Sugar Ray Leonard
Boxing · Hometown: Hyattsville, MD
- High school
- Parkdale High School
- Hall of Fame
- ⭐ International Boxing Hall of Fame
Ray Charles Leonard — "Sugar Ray" — grew up in Palmer Park, Maryland, and attended Parkdale High School in Riverdale, where he first began boxing after a neighbor suggested he try the sport to gain confidence. What followed was one of the most decorated amateur careers in boxing history: five national Amateur Athletic Union titles, two Golden Gloves championships, and a gold medal in the light welterweight division at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where his charm and talent made him a household name. Turning professional in 1977, Leonard won world titles in five different weight classes — welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight — becoming one of only a handful of fighters to accomplish that feat. His rivalry with Roberto Durán produced some of the most memorable bouts in boxing history, including the famous "No Más" fight in 1980. His 1987 come-from-behind unanimous decision victory over "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler for the WBC middleweight title, after a five-year layoff, is still debated as one of boxing's greatest performances. Leonard retired with a 36-3-1 professional record and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. Attended Parkdale High School in Riverdale, Maryland.