YouTube Gold: The Combinations Of Sugar Ray Leonard

Nearly unparalleled quickness and power combined to make Leonard one of the greatest fighters of all time

In boxing, the heavyweight division is the glamour division. Think of Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson.

But there are great boxers in other divisions too, and not many, if any, were greater than Sugar Ray Leonard.

Born in Wilmington, NC, in 1956, Leonard grew up in Maryland. He was an amateur boxer but planned to quit before he unexpectedly became a father and returned to boxing to support his child.

He fought as a welterweight, a light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and a light heavyweight and had iconic bouts with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns and Roberto Duran.

Like all great athletes, Leonard was insanely competitive. His “No Mas” rematch with Roberto Duran was one of the greatest fights in boxing history.

Very few fighters have been able to throw combinations like Leonard did. He had a rare combination of speed and power reminiscent of Ali in his youth. At times it was almost like watching a cartoon with arms flailing. He was that good.

Leonard retired in 1997 and no one has ever really filled the void he left.