He acquired the gold medal in light-welterweight boxing in the 1976 Olympic video games and went pro a year later. Their 1987 defeat of "wonderful" Marvin Hagler for the globe Boxing Council's middleweight name is one of the best expert boxing matches in history. Leonard retired in 1997 with a record of 36-3-1 and got inducted inside Boxing hallway of Fame.

Early Many Years

Among boxing's more precious and winning competitors, Sugar Ray Leonard came to be Ray Charles Leonard on May 17, 1956, in Wilmington, new york. The 5th of Gertha and Cicero Leonard's seven young children, he had been called after their mom's preferred vocalist, Ray Charles.

When Leonard was actually 3 years older, the guy with his household moved to Washington, D.C. Seven many years afterwards, they moved to a permanent residence in Palmer playground, Maryland. Leonard grew up in a loving homes, where budget are frequently tight. His daddy attained a living as every night manager at a supermarket, while Gertha worked as a nurse.

For Leonard, lifestyle was actually typically tough—as a young child, he witnessed schedules around your lost by criminal activity and assault. Many of his twelfth grade friends died considering violent criminal activities; many others comprise taken to jail. Leonard, but was determined not to yield to their environments.

As a sports athlete, Leonard was only limited at teams sports. His two more mature brothers, that has begun to dabble in boxing, convinced him to consult with the Palmer Park Community middle (their unique neighborhood recreation center) and band on some gloves. Their lives would never become exact same again.

Leonard eventually became obsessed with boxing, with perfecting his abilities within the sport. "for whatever reason, I wanted it to so bad," the guy advised recreations Illustrated in 1979. "we noticed they in myself, and I also must carry escort girls Provo UT on."

Rising Star

Leonard was actually rapid and deft. Even more important, he was eager to find out. In 1973, the fruit of their work started initially to pay back. He obtained the National Golden Gloves that year, and a-year afterwards, he was crowned the nationwide Amateur Athletic Union champ.

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"whenever I began, I familiar with combat like Joe Frazier," Leonard as soon as said. "i'd come in low, bob and weave, and that I knocked out a lot of guys such as that. We straightened out once I watched Muhammad Ali, while I began studying Sugar Ray Robinson." Leonard's reverence for Robinson went very deep that he ultimately grabbed the nickname "Sugar Ray," which trapped.

Throughout his winning amateurish profession, Leonard acquired three nationwide Golden Gloves brands, two AAU titles in addition to 1975 Pan-American title. From the 1976 Olympic video games in Montreal, Canada, the guy vaulted to celebrity position by beating severe hands accidents to winnings the silver medal into the light-welterweight (139-pound) unit.

Professional Job

Leonard had no programs for getting an expert boxer; he'd wished to cash in on his Olympic success, and never step-back for the band once again. But family stresses, such as each of his parents becoming unwell, forced their hands, and never long afterwards the Olympics, the guy going combat again.

As an expert, Leonard matched similar profits he would had as an amateur fighter. In November 1979, he obtained the planet Boxing Council's welterweight name, as well as the second ten years, he fought in some of boxing's most memorable bouts, winning nearly all of them. His victories integrated wins over Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns.

Leonard resigned back in 1984, just a few ages after, in 1987, moved back into the band to disappointed "wonderful" Marvin Hagler for the middleweight top. To this day, the 1987 Leonard-Hagler bout are extensively regarded as one of the biggest fights in boxing history.

Leonard resigned from boxing once and for all in 1997, finishing his pro boxing profession with a 36-3-1 record and 25 knockouts. Later that 12 months, he was inducted in to the Global Boxing hallway of reputation.

Nowadays

Last year, Leonard done on success ABC program dance making use of the movie stars (season 12), competing against Ralph Macchio, Wendy Williams and Hines Ward, among some other famous people. That exact same year, he posted their memoir the major combat: my entire life inside and out for the Ring. He or she is additionally energetic in philanthropy through glucose Ray Leonard Foundation, that he established in 2009 with his girlfriend Bernadette. The business elevates funds for juvenile all forms of diabetes studies and encourages understanding regarding the medical condition.

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