“Sugar” Ray Leonard, born Ray Charles Leonard on May 17, 1956, is a former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and sometimes actor from the United States. Between 1977 and 1997, he competed professionally and won world titles in five different weight classes, the lineal championship in three weight classes, and the undisputed welterweight championship.
He is widely considered one of the best boxers of all time. Throughout the 1980s, Leonard, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler were known as the “Four Kings,” a quartet of boxers who frequently battled each other. Leonard also took home the gold in the light welterweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Early Life
Sugar Ray’s birthday is May 17th, 1956, and he was born in North Carolina. At the tender age of three, he made the trip with his family from North Carolina to the nation’s capital. After seven years of trying to make ends meet here, he uprooted his family and headed to Maryland. Here is where he honed his boxing skills and where his career took off.
His boxing skills drew attention from onlookers as early as his childhood, and though he lacked the resources to pay for professional training, a trainer saw potential in him and began giving him free lessons anyway. His Golden Gloves victory in 1973 ensured that his name would be recognized across the country.
How Tall Is Sugar Ray Leonard, Exactly?
Sugar Ray Leonard stands at an impressive 1.78 m (5′ 10″).
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Brief History of Sugar Ray Leonard’s Career
Leonard, who was born in 1956, first came to prominence on the international boxing stage when he won gold in the light welterweight division at the 1976 Olympics. After retiring from the sport for a short while after his Olympic victory, Leonard returned to it in 1977 and immediately turned professional.
In 1979, he boxed his way to victory over Wilfred Benitez, the reigning WBC welterweight champion. It was in June of 1980, during one of the most famous matches of his career, that he lost the title to Roberto Duran. Leonard won the rematch with Duran five months after their first fight, and he also won their third and final meeting. After beating Thomas Hearns in 1981, he became the WBA welterweight champion.
Following two separate retirements in 1982 and 1984, Leonard returned to the ring in 1987 and knocked out “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler. The fight was undoubtedly the pinnacle of the sport and the highlight of Leonard’s career.
After retiring for the second time in 1991, Leonard made a comeback at age 40 in 1997, only to be knocked out in the first round. After 36 victories, 3 defeats, and 1 tie, he called it quits. He defeated his opponents by knockout in 25 bouts. After his retirement, Leonard was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.
How Much Does Sugar Ray Leonard Get Paid per Year?
It’s been speculated that Sugar Ray Leonard pulls in $12 million annually in salary.
Relationships
Sugar Ray Leonard tied the knot with his longtime crush Juanita Wilkinson in 1980. They had been together for quite some time, and by this point, they were the parents of a young boy of six. Wilkinson and Leonard added to their family in 1984 with the birth of their second child. When they finally split up in 1990, it was final.
The court case shed light on several previously hidden aspects of their relationship. Juanita claimed that Ray was intoxicated and high. Moreover, she claimed that an inebriated Ray had physically abused her. Leonard confirmed the veracity of these statements and later admitted that he had begun abusing cocaine in order to satisfy his craving for the adrenaline rush that came from competing at the highest levels. His substance abuse was not the reason the relationship ended, he insisted.
Bernadette Robi was the woman Sugar Ray met a year before he and his ex-wife split up. The year was 1993 when Robi and Leonard tied the knot. Leonard had his entire Pacific Palisades property transformed into a flower garden, and tens of thousands of flowers were specially flown in from Holland for the wedding ceremony.
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How Old is Sugar Ray Leonard?
Right now, Sugar Ray Leonard is 65 years old.
How Wealthy Is Sugar Ray Leonard?
Estimates put Sugar Ray Leonard’s wealth at around $120 million.
