Happy Birthday "Sugar Ray" Leonard!

This week HUSL Today will feature a salute to a different athlete everyday. Hence, this week is officially "Athlete week." Remember the box? I'm stepping outside of it.  

"Sugar Ray" Leonard

Consider this another two-fer: A happy birthday wish, and a salute. Efficiency is key. "Sugar" Ray Leonard was born Ray Charles Leonard on May 17 1956, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ray started boxing at the recreation center in Palmer Park in 1969 in a boxing program his older brother helped launch.

It didn't take long for Ray's talent to shine. In 1973, Ray won the National Golden Gloves Lightweight Championship, but lost to Randy Shields in the lightweight final of the National AAU Tournament. The following year, Leonard won the National Golden Gloves and National AAU Lightweight Championships.

During his career, Ray defeated such men as Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Donnie Lalonde, Wilfred Benitez, Floyd Mayweather, Ayub Kalule, Dave Green, Armando Muniz, Tony Chiaverini and Pete Ranzany.

Check out footage of his bout against Davey Green.



More footage of Leonard in action (Leonard is in the white shorts)!
Leonard v. Hagler:


Leonard v. Hearns:

More info when you read more.

Ray took home the gold medal form the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. He was named "Boxer of the Decade" for the 1980s. and was the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses, and he is widely considered to be one of the best boxers of all time.

He is a world champion in 5 different weight classes. Herb Goldman ranked Leonard as the #2 All-Time Welterweight. Although Ray anounced his retirement from boxing in 1982, he returned shortly after in bouts with Kevin Howard, Marvin Hagler & Thomas Hearns among others.

Ray was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. Before Floyd "Money" Mayweather there were boxing greats like Leonard.

HUSL Today Salutes "Sugar Ray" Leonard