Robinson finally retired from the sport for good in 1965. "At the end of the fifth round, I got cramps in my stomach and it kept getting worse and worse", Duran later said. However, Emanuel Steward, Hearns' manager and trainer, said, "I felt that the referee was justified in stopping the fight Tommy did not have enough energy to make it through the fight. Later that year, he boxed in the Eastern Olympic Trials. "I wanted that arena. On March 28, 1981, Leonard defended his title against Larry Bonds, the WBC sixth-ranked contender, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Leonard had no answer for the skillful, younger, faster man. Leonard was a shy child, and aside from the time he nearly drowned in a creek during a flood in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, his childhood was uneventful. Judge Jerry Roth scored the fight 113112 for Hearns, Judge Tom Kazmarek scored it 113112 for Leonard, and Judge Dalby Shirley scored it 112112. "For the first time in a long time, I allowed someone to push me", Leonard said. His father worked as a supermarket night manager and his mother was a nurse. He won his first Golden Gloves title (featherweight) in 1939, and then repeated the accomplishment in 1940. During the night Durn was admitted to a hospital with stomach pains, and discharged the following day. Leonard went the distance but lost by a lopsided decision. Kalule got up but the referee waved it off. "I felt weaker and weaker in my body and arms." Going into the final round, Leonard led by scores of 137130, 137133, and 136134. . Death Year: 1989, Death date: April 12, 1989, Death State: California, Death City: Culver City, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sugar Ray Robinson Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sugar-ray-robinson, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 13, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. By 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. The Classic bout between Sugar Ray Leonard V Thomas Hearns.Leonard Snatches Victory from the jaws of defeat with a dramatic late Stoppage! Everyone was surprised by Durn's actions, none more so than his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. I already had it in the back of my mind to dissolve the company. [24][25], On August 12, 1979, Leonard knocked out Pete Ranzany in four rounds to win the NABF Welterweight Championship. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The fight was named "Fight of the Year" and "Upset of the Year" by The Ring. Durn retired from boxing . On November 7, 1988, Leonard made another comeback, facing Donny Lalonde at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. I don't believe it. "He's black, he's blind, and he's broke.". His partner was Anna Trebunskaya. These seven fights are the highlight of his career. Despite years away from the ring, Leonard defeated Hagler and secured his place as one of the best. Astrological Sign: Taurus. October 30, 1974 - Kinshasa, Zaire It was the way that Ali won which made it the defining moment of his career, shocking the world by defeating a supposedly unbeatable Foreman by spending a good. "But then he adjusted to my style. The first fight occurred in '81 and was a highly anticipated welterweight unification match. Roberto Duran, known as one of the greatest boxers of all time, held world championships in four weight classes during his career and met Sugar Ray Leonard in the ring for the first time in June 1980. The real Leonard (a Seinfeld fan) mentioned that he was told about the episode by friends and family, but had never seen it for himself until a friend gave him the DVD set for a gift. Former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard acknowledged today that he took cocaine and drank heavily during the early 1980's when his career was jeopardized by an eye injury.. The rules state that a boxer must be retired for five years before being eligible for induction. To make matters worse, his father was hospitalized with meningitis and his mother had a heart attack. What was the score of the Sugar Ray Leonard fight? [26] The referee stopped the fight with Camacho teeing off on a defenseless Leonard on the ropes. Judge Jos Guerra scored the fight 118110 for Leonard. [40] Despite an official stoppage time of 2.59, the fight was actually stopped at 3.06 into the round, meaning Kalule should have been saved by the bell.[41]. Sylvester Stallone, who co-hosted during the first season, was one of the executive producers, along with Mark Burnett. The judges scored the fight a draw and Leonard retained the title. Durn said. Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor.Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professionally between 1977 and 1997, winning world titles in five weight classes; the lineal championship in three weight classes; as well as the undisputed . He also had the distinction of being the first boxer ever to earn $100 million in purses. But even though it was bereft of some of the normal fight card touches, this show offered a fun presentation of boxing that never mocked the sport. Fearful that her son would get pulled into this shady world, Robinson's mother turned to the Salem Methodist Episcopal Church, where a man by the name of George Gainford had just started a boxing club. The fight was postponed when Leonard had minor surgery on his right eye to fix a loose retina. . "[72], In January 1997, it was announced that Leonard had been voted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York. Leonard pledged he would support his son, even if he had to scrap plans to attend college. We never could tell what he was thinking. "But you guys know me. Leonard battled back again and again, but he had to work just to find room to breathe and swing, at times simply to survive. In Poland, local fighter Jan Kwacz was given a disqualification victory over Leonard after being knocked down three times in the first round but the referee ruled that Leonard had punched after the bell.[16]. Many consider the 1976 U.S. team to be the greatest boxing team in the history of the Olympics. The fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. "And Voom! But I never had any problems with him. Benitez was very slick. 1 in its book "The 100 Greatest Boxers of All Time.". Where did Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran have their first fight? [27] Price, an up-and-coming contender who was sponsored by Marvin Gaye, had a reputation for prolonged bouts in earlier fights and was believed by sports reporters to defeat or give a long fight to Leonard. However, Lalonde later told HBO's Larry Merchant that he didn't have any trouble making weight.[59]. By his last retirement in 1991, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard had become the first fighter to win titles in five divisions-every weight class from welteweight to light heavyweight. Shirley was the only judge to give Leonard a 108 margin in the twelfth. Leonard moved up to the junior middleweight division and faced Kalule on June 25, 1981, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. He had beaten the best of his . The boxer continued his dominance until 1991 when he lost by decision to Terry Norris and retired again. [9] In 2016, he was voted by The Ring to be the greatest living fighter. [48], A bout with Philadelphia's Kevin Howard, who was 2041, was scheduled for February 25, 1984. [14]:63, When Leonard decided to turn professional, Janks Morton introduced him to Mike Trainer, a friend of his who was an attorney. "I'll try, I'll give it a shot", Leonard said of his latest retirement. The time was 2:54 of round fifteen.[29]. Round nine was the most exciting round of the fight. [42] Some also considered the stoppage premature. Trainer talked 24 of his friends and clients into underwriting Leonard's career with an investment of $21,000 to be repaid within four years at 8% interest. Dec. 16, 1989 12 AM PT. In 1984 The Ring magazine placed Robinson No. Leonard married his high school sweetheart, Juanita Wilkinson, in January 1980. He died at the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, on April 12, 1989. Or why Roberto Durn was acting out of prudence, not cowardice, when he quit in his second fight against Leonard. The referee stopped the fight with Bonds taking punishment in a corner.[39]. Leonard looked to be in trouble, but he furiously fought his way out of the corner. The following month, he made his first title defense against Andy Price. March 13, 2021. by Larry Brown. I used when I felt bad, I used when I missed competing at that level", he said. [23] Leonard won by a tenth-round knockout. To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories. Robinson, who had a son from a previous marriage, helped raise Millie's two children. Outside of the ring, Robinson relished his celebrity, parading around Harlem with a pink Cadillac and making appearances at his high-profile Harlem nightclub. In a career that spanned 25 years, Robinson amassed 175 wins, 110 knockouts and just 19 losses. . The fight began as expected, Leonard boxing from a distance and Hearns stalking. However, Camacho was also considered to be past his prime. It was a fascinating fight in which a determined Leonard roared back from the brink of defea. [64] Hearns was guaranteed $11 million and Leonard was guaranteed $14 million. The announcement generated a lot of controversy because of Leonard's inactivity and eye injuries, yet it also excited many sports fans who had hoped to see them fight years earlier. In a fight that many considered to be very boring, both fighters were booed often by the fans and many left the arena before the decision was announced. Hearns was paid $5.1 million, and Leonard made over $11 million. Sugar Ray Leonard, the world welterweight champion, underwent two hours of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore yesterday to repair a partially detached retina in his left eye. Leonard celebrated his victory with a full 360-degree, no-hands flip. Robinson's ability to cross weight classes caused boxing fans and writers to dub him "pound for pound, the best," a sentiment that has not faded over the years. "The whole fight, I was moving, I was moving", Leonard said. Leonard kept it up, continuing to move, stop, and mug. Dundee was unhappy with that amount. Leonard is also the godfather of Khlo Kardashian and has appeared on many episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. By the end of round five, Leonard had a growing swelling under his left eye, and Hearns had built a considerable lead on the scorecards. His doctor suggested that he cancel the fight, but Leonard wanted to go through with it. In 2002, Leonard was voted by The Ring as the ninth greatest fighter of the last 80 years. "[43], The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring. He blamed his loss on a torn right calf muscle. On December 7, 1989, the boxer Sugar Ray Leonard triumphs over a lackluster Roberto Duran in a unanimous 12-round decision at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. The nickname "Sugar" came from Gainford, who had described the young boxer as "sweet as sugar"; reporters soon began using the moniker. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Photo: Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images, Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Sugar Ray Robinson, Birth Year: 1921, Birth date: May 3, 1921, Birth State: Georgia, Birth City: Ailey, Birth Country: United States. Late Stoppage greatest Boxers of All time. `` million, and Leonard made over $ 11 million and retained! To attend college he did n't have any trouble making weight. [ 39 ] of prudence not., I was moving, I allowed someone to push me '', Leonard led by scores of 137130 137133. Off on a torn right calf muscle it a shot '', he was by... The referee stopped the fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997, in January 1980 contact!. A tenth-round knockout going into the final round, Leonard boxing from a previous marriage, helped raise 's! Robinson amassed 175 wins, 110 knockouts and just 19 losses mind to dissolve the company Wilkinson, January! 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