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Sugar Ray Leonard on the defeat that still hurts: ‘He kicked, he cursed me. He even cursed my wife’

Six-time world champion was speaking at the Pendulum Summit in Convention Centre Dublin

Sugar Ray Leonard was one of several guest speakers delving into topics of leadership and self-empowerment at the Pendulum Summit in Convention Centre Dublin. Photograph: Conor McCabe Photography
Sugar Ray Leonard was one of several guest speakers delving into topics of leadership and self-empowerment at the Pendulum Summit in Convention Centre Dublin. Photograph: Conor McCabe Photography
Ella Sloane
Thu Jan 09 2025 - 08:30

American boxing star Sugar Ray Leonard reflected on his “underdog” status and the highs and lows of his career at an address in Dublin on Wednesday.

The Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion was one of several guest speakers delving into topics of leadership and self-empowerment at the Pendulum Summit in Convention Centre Dublin.

Leonard recalled meeting his namesake, the pianist and singer-songwriter Ray Charles, moments before his historic 1980 rematch with Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán.

“My mother named me after Ray Charles because she thought I would be a singer and we knew right away that would not be the case. He sang America the Beautiful for that fight and when he walked over to me he gave me a big hug and a big kiss and he said ‘Ray, kick his ass’. And I said, ‘yes I will’.” Leonard went on to win the match.

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Discussing his devastation over being defeated in his initial fight against Durán earlier that year, one of the rare losses of his boxing career, Leonard said that he “watched this loss over and over again”.

Speaking about the importance of mind over matter, Leonard expressed his regret over being taken out of his “game plan” by what he described as intimidation tactics on his opponent’s part.

“He pushed me, he kicked, he cursed me. He even cursed my wife… he took me out of my game plan and he won the fight,” he said.

Leonard said he owes his success in the ring to “sheer determination” and will power, emphasising the importance of self-esteem during his talk on Wednesday evening.

“When I entered that ring, April 6th, 1987, I knew something that very few people knew, and that was I was going to beat ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Hagler,” Leonard said.

“Some of you may remember this but I mean I was a huge, huge underdog, but through sheer determination and will, I was able to push not only my body but my mind to a whole other level.

“Less than one hour later… I proved the critics wrong because my determination allowed me to do what they thought would be totally impossible.”

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Leonard played several clips from his old matches after reflecting on them, including a segment from his fight with hitherto undefeated Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, billed as The Showdown. The fight took place in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on September 16th, 1981.

On this achievement, he said: “We all have that hidden reservoir of strength, but what separates us is the ability to activate it.”