Ray Leonard boxer

Ray Leonard boxer
bouts
40
won
36
lost
3
draw
1
Status
inactive
Division
welterweight
Debut
1977-02-05
Height
5′ 10″/178cm
Reach
74″/188cm
Age
-
Born
1956-05-17
Death
-
Nationality
USA

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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 between 1977 and 1997, winning world titles in five weight divisions; the lineal championship in three weight divisions; as well as the undisputed welterweight title. Leonard was part of "The Four Kings", a group of boxers who all fought each other throughout the 1980s, consisting of Leonard, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler."The Fabulous Four" created a wave of popularity in the lower weight classes that kept boxing relevant in the post-Muhammad Ali era, during which Leonard defeated future fellow International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Hearns, Durán, Hagler, and Wilfred Benítez. Leonard was also the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses, and was named "Boxer of the Decade" in the 1980s. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1979 and 1981, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1976, 1979, and 1981. In 2002, Leonard was voted by The Ring as the ninth greatest fighter of the last 80 years; In 2016, he was voted by The Ring to be the greatest living fighter; and BoxRec ranks him as the 14th greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.Leonard, the fifth of seven children of Cicero and Getha Leonard, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was named after Ray Charles, his mother's favorite singer. The family moved to Washington, D.C., when he was three, and they settled permanently in Palmer Park, Maryland when he was ten. His father worked as a supermarket night manager and his mother was a nurse. He attended Parkdale High School. 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. He stayed home a lot, reading comic books and playing with his dog. His mother said: "He never did talk too much. We never could tell what he was thinking. But I never had any problems with him. I never had to go to school once because of him."Leonard started boxing at the Palmer Park Recreation Center in 1969. His older brother, Roger, started boxing first. Roger helped start the boxing program, urging the center's director, Ollie Dunlap, to form a team. Dave Jacobs, a former boxer, and Janks Morton volunteered as boxing coaches. Roger won some trophies and showed them off in front of Ray, goading him to start boxing.In 1972, Leonard boxed in the featherweight quarterfinals of the National AAU Tournament, losing by decision to Jerome Artis. It was his first defeat. Later that year, he boxed in the Eastern Olympic Trials. The rules stated that a boxer had to be seventeen to box in international competition, so Leonard, only sixteen, lied about his age.: 1  He made it to the lightweight semifinals, losing a disputed decision to Greg Whaley, who took such a beating that he wasn't allowed to continue in the trials and never boxed again.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1997-03-01 Hector Camacho DWWWWW Convention Center, Atlantic City LOST
Technical knockout
1991-02-09 Terry Norris LWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Unanimous decision
1989-12-07 Roberto Duran WWWWWW Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1989-06-12 Thomas Hearns WWWWLW Caesars Palace, Las Vegas DRAW
Points
1988-11-07 Donny Lalonde WWWWWW Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1987-04-06 Marvin Hagler WWWWWW Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas WIN
Split-decision
1984-05-11 Kevin Howard WWLWLW DCU Center, Worcester WIN
Technical knockout
1982-02-15 Bruce Finch WWWWWW Centennial Coliseum, Reno WIN
Technical knockout
1981-09-16 Thomas Hearns WWWWWW Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1981-06-25 Ayub Kalule WWWWWW Astrodome, Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1981-03-28 Larry Bonds WWWWWW Carrier Dome, Syracuse WIN
Technical knockout
1980-11-25 Roberto Duran WWWWWW Superdome, New Orleans WIN
Technical knockout
1980-06-20 Roberto Duran WWWWWW Olympic Stadium, Montreal LOST
Unanimous decision
1980-03-31 Dave 'Boy' Green WWWLWW Capitol Center, Landover WIN
KO
1979-11-30 Wilfred Benitez WWWWWW Caesars Palace, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1979-09-28 Andy Price WLWWWW Caesars Palace, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1979-08-12 Pete Ranzany LWWWWW Caesars Palace, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1979-06-24 Tony Chiaverini WWWWWW Caesars Palace, Las Vegas WIN
Corner retirement
1979-05-20 Marcos Geraldo WWWWWW Centroplex, Baton Rouge WIN
Unanimous decision
1979-04-21 Adolfo Viruet LWLWLW Dunes Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1979-03-24 Daniel Aldo Gonzalez WWWWLW Community Center, Tucson WIN
Technical knockout
1979-02-11 Fernand Marcotte WWWWWL Convention Center, Miami Beach WIN
Technical knockout
1979-01-11 Johnny Gant LWWWWW Capitol Center, Landover WIN
Technical knockout
1978-12-09 Armando Muniz WWWLWL Civic Center, Springfield WIN
Corner retirement
1978-11-03 Bernardo Prada DWLWWW Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland WIN
Unanimous decision
1978-10-06 Randy Shields WWDLWL Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1978-09-09 Floyd Mayweather WWWWWW Civic Center, Providence WIN
Technical knockout
1978-07-18 Dick Eklund WWWLWL Hynes Auditorium, Boston WIN
Unanimous decision
1978-06-03 Rafael Rodriguez LLLWWL Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1978-05-13 Randy Milton WDLLWW Memorial Auditorium, Utica WIN
Technical knockout
1978-04-13 Bobby Haymon WLWWW Capitol Center, Landover WIN
Corner retirement
1978-03-19 Javier Muniz LLWLLL Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven WIN
KO
1978-03-01 Art McKnight WWWWWL Hara Arena, Dayton WIN
Technical knockout
1978-02-04 Rocky Ramon LWLDWW Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1977-12-17 Hector Diaz WLLLWL DC Armory, Washington WIN
KO
1977-11-05 Augustin Estrada LWLWWL Caesars Palace, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1977-09-24 Frank Santore Jr WWWWWW Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
KO
1977-06-10 Vinnie DeBarros WLWWLL Civic Center, Hartford WIN
Technical knockout
1977-05-14 Willie Rodriguez WWWWWW Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1977-02-05 Luis Vega LLLLLL Civic Center, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision

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