Sugar Ray Leonard, the boxing legend who shaped a golden era in the sport, has put to rest any comparisons between himself and Sugar Ray Robinson. Leonard admits Robinson stands alone as the greatest fighter in history.
Leonard's career spanned 20 years, starting in 1977. He won championships in five divisions and retired with an impressive record of 36 wins and only 3 losses. As part of the "Four Kings" alongside Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns, Leonard was the only one to beat each of his rivals.
Despite his own incredible achievements, Leonard doesn't hesitate to place Robinson above himself. In a conversation about the original "Sugar Ray," Leonard said:
"Someone once said there was a comparison between Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson. Believe me, there's no comparison. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest."
Robinson's legacy in boxing is hard to match. He fought an unbelievable 201 bouts in the modern era, winning 174 of them. Throughout his career, he was only stopped inside the distance once. Robinson held the welterweight world title for five years and claimed the middleweight championship on five separate occasions.
Both fighters were known for their incredible rhythm and speed in the ring. Leonard got his "Sugar" nickname early on from his mother, who was a big fan of Robinson. She thought her son looked like the boxing great.
Leonard's willingness to acknowledge Robinson's superiority shows his respect for boxing history. It's a humble admission from a fighter who defined his own era and left an indelible mark on the sport.
You can read more about Sugar Ray Leonard's thoughts on Sugar Ray Robinson and their legacies in boxing on ESPN's SportsCentury feature.
