- Byname of:
- Ray Charles Leonard
- Born:
- May 17, 1956, Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. (age 70)
Sugar Ray Leonard
-
Who is Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sugar Ray Leonard (born May 17, 1956) is an American former boxer known for his agility and finesse. He won 36 of 40 professional matches and multiple titles. At the 1976 Montreal Games, he won an Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight class as an amateur.
Leonard defeated Wilfred Benítez to become the WBC welterweight champion in 1979, but he lost the title to Roberto Durán in 1980, only to regain it five months later. In 1981, he won the WBA junior-middleweight title and the WBA welterweight title after defeating Thomas Hearns.
After retiring twice, Leonard returned in 1987 to defeat Marvin Hagler for the WBC middleweight title. He retired again in 1991 but returned for a final fight in 1997 at age 40. In 1997, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What sport did Sugar Ray Leonard compete in?
Sugar Ray Leonard was an American boxer known for his agility and finesse. He achieved significant success in the sport, winning 36 of 40 professional matches and multiple titles. Leonard also won an Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight class at the 1976 Montreal Games. In 1997, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some championships or titles Sugar Ray Leonard won?
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former boxer whose skill in the ring led to multiple titles across different weight classes. In 1976, Leonard won an Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight class. As a professional, he won 36 of 40 matches.
Leonard's professional titles include the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title, which he won in November 1979 against Wilfred Benítez and regained against Roberto Durán. Leonard also acquired the World Boxing Association (WBA) version of the welterweight title after defeating Thomas Hearns in 1981. That same year, he won the WBA junior-middleweight title. In April 1987, Leonard defeated Marvelous Marvin Hagler and captured the WBC middleweight title.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why is Sugar Ray Leonard considered one of boxing's greatest fighters?
Sugar Ray Leonard is considered one of boxing's greatest fighters due to his agility and finesse, which led to an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and a professional record of 36 wins out of 40 matches.
Leonard captured titles in various weight classes, including the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title, the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior-middleweight title, and the WBC middleweight title after defeating Marvin Hagler in 1987 in what is considered one of the greatest professional boxing matches of all time. After retiring, Leonard became a boxing commentator and television host.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some famous matches Sugar Ray Leonard participated in?
Sugar Ray Leonard, an American boxer with agility and finesse, won 36 of 40 professional matches.
Some of his famous matches include:
* Defeating Wilfred Benítez in November 1979 to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title
* Losing to Roberto Durán in June 1980, then regaining the title by defeating Durán five months later
* Winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) version of the title with a victory over Thomas Hearns in 1981
* Defeating Marvelous Marvin Hagler in April 1987 to capture the WBC middleweight title4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Sugar Ray Leonard become involved in television commentary after boxing?
After his final retirement from boxing, Sugar Ray Leonard transitioned into television, working as a boxing commentator and host on major networks like ABC, NBC, Fox, HBO, and ESPN. Besides his commentary work, Leonard appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2011 and hosted The Contender from 2005 to 2007, an Emmy-nominated program.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Sugar Ray Leonard (born May 17, 1956, Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.) is an American former boxer whose agility and finesse helped him win 36 of 40 professional matches and various titles. As an amateur, he took an Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight class at the 1976 Games in Montreal.
Amateur career
By his mid-teens Leonard proved adept at boxing, and, as an amateur, he won 145 of 150 bouts and garnered two National Golden Glove championships (1973, 1974), two Amateur Athletic Union championships (1974, 1975), and a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games. Following his Olympic victory in 1976, he announced his retirement from the sport but reentered the ring as a professional on February 5, 1977.
Professional matches
- Fights: 40
- Wins: 36
- Wins by KO: 25
- Losses: 3
- Draws: 1
In November 1979 Leonard defeated the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion, Wilfred Benítez, only to lose the title in June 1980 in a famous match against Roberto Durán. Five months later Leonard regained the title by defeating Durán, and he successfully defended it thereafter, winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) version of the title with a victory over Thomas Hearns in 1981. Earlier that same year he had won the WBA junior-middleweight title with a ninth-round knockout of Ayub Kalule.
Leonard retired from prizefighting in 1982 and again in 1984 but was enticed to return in April 1987 to face the up-and-coming Marvelous Marvin Hagler, whom he defeated to capture the WBC middleweight title in what was considered one of the greatest professional boxing matches of all time.
Leonard retired again in 1991 after losing a WBC super welterweight title bout, but he returned to the ring once more in 1997, at age 40, and lost by a fifth-round technical knockout. He retired after the fight with a record of 36 wins (25 by knockout), 3 losses, and 1 draw. Later in 1997 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Later activities
After his final retirement, Leonard served as a boxing commentator and television host on major television networks, including ABC, NBC, Fox, HBO, and ESPN. He also appeared as a contestant during the 12th season (2011) of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and served (2005–07) as host of the Emmy-nominated program The Contender.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
In addition, Leonard is a popular motivational speaker and a philanthropist. In 2009 he established the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation, which is committed to raising awareness of juvenile diabetes and funding research for its cure. In his memoir, The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring (2011; written with Michael Arkush), Leonard discussed his struggles with drugs and alcohol and alleged that he had been sexually abused by an “Olympic boxing coach.”