first title defense, Sugar knocked down Dave Boy Green with a great left-hand sideways in the fourth round. Next, Ray faced a dangerous challenge in the person of the previously mentioned Roberto Duran. The Panamanian who came from lightweight at that time managed to win many victories in welterweight, including over ex-champion Carlos Palomino.
Duran was not just a good fighter, he was hellish. At the time of the meeting with Leonard, this Panamanian had more than 70 professional fights and was defeated in only one, having twice revanched. Roberto was the epitome of Latin American machismo. Difficult childhood, street fighting, ruthless, fearless, courageous and trained fighter with a heavy blow. This image, associated with primitive aggression, was the opposite of the smart, handsome and graceful Leonard.
Two famous promoters - Bob Arum and Don King co-organized the event. The fight took place on June 20, 1980 in Montreal, Canada, the very same place where Ray Leonard took Olympic gold four years earlier. He was considered the favorite 9 to 5. Duran's fee was tentatively estimated at $ 1.5 million - he had never received more before. Leonard, according to some estimates, earned from $ 7.5 to 10 million per fight.
Before the fight, Duran said that he studied his opponent as thoroughly as his shadow, and declared that he was ready for anything. Leonard spoke with restraint of Roberto as a man to be feared.
In the opening round, Duran indicated his intention to work close. Leo responded. In the middle of the second stretch of the fight, Roberto shook the American with his left side. The Panamanian sought to put the opponent to the ropes in order to take a frontal position and work with power strikes from both hands. And, I must say, he successfully succeeded.
Yes, and Leonard himself was not against the fight on a collision course. Back in the third round, it became clear that he did not intend to box from a distance, keeping his opponent at arm's length. Sugar took a power battle, and therefore the meeting was full of exchanges, permanent aggression and anger, for which she was nicknamed "The Massacre in Montreal". Ray spent most of the time with his back to the ropes.
Following the close match, Roberto Duran won by unanimous decision. On average, he applied 61 blow per round, but the target had to - 21 ... Sugar applied on average 50 strokes per round, of which 18 ... More than 46,000 people watched the fight live.
“He's the best I've fought with. He surprised me a couple of times, but I was not in a bad position. Leonard just had to be well prepared, because he fought with me " — Roberto Duran.
“I said that I will not run from Duran. I had no options. People wondered if I could take a hard blow. I showed that I can. I have to give Roberto his due, this is the toughest guy I've ever fought with. "
“The battle in Montreal was not a boxing match. It was a street fight. I didn't use my skills. He was just determined to stand his ground and trade blows with Duran. I don't like his manner. He acts like he owns the world. "
“After round 14, I knew he took this fight. I felt that I gave it one hundred percent, but the fight was wrong. Emotional devastation is what I felt. My family and friends were crying. Everyone cried, but not me "— .
"Leonard - Duran 1"
The pride of our hero cost him zero in the column of defeats. Five months later, the fighters held a revenge, which Sugar insisted on. Despite the result of the first fight, Leonard was a slight favorite. According to the statements of the Panamanian manager and translator, Roberto Duran had serious weight problems before the second fight.
For this fight, Leonard, usually wearing red, white and blue, opted for black shorts and boxers. The fight was very different from the first. Sugar was constantly moving, jerking off the enemy and quickly attacking from the movement and in response. Roberto was occasionally successful, but for the most part he was unable to get hold of Ray. In the seventh round, Leonard began to tease his counterpart.
30 seconds before the end of the eighth three minutes, Duran refused to continue the fight. According to referee Octavio Meiran, he told the Panamanian in Spanish "Fight!"but he answered "No mas"which means "Enough"... This phrase will forever be associated with his remarkable sports career. The scandalous situation immediately overgrown with many versions.
“I was as puzzled as everyone else, just shocked. I thought it was a ruse, I thought he wanted to pretend he was refusing to continue and then hit me off guard. "
Durand himself stated in the ESPN documentary that he did not utter the words "No mas", as if the commentator had invented it. Roberto himself referred to stomach problems, saying that on the eve of the battle he ate hot food and washed down with cold juice. According to him, he wanted to abandon the continuation in the fifth round.
Roberto's manager - Carlos Eleta believed that it was Leonard's manner in the ring that confused Duran and made him refuse to continue the fight. This version has found the most followers. Eleta also claimed that after the duel on the way to the hospital, Duran repented, saying that he was ashamed of his act and that it was not worth “giving up”.
The day after the incident, Roberto was fined $ 7,500 by the Sports Commission. Duran's comprehensive physical examination revealed no major abnormalities. He announced that he was retiring from boxing and did not want to fight anymore.
“I did everything as I said and made him give up. Doing this with Roberto Duran is even better than knocking him out. "
“So something like this happened to me, it's terrible. I had thousands of fighters and no one ever gave up. I think this guy needs the help of a psychiatrist the most. What about him? He was a fighter. If someone told me that Roberto Duran could surrender, I would never believe it " - Durand's trainer Ray Arcel.
"Leonard - Duran 2"
In the same 1980, Leonard married Juanita Wilkinson, the mother of his son, and began to defend the title. In 1981, he aggressively defeated the third left-hander of his career, Larry Bonds.
Peak Career Part 2: Kalule and Hearns
On June 25, 1981, Sugar Ray Leonard fought in the first middleweight title against WBA champion Ayub Kalule. The champion was originally from Uganda but lived in Denmark. At that time, he had four belt defenses and had no defeats.
Promoter Bob Arum, who agreed to promote the event at the insistence of Leonard's manager Mike Trainer, called the venture "idiotic." Even then, Sugar was scheduled to fight with WBA welterweight champion Thomas Hearns, who boxed on the same evening as Leo and Kalule. But Arum was sure that Kalule would defeat Ray and undermine his reputation.
Leonard, 25, entered the ring wearing black underpants with a yellow snake on the right side. Before the fight, he studied Ugandan culture and learned that Ugandan witch doctors are afraid of black and fear snakes.
Ray did not give the African left-hander ( by nature Kalule is right-handed, but boxed in a left-handed stance - approx. website) ring space. He acted towards, trying not to get close to the tough African once again, and more often he was in a more advantageous position for striking, stepping over the opponent's front leg. Kalule was holding up Sugar and alternating blows to the floors.
In the fourth segment of the competitive fight, Leo went ahead, it seemed that he was investing in every blow. He managed to slightly shake the opponent and give the fans an extremely bright ending of the round. In the final seconds of an exciting ninth round, Ray Leonard sent Kalula to the floor. He got up, but the referee decided to stop the meeting. After, the African admitted that he himself asked the arbiter to intervene. Well, Sugar, celebrating the victory, performed a back somersault right within the ring.
It's time to face WBA champion Thomas Hearns for the undisputed welterweight title. Tall, long-armed and dry, Tommy knocked out everyone right and left. Two weeks before the fight, Hearns broke the jaw of his sparring partner Marlon Starling with his right hand, who had to postpone his own fight as a result.
At the bookmakers, Leonard first opened as a small favorite, but closer to the date of the fight he was already in the status of an underdog. The fight took place on September 16, 1981 and was widely broadcast around the world.
“This fight cannot be won by skill alone. Here the victory will be achieved by the one who has a stronger desire to win "
Hearns worked quickly with his front hand and instantly found a suitable distance. Leonard moved a lot at the beginning of the battle, avoiding the vast majority of attacks from his counterpart. He could only work in response in the middle of the second round. In the third segment, Sugar began to act more successfully, occasionally intercepting the opponent's attacks. Hearns connected punches in the torso, the beginning of the meeting was definitely behind him.
The second half of the sixth round took place in a bright exchange of blows, during which Ray Leonard managed to shake Thomas. From that moment on, Leo began to aggravate more and more often. In the seventh round, he again shook the opponent. Now Sugar had the initiative and was better in the middle rounds. However, during the same period, a hematoma began to cover his left eye. In rounds 10-11 Thomas Hearns again seized the initiative. To win this fight, Ray had to either knock out his opponent or knock him down several times.
In the middle of the 13th round, Sugar managed to stagger Hearns with a right hand. He went to finish off and sent the enemy under the ropes. The referee did not consider this a knockdown. Another finishing move from Ray, Hearns hung on the ropes, but was saved by a gong. In the 14th stretch of the fight, Leonard, like a predator, continued to look for opportunities for a knockout. Midway through the round, he found her, again shaking Thomas with a right hand. Shortly after a few accented hits from Ray, the referee stops the fight. The situation seemed like a stalemate, but the concept of "surrender" simply was not in Sugar's vocabulary.
At that time, Hearns was seriously in the lead on the cards of all three judges. Sugar Ray Leonard did what only a great fighter could do - find a solution in the most difficult situation and get a victory over a real welterweight monster. Ray Leonard became the undisputed world champion, and his fight with Thomas Hearns was named "Fight of the Year 1981" by The Ring. Later, in 1996, he will take 9th place in the list of "Greatest Fights of All Time".
In total, including royalties and percentages from sales, Sugar Ray received more than $ 11 million for the fight, and Hearns about $ 8 million.The total income from purchases of paid broadcasts (PPV) alone amounted to $ 7.5 million.
Later, in the biography I already mentioned in 2011, Leonard admitted that two weeks before the fight, sparring partner Odell Hadley accidentally touched his left eye with his elbow. The next morning, the eye began to swell and there was talk about the postponement of the fight, but nothing happened.
Sugar Ray Leonard knocks out Hearns. (Photo by John Iacono / Sports Illustrated / Getty Images) (SetNumber: X26024 TK1 R13 F3)
“I have proven that I am the best welterweight in the world. This fight overrides all my professional achievements "
Hearns' coach Emanuel Steward agreed that stopping the fight was more than fair.
Sugar Ray met Benitez, Duran, Kalule and Hearns in a very short period from November 1979 to September 1981. The total record of these fighters at the time of meeting with him - 177-1-1 .
Health problems and retirement:
In February 1982, Leonard defended his titles against North American champion Bruce Finch in Reno, Nevada. It was the first championship fight held in the town since the 1910 battle between Jack Johnson and James Jeffries. Sugar won an early victory, sending his opponent to the canvas several times.
Then a fight against Roger Stafford was planned, but during training Leonard increasingly had vision problems and saw spots. As a result, Ray was found detachment of the retina of the left eye... After a successful operation, Sugar Ray Leonard decides to end his career, which he announces on November 9, 1982.
One hundred percent recognition, the largest bank accounts and a guaranteed job in the field of boxing television broadcasting - Sugar had everything, and he had no reason to return to the ring. Except for one thing - the champion hungry for victories did not see any charm in a well-fed life without risk.
“I retired from boxing at 26, but I realized that I hadn't finished as a fighter yet. This feeling burned me from the inside, devoured me every single day "
In the end, Ray's ego overcame his fear of losing his sight. On December 10, 1983, Leonard announced his return to the ring. Ten days later, rumors began to circulate of his duel with Pennsylvania's medium-caliber fighter Kevin Howard. A month later, this was officially announced. Sugar Ray announced that he intends to return his welterweight title, and in 2-3 years to meet with the undisputed middleweight champion - Marvin Hagler.
(* At the time, the middleweight champion was a very talented fighter - "Amazing" Marvin Hagler, who had excellent technical skills, powerful punch, and a rather sulky disposition. Leonard and Hagler's meeting seemed inevitable and was widely discussed in boxing circles even then.).
Leonard was closely examined and, despite minor problems with the other, right eye, he was still given a boxing license. Sugar himself insisted that in the fight with Howard, both had special gloves with a hidden thumb in order to reduce the risk to eyes.
The meeting took place on May 11, 1984. The fight was attended by Marvin Hagler, whom Ray asked to come and for whom he himself paid for the ticket.
Howard fought aggressively, jerking Leo apart and trying to get close. Leonard mostly tried to act from afar in response. 30 seconds before the end of the 4th round, Howard managed to catch his opponent with an accurate right hand to the jaw immediately after Sugar jab. Ray fell, it was first knockdown of his career.
Kevin Howard consistently hit the right in response, the fight turned out to be competitive. In the ninth round, Ray shook his opponent with his left side. After a protracted series of blows, the referee stops the fight. Sugar won, but was so disappointed with his performance that at the post-match press conference he again announced his retirement:
“At the moment I am retired. There is no point in deceiving yourself or anyone else. I was afraid for my health, there is no point in continuing to dishonor myself. "
During his periods of inactivity, Leonard took a job as a boxing commentator for the cable television network HBO. In addition, he also launched a television network named after himself from Maryland, which showed news, interviews and fights around the clock.
Sugar Ray Leonard, right, fight Kevin Howard, left, (Photo by Focus on Sport / Getty Images)
"I wanted to fight monsters"
In 1986, the boxing world learned that Leonard was starting to train again and was seriously considering meeting with. By the way, at that time the king of middleweight defeated Durant, brutally knocked out Hearns and beat every top middleweight who decided to infringe on his titles. It was in this regard that many observers believed that the ruthless Hagler would easily cope with Leonard, who had not entered the ring for three years, and had only had one fight in the previous 5 years.
“Michael J. Fox and I attended the Hagler vs. John Mugabi fight. We sat and drank beer, and watching the fight, I told Michael that I could beat Hagler. Michael replied, "Ray, would you like another beer?" I said "Yes, but I can still beat Marvin"
Their mentality was as different as the path to titles. For the first fight in the pro, Hagler received $ 50, Leo - 40,000. It took Marvin more than 50 fights to become a champion, Sugar - 26. They were like fire and water in everything. Bright, open, charming Ray Leonard against the reserved, withdrawn and brutal Hagler.
The long-awaited battle was scheduled for April 6, 1987. By its scale at that time, the event became simply grandiose. Leonard agreed to the condition that Hagler would receive a larger fee (Marvin earned about $ 20 million in total, Ray about $ 12 million), and Marvelous let Sugar choose gloves, the number of rounds and the size of the ring.
Of Hagler's three titles, only the WBC middleweight title was at stake. The WBA stripped him of his title for not meeting mandatory challenger Erol Graham, while the IBF simply refused to sanction the fight, announcing that if Leonard wins, the title would be vacant.
"This fight endangers Leonard's vision and life, as well as the reputation of any committee that approves of him." - said the famous sports doctor and boxing commentator Ferdi Pacheco.
The anxious moods were not accidental. Marvin Hagler was the best boxer in the world regardless of weight category according to KO Magazine. In a UPI poll, 18 of 21 boxing journalists tied for Hagler to win, and only three chose Sugar. On the eve of the fight, Marvin was considered a favorite 3 to 1.
Only the lazy did not dissuade Ray from this adventurous undertaking. His friends and wife were against Sugar meeting with Marvin, all close people were afraid that Leonard might go blind or suffer severe beatings. Few believed in a boxer other than himself.
The moment of truth has arrived. Hagler walked forward. Leo tried not to stagnate in front of him: if he struck, he shifted. Marvin pays attention to working on the opponent's torso and already in the first round changes the stands from right-handed to left-handed. In round 3, Sugar begins to act differently, hitting - stuck to the opponent. In the fourth, Hagler picked up the pace and again became left-handed (at the beginning of the fight, the left-handed stance brought him more success). Despite this, the beginning of the battle for Leonard.
In the middle rounds, Marvin Hagler found the right pace and more and more often overtook the opponent, forcing him to trade. After the first six rounds of the fight, Sugar's strikes were 50% accurate. The middle of the fight was almost outright for the champion. From the eighth round, Leonard began to move a lot again, stopping only to deliver a short series of punches. The ninth three minutes turned out to be dramatic and bright, Ray barely made it to the end. The ending of the battle was behind him with a slight advantage.
Sugar Ray Leonard won a split decision after twelve rounds of a high-profile and exciting duel. He delivered to the goal 306 of 629 shots (49%), and Hagler - 291 of 792 (37%). Their duel was named "Fight of the Year 1987" and "Upset of the Year", and later also "Upset of the Decade".
The referee's decision gave rise to heated discussions in the environment of the boxing media. Hagler himself did not agree with the official verdict, and various publications now and then put up their own score, giving victory to one or the other, but everyone agreed on one thing - the fight was close.
"Leonard - Hagler"
Later, it became known that during the downtime in the 80s, Ray began using cocaine and alcohol as substitutes for adrenaline, in search of new sensations. Leonard admitted that he used cocaine from 1984 to 1989. This caused irreparable damage to his marriage, the first wife Juanita left him in 1990.
Donnie Lalonde and rematch with Tommy Hearns
Despite another promise to end his career, Sugar returned to the ring a year and a half after the fight with Hagler. His opponent was Canadian Donnie Lalonde, who was on a good winning streak and also held the WBC light heavyweight title. It is worth saying that another belt was at stake in this fight - the vacant WBC in a new weight category - super middle. ( The fighters fought in the super middleweight division - approx. website). Sugar was considered the favorite.
The battle took place on November 7, 1988. It was highly publicized, and Leonard's salary was at least $ 15 million. It was also Sugar's first fight. without a reputable mentor Angelo Dundee in his corner. Dundee was outraged by the low fees received for the fight with Hagler, as a result of which the famous and mega-successful "trainer-fighter" duo fell apart. Now Jenks Morton was in command in Ray's corner.
Despite the substantial fees and titles in two divisions, there was a corresponding risk for Sugar. The powerful Donnie Lalonde was 10 cm higher. He occupied the center of the ring and was active with his front hand. Sugar circled around the opponent, looking for an opportunity for a quick spurt in the attack, and from the first round he began to hit with emphasis.
In the middle of the fourth round, Ray missed a counter blow from the right to the top of the head and ended up on the floor of the ring. In the same round, a dissection opened on the bridge of his nose. In the course of development, the duel became more intense and exciting. At the end of the fifth segment of the battle, Sugar shook the enemy with his right side.
As in the fight with Hagler, Leonard was clearly tired by the eighth round. In the middle of the ninth, Lalonde shook him and went to finish, but Ray held out and managed to seize the initiative. Within 20 seconds, he sent his opponent to the floor. Lalonde stands up. A short finishing move from Sugar - Donnie falls backwards and cannot recover for a long time, his face is covered with blood.
After 9 rounds, Ray reported to the goal 205 of 382 strokes (54%), and Lalonde - 122 of 508 (24%). Leonard became the second boxer in history (after Thomas Hearns) who managed to win titles in five weight classes.
“When I step into the ring, something happens to me. All the motivation I need is competition, competitive moment. People think that attention, money, my ego motivates me. But I just love competition, I love to compete and win. " (c) Sugar Ray Leonard.
After defeating Lalonde, Ray vacated the light heavyweight title and faced Thomas Hearns, who also won the super middleweight belt (WBO) in his last fight.
However, Leonard refused to have Tommy's title on the line due to the WBO's involvement in apartheid in South Africa. And if from the moment of their first meeting Leonard did not lose, then Hearns managed, in addition to many significant victories, to suffer two early defeats from middleweights Marvin Hagler and Ayren Barkley.
Sugar was considered the favorite 3 to 1. Leo's guaranteed fee was $ 13 million, Thomas's - $ 11 million. One of Ray's conditions was a monetary fine for the fighter, who will weigh more than 74.4 kg at the official weigh-in.
At a press conference before the fight, Hearns' coach and manager, Emanuel Steward, accused Leonard of taking steroids, to which he laughed and offered to undergo a doping test. ( The Nevada State Athletic Commission at that time only took urine tests immediately before the fight - approx. website).
The rematch of 33-year-old Sugar and 30-year-old Hitman took place on June 12, 1989. Ray went to fight in red and white shorts with the inscription AMANDLA. This word in Zulu means "Power" and was often used in anti-apartheid demonstrations. This act of Leonard was connected with the fact that on the same day was the 25th anniversary of the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela for an anti-government conspiracy.
As in their first meeting, Hearns started the fight with number one, punching straight punches. Leonard worked in response, focusing on the opponent's body and the single right-hand jabs that brought him results in the first fight. In the middle of the third round, he was knocked down, but on the replay it became clear that the blow hit the back of the head when Sugar Ray went down, performing a protective element.
In the fifth round, Leo managed to shake the opponent, but Hitman held out under a prolonged flurry of blows. From the middle of the fight, Ray clearly looks charged for the knockout punch (mostly left side). In the second half of the fight, Hearns was more effective. At the beginning of the eleventh segment of the fight, Thomas again knocked down his opponent, this time - quite legitimate. In the last three minutes, Leonard went all-in, realizing the need to knock out his opponent, and even shocked Thomas.
According to the results of twelve rounds of the competitive fight, the judges put up a draw. The crowd booed the decision, with most believing that Hearns had done enough to win. Many years later, Ray Leonard admits that he lost his second fight to Thomas. However, none of the fighters complained. Directly at the post-match press conference, both soldiers referred to the fact that "this is the decision of the judges and they know better."
After, more than once they tried to organize the third fight between Leonard and Hearns, but in the end they could not agree on the issue of the weight limit.
"Leonard - Hearns 2"
The final stage of a career
Six months after the rematch with the Hitman, Leo meets in the third fight with Roberto Duran. The Panamanian had won a surprise victory over Ayren Barkley in the middleweight competition eight months earlier. Nevertheless, the fight with Leo took place in the intermediate weight - 162 pounds (up to 73.5 kg). Sugar was the favorite.
The event took place in an open arena on a cold night. For the most part, the whole action took place in the center of the ring and resembled a competition in speed and accuracy, where Leonard was better. He allowed himself to flaunt a lot over his opponent and systematically hit the right straight from a long distance.
Overall, Ray was more than successful in winning a fight in which Duran has a hard time giving up more than two rounds. The sixth segment of the battle turned out to be bright. During the fight, Sugar received three cuts and $ 15 million, becoming the first boxer in history to earn over $ 100 million in his career.
After the fight, Leonard retired from boxing again. But a little over a year later, at the age of 34, he returned. Of course, for the sake of a chance to become a champion again, but in the first middle weight. This very chance was provided by the young WBC champion Terry Norris. Sugar, who was almost 11 years older than his opponent, was considered the favorite 12 to 5.
In battle, Norris was more accurate, especially in the actions of the front hand. He neutralized the opponent's jab by knocking, blocking or moving away from him. At the end of the second round, Leo missed the left side and ended up on the floor. Norris, in his usual manner, added a blow from the right to an opponent already flying to the canvas. At the beginning of the third round, Sugar Ray was shocked.
Leonard had local successes, but Terry was better at everything. At the end of the sixth round, Ray accidentally hit the referee, and at the end of the seventh round he was knocked down again. Sugar continued to take a lot of damage, but still went ahead and looked for his chance. The chance did not present itself, Norris won a crushing victory. After the fight, Leo announced right in the ring that this was his last appearance in the ring. As for Norris, he will make many more title defenses and will become one of the greatest fighters in the history of the first middle division.
“It was a sad victory. Ray is my idol, and I beat him " — Terry Norris.
“He was quick and smart. Norris is a young Sugar Ray Leonard. If he continues in the same spirit, he will dominate for a very long time " — .
Despite the promise, the next return to the ring still took place after more than six years. The famous ex-champion Hector Camacho became his opponent. Camacho was also far from the peak of his career, but still in better shape than 40-year-old Sugar.
"I am not like the rest, I can return" -
"This is your last comeback, I guarantee you." — Hector Camacho.
Throughout the fight, Camacho looked better than Leonard, and at the beginning of the fifth round he sent him to the canvas. After finishing off, the referee stopped the fight. Until 1998, Leonard had several fights planned in turn, all of which fell through. He never returned to the ring.
Life outside the ring, legacy
In his early 60s, Ray Leonard is in great shape. He has appeared in many films and television shows. He starred in commercials, sponsored a research foundation that was looking for a cure for diabetes. Leonard has conducted a variety of motivational performances for children and teens. He now has four children and lives in California with his second wife, Bernadette.
Sugar Ray Leonard was named the fighter of the decade during the most competitive time in professional boxing history - the 1980s. He was repeatedly recognized as the Boxer of the Year by various publications, became the world champion in five weight categories and is rightfully one of the greatest fighters in the long history of professional boxing.
He dominated the most competitive middleweight era. He never considered it necessary to sign an agreement with the two promoters who ruled boxing, Don King and Bob Arum. Ray remained an independent agent who made his own career keeping himself clean of the sport's ubiquitous corruption. However, he could not avoid one mistake that casts a shadow on the careers of many great fighters: He could not resist the temptation of "one more fight".
Sugar Ray can be safely called a symbol of an entire era, a symbol of struggle with oneself. A man who could not live without challenges