Athletes - Sugar Ray Leonard

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	Athletes - Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard (born May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is an American former professional 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.

Early career

Leonard won gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He finished his amateur career with a record of 145-5. Sugar Ray wanted to go to college, but when his father became ill and his family needed money, he decided to turn professional. Leonard made $40,000 for his first professional fight against tough Puerto Rican Luis Vega. The fight was televised nationally, and Leonard won by a 6 round decision.

Leonard won his first 25 pro fights and then challenged for his first pro title. He knocked out Pete Ranzany in round 4 to win the North American Boxing Federation welterweight title. Three months later, he challenged world welterweight champion Wilfred Benitez. He and Benitez met at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on November 30, 1979 and after a brilliantly fought battle, Leonard was declared world champion with a technical knockout in round 15, with 6 seconds left in the fight.

World champion

Leonard won his first defense by knocking out British challenger Dave Green in 4 rounds in Landover, Maryland. Green was knocked out with a devastating left hook to the chin. The fight was broadcast to a national audience in the United States. Next, Leonard went back to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal to defend his title against Roberto Duran, in the first superfight of the 1980s. Leonard abandoned his usual slick boxing style and brawled with Duran. It was a great fight, but Leonard lost in a unanimous 15-round decision. The scores were 148-147, 145-144, and 146-144.

Their rematch was in New Orleans on November 25, 1980. This time, Sugar Ray boxed Duran. Using speed and movement, he frustrated Duran from the opening bell. In round 7, he started to taunt Duran, and with 17 seconds to go in round 8,the unthinkable happened: Duran turned around, walked to his corner and gave up, saying the now famous words, "no más." Referee Octavio Meyran, perhaps as incredulous as was the rest of the world at what he was seeing, asked Duran if he was sure, and Duran repeated, "No más, no más." Duran, who gorged himself after the weigh-in, claimed he quit because he was having stomach cramps, but most felt he quit out of frustration.

Leonard was a world champion again and, after avenging his only defeat, once more was on top of the world.

On June 25, 1981, Leonard fought Ayub Kalule, world junior middleweight champion. Kalule gave Leonard a tough fight and it was closely contested. In round 3, Leonard injured his left hand, making the bout even more difficult for him. But in round 9, Leonard connected with a right to the chin that sent Kalule down. He was stopped in that round, and in celebration of his second world title, Leonard did a back flip.

Ring arch-rival Thomas Hearns, meanwhile, was tearing apart the Welterweight division and had won the WBA world title by knocking out the Hall Of Famer, Pipino Cuevas. A unification bout was set for September 16, 1981, once again at Caesar's Palace. In a bout televised on closed-circuit and pay-per-view outlets throughout the world, Leonard and Hearns fought one for the ages. Hearns started at the aggressor and built an early lead, but after being hurt by Leonard in round 6, Hearns went from puncher to boxer, and Leonard went from boxer to puncher. After several tough rounds, Hearns was able to regroup, and he again started to pile up points. With an eye almost closed, trailing on all 3 score cards, Leonard dug deep and came on strong. Leonard floored Hearns in the 13th, and after a rain of punches caught Hearns against the ropes in round 14, referee David Pearl stopped the fight, making Leonard the undisputed world welterweight champion. For his performance, he also received Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award.

In 22 months, Leonard stopped Benitez, Duran, Kalule, and Hearns. All four were reigning world champions when he stopped them, and they had a combined record of 177-1-1.

A defense against Bruce Finch followed his win against Hearns, but his next defense, vs Roger Stafford, which was to be held in Buffalo, New York, had to be canceled. Doctors discovered Leonard had suffered a detached retina, and he underwent surgery at Johns Hopkins hospital to repair the problem. By then, many people were talking about a potential fight with world Middleweight champion Marvin Hagler.

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Athletes - Sugar Ray Leonard

Early career

World champion

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