In this unflinching autobiography, one of the greatest boxing legends in America finally faces his single greatest competitor: himself. The Big Fight is the story not just of Sugar Ray the boxer, but also of Ray Leonard the man.
There were only two ways for a black man to get into the newspapers in Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, Ray tells us: the bad way—through crime—or the good way, which was boxing. Ray’s remarkable talent, combined with his personal determination to build a better life for himself and his family, allowed him to rise swiftly and skillfully through the ranks of amateur boxing, and eventually to go on to win a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. Driven to become an educated, self-made man, Ray was determined to then quit boxing and go to college. It was not to be. With very ill parents and corporations as yet unwilling to have him endorse their products, Ray went pro. What follows is a spellbinding look at the evolution of a champion and an up-close-and-personal tour through a notoriously corrupt sport and its consequences for this nuanced and complicated man. With candor and humor Ray comes to terms with his victories and failures, and with Sugar Ray and just plain Ray Leonard, and presents a remarkable portrait of the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of a true fighter.
My eyes never lie. There they are, open wide, in the mirror of the dressing room at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Those eyes would reveal which of the two dueling personalities would enter the ring as I took on the most intimidating opponent of my career: Marvin Hagler . . . Would it be Sugar Ray Leonard, true American hero since capturing the gold medal in Montreal more than a decade earlier? Sugar Ray was resilient, fearless, unwilling to accept failure. The smile and innocence of a child would be gone, replaced in the ring by a man filled with rage he did not understand . . . Or would it be Ray Leonard, the part-time boxer at the age of thirty whose best was well behind him, his days and nights wasted on fights which never made the headlines, fights he lost over and over, to alcohol and cocaine abuse and depression?
“The intelligence and self-reflection that helped Sugar Ray become one of the greatest fighters of his generation, have also stood him in good stead outside the arena."—The Boston Globe
“Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next man, more than anyone in the world. Ray's heart was bigger than all the rest. He would never stop fighting.”—Muhammad Ali
Sugar Ray Leonard worked as a boxing analyst for ABC and HBO after retiring from the ring. He has also served as a motivational speaker and actor. Throughout his career, Leonard received several awards and medals including the 1976 Olympic Light Welterweight gold medal. He lives with his wife and two children in California.
View titles by Sugar Ray Leonard
Michael Arkush is an award-winning sportswriter who has written over 12 books, including The Last Season with Phil Jackson, The Big Fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, Rush!, the bestselling unauthorized biography of Rush Limbaugh, and Fairways and Dreams. Arkush lives in Oak View, California, with his wife, Pauletta.
View titles by Michael Arkush
In this unflinching autobiography, one of the greatest boxing legends in America finally faces his single greatest competitor: himself. The Big Fight is the story not just of Sugar Ray the boxer, but also of Ray Leonard the man.
There were only two ways for a black man to get into the newspapers in Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, Ray tells us: the bad way—through crime—or the good way, which was boxing. Ray’s remarkable talent, combined with his personal determination to build a better life for himself and his family, allowed him to rise swiftly and skillfully through the ranks of amateur boxing, and eventually to go on to win a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. Driven to become an educated, self-made man, Ray was determined to then quit boxing and go to college. It was not to be. With very ill parents and corporations as yet unwilling to have him endorse their products, Ray went pro. What follows is a spellbinding look at the evolution of a champion and an up-close-and-personal tour through a notoriously corrupt sport and its consequences for this nuanced and complicated man. With candor and humor Ray comes to terms with his victories and failures, and with Sugar Ray and just plain Ray Leonard, and presents a remarkable portrait of the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of a true fighter.
Excerpt
My eyes never lie. There they are, open wide, in the mirror of the dressing room at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Those eyes would reveal which of the two dueling personalities would enter the ring as I took on the most intimidating opponent of my career: Marvin Hagler . . . Would it be Sugar Ray Leonard, true American hero since capturing the gold medal in Montreal more than a decade earlier? Sugar Ray was resilient, fearless, unwilling to accept failure. The smile and innocence of a child would be gone, replaced in the ring by a man filled with rage he did not understand . . . Or would it be Ray Leonard, the part-time boxer at the age of thirty whose best was well behind him, his days and nights wasted on fights which never made the headlines, fights he lost over and over, to alcohol and cocaine abuse and depression?
“The intelligence and self-reflection that helped Sugar Ray become one of the greatest fighters of his generation, have also stood him in good stead outside the arena."—The Boston Globe
“Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next man, more than anyone in the world. Ray's heart was bigger than all the rest. He would never stop fighting.”—Muhammad Ali
Author
Sugar Ray Leonard worked as a boxing analyst for ABC and HBO after retiring from the ring. He has also served as a motivational speaker and actor. Throughout his career, Leonard received several awards and medals including the 1976 Olympic Light Welterweight gold medal. He lives with his wife and two children in California.
View titles by Sugar Ray Leonard
Michael Arkush is an award-winning sportswriter who has written over 12 books, including The Last Season with Phil Jackson, The Big Fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, Rush!, the bestselling unauthorized biography of Rush Limbaugh, and Fairways and Dreams. Arkush lives in Oak View, California, with his wife, Pauletta.
View titles by Michael Arkush
