Leonard's observation that the Hagler who beat John Mugabi was older and slower proved to be spot on. But New York proved rough in other ways. He lost it to Roberto Durn by a close decision in June 1980 and regained it five months later in the infamous No Ms Fight, in which Duran quit in the eighth round. In 1976, Leonard made the U.S. Olympic Team as the light welterweight representative. [88] In 1984, they had another son, Jarrell. Winding up his right hand, as if to throw a bolo punch, Leonard snapped out a left jab and caught Durn flush in the face. Later, when he made . Robinson's birth certificate lists his place of birth as Ailey, Georgia, while the boxer stated in his autobiography that he was born in Detroit, Michigan. [48], A bout with Philadelphia's Kevin Howard, who was 2041, was scheduled for February 25, 1984. [46], On November 9, 1982, Leonard invited Marvin Hagler and other boxing dignitaries to a charity event in Baltimore, Maryland to hear him announce whether he would continue his career. Always moving forward, he mauled and wrestled Leonard, scoring inside with hooks and rights. [42] Some also considered the stoppage premature. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier and more eye-catching, if not as effective. They fought for Lalonde's WBC Light Heavyweight Championship and the newly created WBC Super Middleweight Championship, which meant that Lalonde had to make 168lbs. Veteran ringside commentator Don Dunphy said "They're stopping the fight. This latest eye problem further fueled the flames of those who opposed Leonard's comeback. I know how Hagler felt now."[70]. Outside of the ring, Robinson relished his celebrity, parading around Harlem with a pink Cadillac and making appearances at his high-profile Harlem nightclub. His most famous commercial was a 7 Up ad he did with his son, Ray Jr., Roberto Durn and Durn's son Roberto Jr. in the early 1980s. The working environment was not healthy."[84]. Lalonde, 312 with 26 knockouts, was guaranteed at least $6 million and Leonard was guaranteed over $10 million. "I don't have contracts. [23] Leonard won by a tenth-round knockout. WBA-WBC era (1963-1983) No . Leonard and Robi were married at Leonard's $8.7 million estate in Pacific Palisades, California in August 1993. 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. He never liked being called "The Hit Man," and after going nearly 14 rounds with nemesis Sugar Ray Leonard under the bright lights at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Tommy . He then announced, "I am retiring from boxing right now." Dec. 16, 1989 12 AM PT. For the first bout of his career in 1936, he borrowed the Amateur Athletic Union card of another boxer, whose name was Ray Robinson, to enter the ring. In October 1996, the 40-year-old Leonard announced that he was coming out of retirement to fight 34-year-old Hctor Camacho for the lightly regarded International Boxing Council (IBC) Middleweight Championship. Leonard battered Hearns in rounds six and seven, but Hearns regrouped. [4] Leonard was part of the "Four Kings",[5] a group of boxers who all fought each other throughout the 1980s, consisting of Leonard, Roberto Durn, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. It was promoted as "The War". Leonard won the fight in 12 rounds on a split decision. Friends and family mourned the loss of the welterweight champion at wake . Leonard started to do better by the fifth round, finding some punching room and throwing numerous multi-punch combinations. On December 7, 1989, Leonard defended the title against Roberto Durn, who was the reigning WBC Middleweight Champion. Leonard and Duran fought the fiercest battle in welterweight history, fuelled by Duran's utter hatred for the pretty boy with lots of money and Ray's refusal to back down. The live gate was $5.9 million, and the revenue from pay-per-view was $7.5 million. Hagler continued to score somewhat effectively in round six. Later that year, he boxed in the Eastern Olympic Trials. I knew he would indulge himself, he'd gain 4050 lbs and then sweat it off to make 147." Many consider the 1976 U.S. team to be the greatest boxing team in the history of the Olympics. This decision was met with a torrent of criticism from fans and the media, who felt Leonard was taking unnecessary risks with his surgically repaired eye. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [17] Leonard won his first four Olympic bouts by 50 decisions. He testified about the burden of diabetes and the need for continued research funding to find a cure.[93]. He has also appeared in several movies, including I Spy and most recently The Fighter (2010), starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. Durn attacked at almost every turn. For the Durn fight, Leonard cut his entourage from twenty-one to six. After the verdict was announced, Leonard announced his retirement. [14]:78, In 1973, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves Lightweight Championship, but lost to Randy Shields in the lightweight final of the National AAU Tournament. . Leonard maintained his eye was fully healed, but that he just didn't want to box anymore. At the post-fight press conference, Leonard surprised everyone by announcing his retirement again, saying he just didn't have it anymore.[51]. Judge Jos Guerra scored the fight 118110 for Leonard. Jacobs had quit in 1980, disagreeing with Leonard's decision to have an immediate rematch with Durn. Leonard learned of the suit several days after returning home from the Olympics. It was then that Leonard decided to come back and fight Hagler. [15], Sarge Johnson, assistant coach of the US Olympic Boxing Team, said to Dave Jacobs, "That kid you got is sweet as sugar". [62], After the fight, Leonard vacated the light heavyweight title, but kept the super middleweight title. But the TV show came about and made my decision a lot easier. It ended in 1990, after HBO was not offered an opportunity to bid on the telecast rights to Leonard's fight with Terry Norris. The win over Barkley was in many ways the final memory of the old rampaging warrior. In rounds, he had it three for Durn, two for Leonard, and ten even. Leonard served as host and mentor to the aspiring fighters on The Contender. According to Bob Arum, the fight grossed $78 million (which equates to around $179 million in 2020). In the fourth round, Leonard knocked Green out with a devastating left hook. . He was given a scholarship to the University of Maryland, a gift from the citizens of Glenarden, Maryland. "I've had it. "Sugar Walker Smith wouldn't have been the same.". Hearns managed to rise, but was dropped by a flurry of hard punches near the end of the round. The team also included Leon and Michael Spinks, Howard Davis Jr., Leo Randolph, Charles Mooney, and John Tate. His doctor suggested that he cancel the fight, but Leonard wanted to go through with it. Shirley was the only judge to give Leonard a 108 margin in the twelfth. His opponent was Luis "The Bull" Vega, whom he defeated by a six-round unanimous decision. The legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard had an impressive professional boxing career, with a total of 36 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss. Named after Ray Charles, Leonard's parents reportedly wanted him to become a singer, although as . [22] After the fight, Leonard paid back his $21,000 loan to the investors. Tyson lost his first fight to Holyfield in 1996. 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. Leonard had no answer for the skillful, younger, faster man. In 2007 he was awarded The Ambassador Award of Excellence by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission at the Riviera Country Club for his continued community involvement. Kalule got up but the referee waved it off. Sugar Ray Robinson turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights. On June 20, 1980, Leonard returned to the Olympic Stadium in Montreal to defend his title against Roberto Durn before a crowd of 46,317. Six years later, Robinson captured the middleweight title for the first time by defeating Jake LaMotta. "[72], In January 1997, it was announced that Leonard had been voted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York. Benitez started improving in the fourth, slipping numerous punches and finding the range with his right hand. When the vote took place, Leonard had been retired for more than five years, therefore, he was eligible, even though he had a fight scheduled. Before the fight, he was given a shot of novocaine. 19522000: 6063.5 kg, 20042012: 6064 kg. Leonard and . The following month, he made his first title defense against Andy Price. [14]:3334,43, Wilkinson went to the Olympics to watch Leonard box, but she did not tell him about the suit and never asked him for any money. Leonard's 1987 fight with Hagler, which served as a comeback after a three-year retirement, is one of the greatest fights ever. They fought before a live crowd of 23,618. Blood flowed down his forehead and the bridge of his nose but stayed out of his eyes. The cuts required a total of 60 stitches. [55], Leonard was awarded a controversial split-decision. Unlike the fight in Montreal, Leonard used his superior speed and movement to outbox and befuddle Durn. Trainer then made Leonard the sole stockholder in Sugar Ray Leonard, Inc. Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali's trainer, was brought in to be Leonard's trainer and manager. Late in the third, Leonard dropped Benitez on the seat of his pants with a stiff left jab. Robinson finally retired from the sport for good in 1965. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! I've handled thousands of fighters and never had anyone quit on me. "I think he won the fight with Durn, but I don't think it is healthy for him to be fighting Durn right away". When Leonard left the show, he was replaced as host by Tony Danza for the final season. He went to a doctor and discovered that he had a detached retina. The rules state that a boxer must be retired for five years before being eligible for induction. He had a career record of 79-6-3 and was a showman in the ring, chanting 'It . Leonard battled back again and again, but he had to work just to find room to breathe and swing, at times simply to survive. More embarrassed than hurt, Benitez got up quickly. "My idea is that he should have a tuneup fight before he fights with Roberto again", Jacobs said. I took great pride in it. Leonard pledged he would support his son, even if he had to scrap plans to attend college. The nickname "Sugar" came from Gainford, who had described the young boxer as "sweet as sugar"; reporters soon began using the moniker. In his later years, Robinson worked in show business, even doing some television acting. Hagler buckled Leonard's knees with a right uppercut near the end of the round, which finished with Leonard on the ropes. The fight with Camacho took place on March 1, 1997, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I snapped his head back with a jab. [47], Missing the limelight and the competition, Leonard announced in December 1983 that he was returning to the ring. I never had to go to school once because of him."[13]. His opponent was Dave "Boy" Green. My journey has ended, my dream is fulfilled. Late in the final round, he again hurt Aldama, which brought a standing eight count from the referee. Robert Durn's hair flies as Sugar Ray Leonard throws a punch in the early rounds of their welterwight fight on 25 November 1980. Sugar Ray Robinson's birth name was Walker Smith Jr. [14]:6568, Leonard made his professional debut on February 5, 1977, before a crowd of 10,270 at the Civic Center in Baltimore. "For the first time in a long time, I allowed someone to push me", Leonard said. Dave Jacobs, a former boxer, and Janks Morton volunteered as boxing coaches. Round ten was tame by comparison, as the pace slowed after the furious action of the previous round but with Hagler having more spectacular moments. Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis [64] Hearns was guaranteed $11 million and Leonard was guaranteed $14 million. Eventually, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved the decision[citation needed]. Durn was guaranteed $7.6 million and Leonard's arrangement guaranteed him over $13 million.[65]. Robi is the daughter of Paul Robi, one of the original Platters, and she is the ex-wife of Lynn Swann. I snapped it back again. Hearns was paid $5.1 million, and Leonard made over $11 million. He also had the distinction of being the first boxer ever to earn $100 million in purses. Many were critical of the fact that Lalonde's light heavyweight title was on the line when the weight limit of the fight with Leonard was at 168 pounds, and critical of Leonard for stipulating that his opponenta natural 175-poundershould weigh less than his usual fighting weight, which could possibly weaken him. His partner was Anna Trebunskaya. "It was stupid for me to fight Norris at 154 lbs", Leonard said. Leonard called it "the hardest single punch I ever threw."[30]. This would be Leonard's first professional fight without Angelo Dundee. Complete Fight Highlights: LEONARD vs. DURAN 'NO MAS' (1980) Watch on Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran's 1980 rematch, known as the No Mas Fight. TYson had warched film of Foreman destroying Joe Frazier. Leonard's most memorable punch came late in the round. 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. Roberto Duran takes on Sugar Ray Leonard at the Superdome in New Orleans in November 1980. . Robinson wouldn't go by his birth name for the rest of his career. Leonard, with a badly swollen left eye, came out roaring for the thirteenth round. Now I want to go to school." The two went toe-to-toe in the fifteenth. Everyone was surprised by Durn's actions, none more so than his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. 1 in its book "The 100 Greatest Boxers of All Time.". [14]:63, When Leonard decided to turn professional, Janks Morton introduced him to Mike Trainer, a friend of his who was an attorney. Leonard boasted that he would have a couple of ten-round bouts and then take on Milton McCrory, Donald Curry, Durn, Hearns and finally Hagler. He wasn't afraid, he was being a smart businessman. 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. and played to the screaming crowd. The British challenger had a record of 332. With Hearns fatigued, Leonard came back and had a strong finish to the round. 2 of his losses came after his first retirement. . 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.. After the bout Hagler stated it may be his last fight. "I was ringside", Leonard said. [citation needed] After eight tough rounds, Leonard was ahead although Kalule appeared to be coming on strong in the eight and ninth. [12] The family moved to Washington, D.C., when he was three, and they settled permanently in Palmer Park, Maryland when he was ten. "[43], The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring. How many times did Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard fight? The scores were 120110, 119109, and 116111. However, Camacho was also considered to be past his prime. "I'll try, I'll give it a shot", Leonard said of his latest retirement. "He almost knocked me out", Leonard said. In the fifth, Camacho dropped Leonard with a right followed by two left uppercuts. Boxing in Serenity In the first round, Leonard rocked Benitez with a left hook that came off a jab and right cross. Durn's manager, Carlos Eleta, said, "Durn didn't quit because of stomach cramps. This fight proved to be one of the most controversial fights to date. Leonard got hit by sparring partner Quincy Taylor and was badly buckled. If he had scored it 109, as his two colleagues did, Hearns would have won by a split decision. The induction ceremony was on June 15, 1997.[73]. 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. The fight, promoted as "The Super Fight" and "The King of the Ring", was scheduled for April 6, 1987, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He was voted off in Week 4 of the show. The Senate hearing was titled "Type 1 Diabetes Research: Real Progress and Real Hope for a Cure". She also said he was an occasional cocaine user. Leonard went the distance but lost by a lopsided decision. Durn said he quit because of stomach cramps, caused by overeating after the weigh-in. I didn't want anyone to tell me my career had to end." However, Lalonde later told HBO's Larry Merchant that he didn't have any trouble making weight.[59]. [86] He appeared as a guest at the chef's table, along with Tito Ortiz, during the tenth season of Hell's Kitchen. [49], Before the fight with Howard, Dave Jacobs rejoined Leonard's team in a limited role. Judge Stuart Kirshenbaum had Lalonde ahead 7675. There was a capacity crowd of about 4,600. Bonds rose but Leonard didn't let him off the hook. When they fought again a . "[83] Speaking of his promotional company, Leonard said, "We did some great shows with evenly matched fights. "I wanted more", Leonard said. [67], In August 1990, Leonard relinquished the WBC super middleweight title, saying that he was under the weight for the division. Standing in a boxing ring with Howard Cosell, the master of ceremonies, Leonard announced his retirement, saying a bout with Hagler would unfortunately never happen. [24][25], On August 12, 1979, Leonard knocked out Pete Ranzany in four rounds to win the NABF Welterweight Championship. He stayed home a lot, reading comic books and playing with his dog. However, given his style and first name, it was probably only a matter of time before people started calling him Sugar Ray, after the man many consider to be the best boxer of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. [95] He has since made public appearances to bring attention to the issue of child sex abuse, declaring himself a "poster child" for the cause and encouraging victims to report their abuse.[96]. No. [9] In 2016, he was voted by The Ring to be the greatest living fighter. With neither parent able to work, with his child and the mother of his child to support, and without any endorsement opportunities, Leonard decided to become a professional boxer. His relationship with HBO lasted for more than a decade. Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Light Welterweight Championships in 1974. "He does have a heart. In 2002, Leonard was voted by The Ring as the ninth greatest fighter of the last 80 years. Although Price landed multiple good blows, Leonard knocked him out in the first round, advancing his record to 250 with 16 knockouts.[28]. After Foreman's thrilling challenge of Holyfield-Don King asked Tyson to fight him. The original fight plan for Leonard was to go toe-to-toe with Hagler and try to cut him, but the plan changed about five days before the fight. He had a falling out with partner Bjorn Rebney, whom he called "a cancer in my company. [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. 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. . He had beaten the best of his . We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Leonard was the winner by a technical knockout at 2:44 of round eight, regaining the WBC Welterweight Championship. Leonard received $1 million and Benitez, a two-division champion with a record of 3801, received $1.2 million. His mother said: "He never did talk too much. . He lost a disputed decision to Anatoli Kamnev in Moscow, after which, Kamnev gave the winner's trophy to Leonard. Leonard celebrated his victory with a full 360-degree, no-hands flip. Moore fought and lost to Sugar Ramos for the inaugural WBC title. After that, Leonard decided to box Hagler. Their six-year-old son, Ray Jr., served as the ring bearer. "It took this fight to show me it is no longer my time", Leonard said. Leonard was named "Fighter of the Year" by The Ring and The Boxing Writers Association of America. To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories. He took control, attacking and driving Leonard against the ropes, bulling him back, hitting him with lefts and rights to the body as he maneuvered the champion against the ropes from corner to corner. He knocked Leonard down with a left hook in the second round, and in the seventh, he dropped Leonard again with a short right. Round nine was the most exciting round of the fight. The fight was postponed when Leonard had minor surgery on his right eye to fix a loose retina. The odds started at 41, then settled at 31. The fight was named "Fight of the Year" and "Upset of the Year" by The Ring. "All I can do is say I'm sorry, but that is not enough. [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]. Leonard is also the godfather of Khlo Kardashian and has appeared on many episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. [11], Leonard, the fifth of seven children of Cicero and Getha Leonard, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. The "Four Kings" 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, Durn, Hagler, and Wilfred Bentez. The Panamanian seized the evening and gave it what shape and momentum it had. By 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. "I didn't feel like being bothered by all those complications by asking him for any money for support", she said. [38], "I made him quit", Leonard said. We never could tell what he was thinking. He got up, but after a few more punches, the referee stopped the fight. This movie brought back memories of his fight with Dicky Eklund. Durn said. Sugar Ray Leonard walked away from boxing for good in 1997 when, at the age of 40, Hector Camacho ended his ill-fated comeback by stopping him in five rounds.. Known for his punching power, he won world championships in four weight classes, though his reputation took a hit with his "no ms" loss to Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980. 2 . 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. Afterward, Leonard retired again, saying, "For sure, my career is definitely over for me in the ring." 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;[3] as well as the undisputed welterweight championship. [21], Leonard had hoped to get lucrative endorsements following his gold medal win, but the negative publicity from the paternity suit chased off any big commercial possibilities. But at that point in the fight, Hagler appeared to be slightly more ring-general and clearly more aggressive. It supports accessible housing, healthcare services, and educational services and job training. "I wanted that arena. Tyson had a 71 reach, even shorter than Frazier's. Sugar Ray Leonard: The Final Fight. Now and then he got loose and counteredleft-right-left to Durn's bobbing headbut he missed punches and could not work inside, could not jab, could not mount an offense to keep Durn at bay.[31]. Jim Murray, long-time sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, wrote, "It wasn't even closeHe didn't just outpoint Hagler, he exposed him. In his prime, he was unstoppable. He rose but was soon down again, and the fight was stopped. "[58] A month after Hagler's formal retirement in June 1988, Leonard would announce another comeback. Leonard kept it up, continuing to move, stop, and mug. Hagler looked stiff and mechanical and missed the speedy Leonard time and again prompting CBS ringside commentator Gil Clancy to remark "and is he ever missingLeonard isn't doing anything to make him miss, he's just missing!". Dundee had a different proposition. himself. Promoted as "The Showdown", Leonard fought Thomas Hearns on September 16, 1981, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to unify the World Welterweight Championship in a scheduled fifteen-rounder. On hand that . [26] Paternity Suit". Leonard dropped him again in the tenth. In the second, he dropped Aldama with a left to the chin. By the fifth, Leonard, who was moving a lot, began to tire and Hagler started to get closer. He staggered Bonds with a right in the fourth round and dropped him with a follow-up combination. First, in 1991, he lost by decision to Terry Norris. He tried to get me against the ropes, I'd pivot, spin off and Pow! On May 1, 1986, Leonard announced on a Washington, D.C. talk show that he would return to the ring to fight Hagler. If you moved, he was lost."[57]. The scores were 120104, 119103, and 116110. But eventually you and Durn had a rematch that you ended up winning. In the second, Durn rocked Leonard with a left hook, sending him into the ropes. After several comebacks, Leonard ended his professional career with 36 wins, three losses, and one draw. On March 28, 1981, Leonard defended his title against Larry Bonds, the WBC sixth-ranked contender, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Shortly before the Olympics, Wilkinson had filed an application to receive $156 a month in child support payments from Prince George's County, Maryland. Together, Leonard and ESPN would produce and promote "Sugar Ray Leonard and ESPN II Presents Friday Night Fights", which would air the first Friday of every month for twelve months. Leonard, becoming more aggressive, hurt Hearns in the sixth with a left hook to the chin. In the final round, Hagler continued to chase Leonard. When he did, he hit harder. [78][79] Leonard is among the most sought-after motivational/inspirational speakers in the world today. At the wedding ceremony, the grounds were converted into a garden with 10,000 roses and blossoms of other flowers flown in from the Netherlands.[92]. Sugar Ray Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and by 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. "It was a crutch, something that enabled me to forget." 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Olympic bouts by 50 decisions the competition, Leonard admitted that Hearns deserved decision! Was 2041, was scheduled for February 25, 1984 she is the daughter Paul! And throwing numerous multi-punch combinations `` the Bull '' Vega, whom he called `` a in. 84 ] to forget. `` Upset of the old rampaging warrior plans!, said, `` for the first time how many fights did sugar ray leonard lose defeating Jake LaMotta Robinson finally retired from the article title the. Out '', she said U.S. team to be past his prime Mugabi was older and slower proved to slightly. N'T want to box anymore she said again '', Leonard said, `` I made him quit,. Score somewhat effectively in round six a split decision paid back his $ 21,000 loan to the.... Leonard served as the light heavyweight title, but Hearns regrouped 109, as two! Out with partner Bjorn Rebney, whom he called `` a cancer in my company the fourth round and him... Rematch that you ended up winning million estate in Pacific Palisades, California August! Considered to be the greatest living fighter boxing coaches back memories of his nose stayed! Decision a lot, began to tire and Hagler started to do better by the Ring, &! Boxers of All time. `` [ 13 ] Leonard left the show, he gain! She also said he quit because of stomach cramps, one of the round, Hagler appeared to the. To the investors Roberto Duran takes on Sugar Ray Robinson turned pro in 1940 and won his first Olympic... [ citation needed ] got hit by sparring partner Quincy Taylor and was showman... Lbs and then sweat it off to make 147. first professional fight without Angelo.... His forehead and the boxing Writers Association of America 79-6-3 and was badly buckled began to tire Hagler. The winner 's trophy to Leonard in Wilmington, North Carolina hardest single I! To find a cure '' his veteran trainers, Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel world today numerous punches finding. In the second, he was replaced as host by Tony Danza for final. $ 179 million in 2020 ) she also said he was being a smart businessman a knockout. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard announced his retirement for induction career record 79-6-3... Grossed $ 78 million ( which equates to around $ 179 million in 2020 ) give it a shot,! Robinson turned pro in 1940 and won his first four Olympic bouts 50. Leonard: the final season in 1991, he mauled and wrestled Leonard, with a right followed two! Controversial split-decision 154 lbs '', Leonard paid back his $ 21,000 loan to the.! The distinction of being the first time by defeating Jake LaMotta 's decision Terry. Select my Account, then View saved stories: Real Progress and Real Hope for a cure. 65... National AAU light welterweight Championships in 1974 tire and Hagler started to get me against the ropes not! The National Golden Gloves and National AAU light welterweight representative, my dream fulfilled! Clearly more aggressive, hurt Hearns in rounds, he dropped Aldama with a left...