Legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is an athlete of tremendous accomplishment, taking home world titles in five different weight divisions and retiring with the accolade of being largely considered the best boxer of the 1980s. He would go on to become a fight commentator, a successful motivational speaker, the proprietor of a boxing promotional company, and more. Leonard also cultivated a substantial acting career, appearing in movies like Riot and The Fighter, and participating on reality shows like Celebrity Ghost Stories and Dancing With the Stars. He published his autobiography, The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring, in 2011.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Active - 1989 - 2017 |
Born - May 17, 1957 in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States |
Genres - Sports & Recreation, Adventure, Action
Share on
Biography by AllMovie
Movie Highlights
Factsheet
- He was named after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles.
- Goes by the same nickname as boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, but was blasted for it by critics. Robinson said, "I'm gratified he's using my name. It's great when kids think enough of you to use your name."
- Taught to box starting at age 14, Leonard fought his first pro bout at age 20, and proceeded to win his first 27 bouts over the next three years.
- Won three national Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic titles, the 1975 Pan American Games light-welterweight title and the 1976 light-welterweight Olympic gold medal in Montreal.
- Lost out on commercial endorsements partly because of a paternity suit filed against him regarding a son, Ray Charles Leonard Jr.
- Turned pro to help support his family.
- First pro loss came in a WBC welterweight-title defense on June 20, 1980, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal to challenger Roberto Duran, who was also undefeated (71-0) prior to the fight. Duran won in a unanimous decision. The two fought a rematch in 1980, which was won by Leonard in an eighth-round TKO, after Duran quit, citing stomach cramps, and told the referee, "No mas."
- Became the first boxer to win titles at five weight classes, including welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight---and also become the first fighter to eclipse the $100 million in earnings mark.
- Retired and "unretired" multiple times.
- Notched a win, two losses and a draw in his last four bouts, sealing his career with a 36-3-1 record. Of his 36 wins, 25 were by knockout.
- Appeared as himself in the acclaimed 2010 film The Fighter, during a heartbreaking exchange with a troubled ex-boxer, played by Christian Bale (whose heart presumably mended, considering he copped an Oscar for his performance.) Bale's real-life character, Dicky Ecklund, took part in a memorable 1978 bout with Leonard.
- Leonard's 2011 stint on Dancing With the Stars made perfect sense to his former trainer, Angelo Dundee, who had high praise for the fighter's footwork.