“Should you open my bald head, you’ll discover an enormous golden glove of boxing. That’s all I’m. I dwell it.” (Marvin Hagler).
“You need to know you’ll be able to win. It’s essential to imagine you’ll be able to win. You need to really feel you’ll be able to win.” (Ray Charles “Sugar” Leonard).
36 years in the past, that of April 6, 1987, on the well-known “Caesars Palace” resort in Las Vegas, befell a combat is and can all the time be remembered as probably the most controversial selections within the historical past of boxing. After such a very long time, within the cordial and never so cordial discussions amongst pals, there are nonetheless factors of disagreement. For some, Ray Sugar undoubtedly received as a result of he put crafty, velocity, ability, intelligence, in brief, over brute pressure, over muscle.
Nonetheless, it’s normally remembered that three voices, loud and acknowledged, similar to these of the legendary former world champion of the middleweight, the Argentine Carlos Monzon (RIP) and the well-known promoters Don King and Juan Carlos “Tito” Lectoure (RIP), all agreed in describing Sugar’s victory as the most effective “Theft of the Century” the break up resolution that allowed Leonard to win the WBA, WBC middleweight title, his third title after having reigned as welterweight and junior middleweight or tremendous welterweight (he was the primary to win 5 titles, the others in tremendous middleweight and light-weight heavyweight), in addition to having been Olympic champion in Montreal in 1976 within the tremendous light-weight or junior welterweight.
AN EPIC FIGHT
Leonard was returning to motion after three years of retirement resulting from a retinal damage in his left eye and having fought solely as soon as earlier than within the final 5 years. On the age of 30, he had an nearly impeccable file, stained solely by a setback in opposition to the legendary Panamanian Roberto “Fingers of Stone” Duran, from whom he took revenge within the rematch.
To combat Hagler, he needed to achieve nearly 10 kilos and for that cause folks thought he could be removed from being the fighter of singular velocity that he was recognized for. He had knocked out 24 of 35 opponents, with the setback in opposition to Durán. Within the reverse nook, the granitic Marvin “Marvelous” Hagler, who had properly earned the nickname of Marvelous, 32 years outdated, had a formidable file of 66 fights with 62 wins, 52 earlier than the ultimate bell, 2 attracts and solely two defeats on factors, knocked down by 8 seconds solely as soon as (in opposition to Argentine Juan Carlos “Hammer” Roldan, whom he knocked out after getting up) and defending for the thirteenth time the WBA, WBC and The Ring belt received in opposition to Englishman Alan Minter on September 27, 1980, in London. In his 12 earlier defenses he had knocked out all his challengers, besides Duran, who was defeated, however on his toes.
He was a southpaw with a killer intuition within the ring, tearing his enemies to shreds with out mercy, with an aggressive fashion near savagery. For that cause, the majority of the greater than 13,000 souls within the Caesars Palace Corridor gave little for Leonard’s destiny, with the bets extensively in favor of the champion. The champion had a assured purse of $13 million, plus a pay-per-view share, whereas the challenger would obtain $11 million and the same old PPV share.
Leonard demanded, and his request was granted, that the ring be bigger than standard to reap the benefits of his manner of transferring within the ring, consistently dancing, hitting, and transferring away. That’s what he did within the first 5 rounds and achieved a slight benefit on the scorecards in opposition to the champion, who couldn’t discover any slits to position his deadly left or his proper blows. Within the sixth, Hagler got here with an higher that shook Sugar Ray, however the latter managed to run away with out wanting flustered. Thus, with options, with out a clear dominance by both facet, with Hagler in useless offensive, with out ceasing to throw punches whereas Leonard escaped, out and in in bursts, for a lot of with a slight higher benefit for the ” Marvelous “, got here to the tip of the competition to 12 sections. Earlier than the expectation and suspense of the spectators on the CP and the thousands and thousands in entrance of the tv, the decision was learn: the Mexican Jose Juan Guerra and the American decide Dave Moretti voted 115-113 for “Sugar” Ray, whereas Lou Filippo, from the USA delivered his card 115-113 for the dethroned champion.
The rating of the 2 judges who noticed “Sugar” win signifies that for them he received 7 rounds (70 factors) and misplaced 5 (45 pts.), for the 115-113. In world championship fights solely exceptionally are rounds tied (10-10). The third decide gave 7 rounds to Hagler and 5 to Leonard.
Utterly disenchanted and livid, Marvin went to the dressing room, between curses, and feeling mocked and cheated. A number of days later he went to Italy together with his Italian spouse to take a stroll and to ruminate on his disappointment. That legendary monster of the ring, for a lot of the best middleweight world champion of all time, a distinguished member of the Boxing Corridor of Fame in Canastota, New York, by no means wore a truss or gloves once more. He was then simply 32 years outdated, yet another than “Sugar” Ray.
Thirty-four years later, on Might 13, 2021, he died at his residence in Bartlett, New Hampshire, of causes that stay a thriller regardless that it was rumored that the demise had occurred from a Covid shot.
Ray “Sugar” Leonard, additionally an immortal since 1996 and among the finest fighters in historical past–like his rival of 36 years in the past–later made solely 5 extra fights. He TKO 9 in November 1988 to Donny Lalonde for the WBC super-middleweight belt; defeated Thomas Hearns in 12 rounds for the WBC crown on 12-6-89 and Duran on 7-12-89 for DU; He misplaced on factors the sunshine middleweight belt to the younger Terry Norris, 23 years outdated, 12 years youthful than him and deserted the ropes definitively when he suffered the primary KO of his sensible profession, in opposition to the Puerto Rican Hector “Macho” Camacho, in 5 rounds on 1-3-97, already 41 years outdated, gradual in actions and reflexes, a uninteresting and light shadow of the cyclone he was within the ring.
Leonard was the primary boxer to earn greater than $100 million. After having been cash-strapped, immediately he enjoys a fortune of some $120 million. The 66-year-old native of Wilmington, North Carolina (he can be 67 in Might) continues to be linked to boxing as an analyst and commentator and provides talks to assist the brand new generations in excessive faculties and universities.
