This was a big and impressive win for Leonard, to win a belt in his 5th weight class. But for the most part, boxing fans don't focus much on this fight, because Lalond was not a great figher. If Lalond had been thought to be even as close to an imposing fighter as Hearns, Hagler, No Mas, Benitez - this fight would still be remembered by even casual fight fans.
Incomparable era in boxing. Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran. Just incredible. Sugar Ray coming back after the detached retina was monumental and scary for true boxing fans. Sugar Ray was absolutely brilliant. And, an elite finisher.
Holding the title in 5 different weight categories is such a monumental feat. To do 14:41 14:41 it he had to toppel a man who outweighed him with a tremendous reach advantage and a one punch knockout power. And he was facing him well after his prime. Leonard did not possess a powerful punch. But what he lacked in power he made up for with speed and cunning. Nobody could unleash a prolonged combination like Sugar Ray Leonard. He would connect with lightning fast punches that by themselves would do little damage. But with cunning movement and the punching speed to connect at opportunities that were too brief for other fighters, the damage from the number of punches that connected would add up. When hit 3 times by a three punch combination, many fighters would foolishly believe try to counter with a 3 punch combo of their own. But Leonard was too quick and they wouldn't land. All they did was tire themselves out. Usually between the 6th and 8th rounds Leonard would connect a punch that would stagger his opponent. And when that happened it was all over. Sugar Ray Closed it like nobody else. He would move in and unleash a sustained barrage of lightning fast combinations that nobody could ever survive. Rarely would a fighter be saved by the bell. Can't explain it, but the initial stagger always seemed to occur with enough time left for him to close the deal before the bell. Sugar Ray Leonard was a pugulist in the purest meaning of the word. He treated boxing like a science.
Hagler seemed to belong in a heavier weight category than the other 3. I liked Hearns the most, but to be honest I think Duran was the most accomplished of them all, even though he lost to them. He'd go up in weight to take them on, win or lose he was game. Hearns tagged him good, sure enough, but he went the distance with Marvin.
Met Sugar Ray Leonard in a Miami Airport. I was heading home with my family from a trip at Disney, just before Covid hit. I've been lucky to have met several people in my lifetime just by happenstance. I thanked him for all the years of his boxing and his accomplishments. He ended up allowing me to take a picture with him with both of our fists up. Thank you champ. I'll never forget that moment. My younger son said. Who was that?! LOL!
That is great story - Isn't it crazy how he has held up all these years:? That guy was in some WARS in the boxing ring. He has a very honest and real book that he put out in about 2011 - gets into his demons and all of it - very REAL guy now that he is off the alcohol
Funny that you should say that. 6 hours ago, I told my wife about meeting Neil Armstrong in the Cincinnati airport. To me... Sugar Ray Leonard was the best fighter in boxing history. A great among greats.
Leonard was sand bagging it. Lalonde was a pure minor leaguer. He could have fought tougher opponents, but because somehow lalonde held one of the many belts available, Leonard wanted to pretend he was fighting a real fighter.
@@josephhewes4894 I kinda agree but at the same time. U don’t get a 47-5 career without being pretty nice. Lalonde wasn’t a superstar name but his record match so that’s good enuf. And the fact Ray was up 4 weight classes from where he started by that time
After getting hit in round four we can see Leonards' "glassy" look in his eyes. He knew he was gonna have to work hard. Great fighter with incredible determination.
@@guidovalenti4986 Why not,, Gatti gave his all in the ring he was fearless a true warrior... watch the trilogy against Micky Ward and sorry Guido but that was a very dumb comment for you to make 🥴
@@jimwest9313 Style makes fight ok Gatti vs. Ward three very good fights, but you dont Gatti and Ward in the same ring of Sugar Ray Leonard at His prime 🥊 its my opinion 🤔
@@LennyMarcusNY In the early 80's, after he suffered a detached retina during training in '82, Ray did drink and was a recreational cocaine user for ≈ 3 years until early '86. But he never used while training. It was his coping mechanism for the situation he was in because of the seriousness of his eye injury, doctors telling him he would lose site in his eye if he continued to fight, and dealing with his first "retirement". As he himself admitted, "It was wrong; it was childish; it was stupid,". After he stopped, he never went back to using
I know u young bucks don't remember but no Sunday or Saturday was complete without the wide world of sports and featuring some of the most classic artistic fights in history Sugar Ray Leonard reign supreme!!! One of the best tht eva did it !
@larrylove-cc6yv Young bucks ..very funny granddad...you'd be younger than me I'd reckon, and why would a young buck remember if he wasn't present at the time .?
People either forget or never knew, Ray maintained an 80+ percent knockout ratio for his career; his punches were cat-quick and delivered with devastating speed which more often than not, resulted in an opponent's visiting the canvas....
Wrong!!! His knockout percentage was slightly above 69 percent. He was a great fighter no doubt about it. My favorite fight was when he fought Terry Norris.
I always thought Ray was an amazing fighter. Since he was a household name in his day, his flame naturally couldn't burn as bright for ever. It seems he's not really talked about too much any more but he was amazing, almost a mini Ali. Another piece of Dundee magic.
The mullet was only in fashion in the UK for about 18 months but in the U.S. it did the rounds for about 6 years, definitely loved the mullet, Donny here and also Tommy Morrison still living the mullet well into the late 80s early 90s. Sometimes with a nice moustache to go with it like Jimmy Smith.😂😂
The birth of "dragging him out to deep water". Sugar started out trying to take it to him, realizing how resilient Donny was Sugar knew he had to drain him before taking the attack. Tying up, Dancing, dirty boxing etc thru the middle rds drained Donny then when Sugar saw the wide mouth breathing of hos opponent ; attack and kill
Well didn't Ali invent the deep water game .or am I wrong.. or are you referring to middleweight boxing . (I see the middleweight fights as far away and above better than a heavyweight bout. All day. Dropped off as of late. I blame training focussed on muscle gain. Am I wrong.. something died in middleweight boxing ....all boxing.imhaho
Sugar Ray Leonard is a special athlete. He was classy and mixed with Hollywood elite, an astute self promoter, and he could fight. He could box and be flashy but at the end of the day he was a dog. He didn’t have any quit in him. True warrior, through and through.
I grew up watching all the Sugar Ray fights in the 80's, this man is one of the greatest boxers of all time, never backed away from any contender and without no doubt would of beat Camacho and Norris in his prime.
I remember this fight from 88. It was a tough fight for both fighters. There are some comments I've read here about how much weight Lalonde had to give to come down to meet Leonard, and thus muscle/power. They're correct in stating that but must remember Leonard also came up to meet him. The biggest thing to remember, and consider in weight class jumping or any fight is that the fighters don't have to fight. They don't have to accept the challenges that are offered. I agree with other comments here that the title of this video is a wrong description of Donny Lalonde. Both of these fighters demonstrated classy sportsmanship not only in this fight, but throughout their venerable careers. Well done gentlemen, you were a pleasure to watch, and thank you. C A
Lalonde weighed in at 168 with full track suit - he was on weight one week before the match, however, because his team was worried about losing 💰 on being overweight - he actually was 161-162 at the weighins. I've got a photo of the weigh in full track suit with SRL & José Sulaimán looking on - 2011 went to Costa Rica to present him by surprise his WBC replacement belt stolen in Canada. Donny currently resides in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
@@MrElaboy Fascinating and interesting news you've brought forth here. Costa Rica,....I could see it. Great post, thanks so much for this info. All the best to you. C A
Sugar man!!!! Seeing Ray fight was always a spectacle. When he made that full conversion from nice guy into a pitbull with boxing gloves, in was a sight to behold. Picture Mayweather with a real killer side to his craft. Wear em down, pepper the opponent….and when the time is right the beast emerges. Few boxers in history could do it quite like Ray Leonard. Thanks for the memories Sugar man!!!!
I don't think you could call Lalonde as trash talking but it was a more competitive fight than expected and Leonard definitly demonstrated why he is such a legend.
@@charlesm7589I can tell you this, unless you are a diehard boxing fan or a gambler you will never know all the names like we did back then. EVERYBODY knew who the Heavyweight champ was. EVERYBODY could name all the middleweights (think that is right) Hearns Hagler Duran Barkley Leonard.
People like Leonard, Lalonde...they created the Golden Age of boxing; along with the few others like Hearns, Hagler, Norris and Duran. Some of the best who even now, have not been surpassed.
Yeah, agree completely with that, on lalonde if he hadn't been so intent on handing out a lesson to Ray he'd have won this fight, jmo but the more time he took the more Ray got back into it classic fight , one can only pray that Fury- Usyk will be s true fight. I'd also keep an eye on AJ, yes he's been beaten twice by usyk but that doesn't mean he's finished not by a long shot , I think the title came to AJ too soon and we've still to see the best of him yet.
With respect, Lalonde doesn’t belong in the same sentence with those fighters. And I say that as a Canadian. But he was quite a character and had a nasty right hand.
Right after this fight I met LaLonde in Dominican Republic while vacationing with my family. Gracious dude stopped to say hello👍🏼. Still had swollen eyes from the fight!
Donny was such a nice caring and respectful guy, I think the title calling him trash talking is wrong. He just shown confidence, was magnanimous in defeat and an all round great guy.
I'm going on very old memories (as in, I may be thinking of another fight entirely), but I seem to recall that in the lead-up to this fight, or maybe just during the full broadcast, they ran lengthy promos where Lalonde was trash talking like at the start, and Leonard wouldn't say anything negative in return, just stuff along the lines of "my record speaks for itself," and then they'd list some of his accomplishments. But that's just the angle that the promotion took, a way to build a good guy vs. bad guy story and hype it for viewers, probably nothing to do with how Lalonde really felt.
SRL had everything! The sheer determination, the skill, the speed, incredible fitness and so well spoken. One of the greatest in any sport, for sure. As for LaLonde he fought with great spirit, a warrior.
This is when boxing was great! It was so fun to watch. Sugar Ray one of the best ever. His skills, his will power, just a pleasure to watch. I watched every fight of his over the years. He was simply incredible.
My grandfather used to box before WW2 and the violence and evil man can do to one another, get away with, and be fine with made him want to hang up the gloves for good. He was older than Ray but he liked him a lot. I don't think there is much film i haven't seen of Mr. Leonard, lbvs. A guy who was in his late teens or early 20s needed to make some money bcz he had a baby on the way and his father asked my grandfather to help him find work. Grand couldn't, so he hired him to help just being generous and trying help the guy. And he seemed cool enough but one day, I was cutting hedges, he was supposed to be cutting grass, and Grand was picking something to eat for he and Gram and us to eat when our day was done and Gram came home from her doctor's appointment. Grand caught him going in his Lincoln and digging in his coat pockets. I'll never forget this although I was 8 years old and its been 21 years that time period of under 5 minutes stayed with me in every detail. Literally, lol. Grand didn't yell at the guy or threaten him, he just asked why he was in his car. And the guy took of on Grand. I was scared and took of inside to get my knife to help get the guy of my grandfather. Its summer tjme so all the windows in the house were open and I'm hearing grunts and punches. And fear turned to anger and I'm thinking how I'm going to leap off the top front step and stab this big ass overly muscled kid. Not even thinking of the next move or what happens if i miss. Lol. Hearing the punches and grunts...I got madder every second i couldn't find my knife. I was moving so fast and when i heard, "Mr. James stop!" I thought in my mind he was still beating up my Grand and trying snatch his jacket and wallet from him. Got to the front door and flung it open so hard i almost broke the glass (actually still surprised that i didn't, lbvs). Getting ready to leap of the front step aaaand. Grand was beating the dog sh.t out this dude. I was stunned. Lol. The guy pushed him in his stomach to create space and ran like a cheetah was on his ass. Grand was right behind him and so close to catching him but when he crossed the line of the mailbox Grand stopped and i finally snapped out of being shocked and all i could say was, "Grand?! What the heck?!" Of course thinking of the four letter word starting with "F" but Gram and Grand were Christians, and swea-along with a lot of things wasn't allowed. Lol. I couldn't even answer him when he asked me if i was alright. I asked him, "Grand, what did i just see?! You're 74?! Thay guy is like 20!!! What the-" and he cut me off and i still remember every word. "Agh-language! You bet not say it. For one. And for two...never question the last fight of an old man." Picked the hedge clippers and handed them to me, "Go on and finish them hedges. Your aunt will be here after 'while with your Gram. And you know them long doctor appointment days make her tired. Chop chop. I gotta finish this lawn and get dinner made. Move it." And...he did. Til this day bcz of thay experience, i often tend to bet on an older fighter before the younger just bcz of that. Lbvs. I bet on George Foreman, Benard Hopkins, Glover Texeira, Demetrius Johnson in ONE, and more and more times than not, I've seen an old fighter pull something up out of themselves no one thought they still had and do some awesome things. Like Mr. Leonard did in this fight
I watched this live on PPV when I was a kid. Didn't understand anything about boxing but just wanted to see this since my father was into it. I became a boxing fan after this.
I was Leonard fan before the Olympics. His fight with Wilfredo was a master class. But I thought he got beat by Hagler. When he stepped up to Lalonde, he *fought*. I'll always admire his grit in that fight, just like the first Hearns fight.
Hagler let Leonard have it by starting off in orthodox stance and starting slow. I’ve rewatched it a few times and it is a very close fight; I used to lean towards Hagler. Leonard did enough to win, certainly can’t be called a robbery.
@@geraldfriend256 I certainly can't argue with that. No matter how you call it, it was a close fight. I thought Ray missed a huge opportunity at the end of the fight. When he hugged Haggler, I thought he told him, "You beat me." Hagler thought so, too. Later, Ray denied saying that. He said he told Marvin, "You'll always be a champion, to me." Sorry guys, I saw it, you saw it, there's no way Ray said that many words. The best thing Ray could have done was to say, "Yes, I said that. I thought Marvin beat me. The judges didn't see it that way, and there's nothing we can do about their opinions. But we can all acknowledge that Marvelous Marvin Hagler is, in fact, Marvelous." Or some words to that effect. He had the win in the ring, but he could also have won the moral high ground and been the true victor, by giving Marvin the win, also. It would have cemented both legacies, removed all bitterness, and maybe set the stage for a megabucks rematch. Hindsight, right?
Leonard was so lucky against Hagler. He got every condition he asked for and spent the fight running. End of the round flurries and showmanship made it look closer than it was. A robbery.
lol…you obviously watched a different fight…at the end…Sugar Ray beat the shit out of hagler……boo fucking hoo…wah wah wah….you sound like one of the parents from a Charlie Brown special talking….wah wah wah….wah wah wah…..grow up.
I consider this to be one of SRL`s greatest victories. Donny was a very dangerous opponent. He could take out top tier Light Heavyweights with his right hand.
@@ross_ulbright7779 The only fighter whose footwork was on par with Leonard`s was Wilfredo Benitez;...but the Sugar man eventually outfoxed even him and scored a KO.
The catchweight was the reason Lalonde came unstuck. A very smart and shrewd move by Leonard, he just ran out of gas! A fantastic fight and one that for some reason is often overlooked.
Spot on. In my opinion if he wanted the light heavyweight title then Donny should have been allowed to come in at 175, it made a massive difference and Leonard knew it…. and also the race was on to gain titles in different weight classes, somehow Leonard managed to notch up two in this fight. If Lalonde comes in at 175 I think he finishes the job. I rate Tommy’s wins over Andries and Hill at light heavy much higher than this, no bs deals. Ray was a great fighter and his toughness is underrated, but man could he make a deal to work things in his favour.
@@stevet9938 Hagler wanted 15 rounds, Sugar Ray getting the 12 and Hagler fighting orthodox for the first two rounds, personally in my opinion is the reason he lost.
@@stevet9938even with all that being said Lalonde still was HUGE IN THE RING AND MUCH BIGGER AGAINST RAY IT LOOKED LIKE SIDE SHOW AND HE STILL GOT KNOCKED OUT
Excuses...excuses, Lalonde is a grown azz man who agreed to the catchweight which he didn't have to do, he agreed...enough said!! Sugar Ray was just a better man that day, he wanted it more....GET OVER IT!!!! 💯
@@markeharris6867 Get over what exactly Princess? I’m a SRL fan, I’m talking about facts and boxing ffs. I’d learn how to read and understand people’s comments. 🤡
@user-dk3up2nl1m I was 15 when this fight took place. I don't recall all the trash talking Lalonde was doing pre-fight, but the media sure did hype him up.
For me, this is where Sugar Ray showed what he was really made of. We were all used to the dazzling movement, the stunning combinations, the occasional showboating and the "star" persona; but there were moments here when Ray was in serious trouble: Donny was physically stronger by some margin and was able to comfortably manhandle Leonard, and whenever his right hand connected it backed Ray up. But here we see beyond the "flashy image" and see that SRL was as tough and brave as they come. At 11:12 Donny lands a solid right soon followed by a strong uppercut , this could have been the end for Ray, indeed I think most other fighters would have folded; instead Leonard weathers it, rolls with the punches and within seconds turns the fight around to score a stunning KO. Superb display from the Sugar man.
Ray was not only a "Matador" with silky skills and a rapier-like array of punches, he was also a "Pit-Bull terrier" who could, if needs be, slog it out in close and brutal. A superb athlete.
What a joke, what the fuck was Sugar Ray doing. The 2nd best middle weight of all time fighting a bum. Marvelous Marvin would have been laughing. Hagler... undefeated champion
I was in the house that night. Seeing this video brought back so many memories. Sugar Ray Lenard put on one heck of a show. The Stars were out that night it was a great time to be in Las Vegas!!
I liked Leonard and Hagler. They were both great fighters but, Hagler won the fight. Leonard would throw a flurry at the end of a round and stole the point. I’m sure there was some favoritism involved.
Sugar Ray, fantastic boxer, also Marvellous Marvin are a big part of my childhood memories. Watching with my grandfather and learned the sport from him. He also taught me how to handicap (horse racing), Im grateful for really weird life skills that were passed down!
Lalonde had heart and some good skills. But in the end it was Leonards stamina and experience that won the day. I love revisiting these old fights, there were so many great fighters in those days.
Hard to disagree with that. Sugar-Ray had more talent and better all around technique. In hindsight, Lalonde was a gutsy over-achiever up against a legend.
I really enjoyed following Ray Leonard's career. He is one of the only fighters that could do what his trainers would tell his to do because it's not easy once the fight starts.
i know he beat him. the decision was based on LEONARDS personality and being the darling of the boxing media. if you watched the fight you would see he didn't beat the champion.@@davidcook680
@@georgehazel8175 Not with those cotton balls he was throwing up he didnt. Every time Sugar Ray knew the camera was on him he threw up a flurry of powerless cottonballs that often didnt even land, yeah I saw the fight. I saw an uninjured Hagler beat him like a stepchild.
Lots of guys are smart in the ring, as SRL was. But he was also smart outside it, as he showed when he demanded a bigger ring when he fought Hagler. He handpicked Lalonde, knowing he was slow and had technical flaws that would make him prime picking. And he got him to come down in weight, which was mad important. Also, I don't know that you could call Lalonde much of a trash talker. He predicted he'd win, but hell, most folks do that.
This is why I love this channel. This was a great fight that's been pretty much forgotten about until this channel brings it back.
❤ this video
How can it be forgotten if your a straight boxing nut. This was leonard winning his 5th division title. Hope your cool
I agree and may I add. Precision highlight edits not jump cuts and kept the commentary minimal.
@@ThehulkGreengrow up clownfish
This was a big and impressive win for Leonard, to win a belt in his 5th weight class. But for the most part, boxing fans don't focus much on this fight, because Lalond was not a great figher. If Lalond had been thought to be even as close to an imposing fighter as Hearns, Hagler, No Mas, Benitez - this fight would still be remembered by even casual fight fans.
Incomparable era in boxing. Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran. Just incredible. Sugar Ray coming back after the detached retina was monumental and scary for true boxing fans. Sugar Ray was absolutely brilliant. And, an elite finisher.
They are the 4 horsemen of the 80s one of the best era's in the history of boxing
Holding the title in 5 different weight categories is such a monumental feat. To do 14:41 14:41 it he had to toppel a man who outweighed him with a tremendous reach advantage and a one punch knockout power. And he was facing him well after his prime.
Leonard did not possess a powerful punch. But what he lacked in power he made up for with speed and cunning. Nobody could unleash a prolonged combination like Sugar Ray Leonard.
He would connect with lightning fast punches that by themselves would do little damage. But with cunning movement and the punching speed to connect at opportunities that were too brief for other fighters, the damage from the number of punches that connected would add up.
When hit 3 times by a three punch combination, many fighters would foolishly believe try to counter with a 3 punch combo of their own. But Leonard was too quick and they wouldn't land. All they did was tire themselves out. Usually between the 6th and 8th rounds Leonard would connect a punch that would stagger his opponent. And when that happened it was all over. Sugar Ray Closed it like nobody else. He would move in and unleash a sustained barrage of lightning fast combinations that nobody could ever survive. Rarely would a fighter be saved by the bell. Can't explain it, but the initial stagger always seemed to occur with enough time left for him to close the deal before the bell.
Sugar Ray Leonard was a pugulist in the purest meaning of the word. He treated boxing like a science.
Great times!
Hagler seemed to belong in a heavier weight category than the other 3. I liked Hearns the most, but to be honest I think Duran was the most accomplished of them all, even though he lost to them. He'd go up in weight to take them on, win or lose he was game. Hearns tagged him good, sure enough, but he went the distance with Marvin.
Benitez should be in that group ..
The golden years of boxing. And music. And late night talk shows.
I wouldn’t call it the golden years of music. The 60s and 70s produced much more iconic music than the 80s.
not music .....60s-70s-90s were better
Met Sugar Ray Leonard in a Miami Airport. I was heading home with my family from a trip at Disney, just before Covid hit. I've been lucky to have met several people in my lifetime just by happenstance. I thanked him for all the years of his boxing and his accomplishments. He ended up allowing me to take a picture with him with both of our fists up. Thank you champ. I'll never forget that moment. My younger son said. Who was that?! LOL!
That is great story - Isn't it crazy how he has held up all these years:? That guy was in some WARS in the boxing ring. He has a very honest and real book that he put out in about 2011 - gets into his demons and all of it - very REAL guy now that he is off the alcohol
he was the fierce boxer who had the swinging fist with a dance straight up hit
Picture with a legend 👍
Great great champion right up there with the very best
Funny that you should say that. 6 hours ago, I told my wife about meeting Neil Armstrong in the Cincinnati airport.
To me... Sugar Ray Leonard was the best fighter in boxing history. A great among greats.
He called Ray an overweight has been, but got knocked cold for his troubles. Don't mess with one of the fabulous four. Great video.
Some folks you just don't run your mouth to, ever..
Leonard was sand bagging it. Lalonde was a pure minor leaguer. He could have fought tougher opponents, but because somehow lalonde held one of the many belts available, Leonard wanted to pretend he was fighting a real fighter.
@@josephhewes4894 I kinda agree but at the same time. U don’t get a 47-5 career without being pretty nice. Lalonde wasn’t a superstar name but his record match so that’s good enuf. And the fact Ray was up 4 weight classes from where he started by that time
@@josephhewes4894complete snot drivel
Drivel
After getting hit in round four we can see Leonards' "glassy" look in his eyes. He knew he was gonna have to work hard. Great fighter with incredible determination.
Narrator said Leonard got around the ring like a man not ready for marriage 😂😂😂😂 that was BARS🔥🔥🔥🔥
This is the greatest fight I had never seen until now. Wow. Thanks for creating this.
Check out Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward May 18 2002... a war like no other RIP Arturo
@@jimwest9313I hope you dont compare Gatti and Ward to the great Sugar Ray Leonard not in the same league not near 🥊🫣
@@guidovalenti4986 Why not,, Gatti gave his all in the ring he was fearless a true warrior... watch the trilogy against Micky Ward and sorry Guido but that was a very dumb comment for you to make 🥴
@@jimwest9313 Style makes fight ok Gatti vs. Ward three very good fights, but you dont Gatti and Ward in the same ring of Sugar Ray Leonard at His prime 🥊 its my opinion 🤔
Put on the same ring
Guts, determination and grit, the great Sugar Ray Leonard.
And cocaine. Lots and lots of cocaine
Who stole by showboating the fights vs Hearns (second one) and Hagler.
Edit: typos sorry
He picked his Hagler fight only when he thought he had a chance. Avoided him for too long to be convincing.
@@LennyMarcusNY In the early 80's, after he suffered a detached retina during training in '82, Ray did drink and was a recreational cocaine user for ≈ 3 years until early '86. But he never used while training. It was his coping mechanism for the situation he was in because of the seriousness of his eye injury, doctors telling him he would lose site in his eye if he continued to fight, and dealing with his first "retirement". As he himself admitted, "It was wrong; it was childish; it was stupid,". After he stopped, he never went back to using
@@ziggy7506Fighters don't score fights,they fight.
Now that was a fight. Respect to both for their courage
I know u young bucks don't remember but no Sunday or Saturday was complete without the wide world of sports and featuring some of the most classic artistic fights in history Sugar Ray Leonard reign supreme!!! One of the best tht eva did it !
@larrylove-cc6yv Young bucks ..very funny granddad...you'd be younger than me I'd reckon, and why would a young buck remember if he wasn't present at the time .?
People either forget or never knew, Ray maintained an 80+ percent knockout ratio for his career; his punches were cat-quick and delivered with devastating speed which more often than not, resulted in an opponent's visiting the canvas....
Who forgets mabey you 😊
As I age, I admire sports figures who don't let a loss destroy them.
Wrong!!! His knockout percentage was slightly above 69 percent. He was a great fighter no doubt about it. My favorite fight was when he fought Terry Norris.
I always thought Ray was an amazing fighter. Since he was a household name in his day, his flame naturally couldn't burn as bright for ever. It seems he's not really talked about too much any more but he was amazing, almost a mini Ali. Another piece of Dundee magic.
@@JDnFL - I stand corrected. Thanks for looking it up....
Sugar was one of the best ever. I was privileged, to watch all those great boxing matches of the 80's.
The greatest
Besides being a great boxer,Sugar was the ultimate showman,he could sell ice cubes to eskimos and make them enjoy them.
That's a glorious mullet on Lalonde, thank you for documenting it. 😂
Looks like Aaron Rodgers
Party was in the front, put on by Sugar Ray's fists.
Sht was fire in the 80's 🔥🤣
The mullet was only in fashion in the UK for about 18 months but in the U.S. it did the rounds for about 6 years, definitely loved the mullet, Donny here and also Tommy Morrison still living the mullet well into the late 80s early 90s. Sometimes with a nice moustache to go with it like Jimmy Smith.😂😂
Its back in fashion !!!
Wow, what a fight, really enjoyed watching that. Great upload!!
Yeah it was like a Rocky movie.
yeah this was well done.
Sugar Ray Leonard would lure you to the deep end and drown you with a smile on his face.
The birth of "dragging him out to deep water". Sugar started out trying to take it to him, realizing how resilient Donny was Sugar knew he had to drain him before taking the attack. Tying up, Dancing, dirty boxing etc thru the middle rds drained Donny then when Sugar saw the wide mouth breathing of hos opponent ; attack and kill
Well didn't Ali invent the deep water game .or am I wrong.. or are you referring to middleweight boxing . (I see the middleweight fights as far away and above better than a heavyweight bout. All day. Dropped off as of late. I blame training focussed on muscle gain. Am I wrong.. something died in middleweight boxing ....all boxing.imhaho
Wow! That looked like one of the best boxing matches ever!
It was!
It was up there! Lalonde really had skills. No hype job!
First-class video. Thank you!
Sugar Ray Leonard is a special athlete. He was classy and mixed with Hollywood elite, an astute self promoter, and he could fight. He could box and be flashy but at the end of the day he was a dog. He didn’t have any quit in him. True warrior, through and through.
He got KO'd by Camacho. lol. And Duran, Hearns & Hagler beat him too!
@@stormyweather9917that's true and nobody can deny it!!!
Don't forget Aaron the hulk prior my friend.. Ray Leonard basically duk him all his damn career...smh
He wws an old man against camacho, he outclassed hagler and hearns didnt beat him either lol
@@richardconte3837exactly they don't know what they're talking about just haters
That was a great fight. I had forgotten about this fight. Good editing.
Very good, exciting high level fight. Thanks for posting. I was a big Sugar Ray fan back in the day.
I grew up watching all the Sugar Ray fights in the 80's, this man is one of the greatest boxers of all time, never backed away from any contender and without no doubt would of beat Camacho and Norris in his prime.
I remember this fight from 88. It was a tough fight for both fighters.
There are some comments I've read here about how much weight Lalonde had to give to come down to meet Leonard, and thus muscle/power. They're correct in stating that but must remember Leonard also came up to meet him.
The biggest thing to remember, and consider in weight class jumping or any fight is that the fighters don't have to fight. They don't have to accept the challenges that are offered.
I agree with other comments here that the title of this video is a wrong description of Donny Lalonde.
Both of these fighters demonstrated classy sportsmanship not only in this fight, but throughout their venerable careers.
Well done gentlemen, you were a pleasure to watch, and thank you.
C A
Exactly! I didn't hear trash talking either. This was simply a fantastic, evenly matched fight.
@@jayryan7473 hardly evenly-matched, though. Good fight but LaLonde never really had a shot.
Lalonde weighed in at 168 with full track suit - he was on weight one week before the match, however, because his team was worried about losing 💰 on being overweight - he actually was 161-162 at the weighins. I've got a photo of the weigh in full track suit with SRL & José Sulaimán looking on - 2011 went to Costa Rica to present him by surprise his WBC replacement belt stolen in Canada. Donny currently resides in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
@@MrElaboy
Fascinating and interesting news you've brought forth here.
Costa Rica,....I could see it. Great post, thanks so much for this info. All the best to you.
C A
To me, Sugar Ray Leonard was the best fighter in boxing history. His unpredictability was his greatest weapon.
Sugar man!!!! Seeing Ray fight was always a spectacle. When he made that full conversion from nice guy into a pitbull with boxing gloves, in was a sight to behold. Picture Mayweather with a real killer side to his craft. Wear em down, pepper the opponent….and when the time is right the beast emerges. Few boxers in history could do it quite like Ray Leonard. Thanks for the memories Sugar man!!!!
That's a good comparison
Damn, you try to retire and move on with life - but your competitive spirit just won't let you. Awesome video!
I don't think you could call Lalonde as trash talking but it was a more competitive fight than expected and Leonard definitly demonstrated why he is such a legend.
Lalonde was a minor leaguer. Name one good fighter he beat. Can't do it, can you?
@@josephhewes4894 Lalonde is a scumbag who ripped off investors and his own coach. Teddy Atlas almost killed him
He has wins over Eddie Davis and he went the distance with spinks also Leslie stewart former champion
He wasn't a all time great or anything but wasn't a chump
Lalonde was a very solid fighter . He was no bum .
That fight was everything I was hoping for. Leonard was amazing.
Father Time certainly taught Donny a lesson he will never forget.
What lesson is that?!?!?
Curious
@@mariogilbert4260 Speed and reflexes may go away on older fighters but skill and power will age like wine.
@mariogilbert4260 look up the Panama papers donny lalonde. That's how
We all know hagler beat sugar
No way hagler won that fight, he was outclassed by a much smaller man
Boxing in the 70s/80s will never be matched.
truth
@@charlesm7589I can tell you this, unless you are a diehard boxing fan or a gambler you will never know all the names like we did back then. EVERYBODY knew who the Heavyweight champ was. EVERYBODY could name all the middleweights (think that is right) Hearns Hagler Duran Barkley Leonard.
Except for the 1960's and 70's.
Agreed/ Ali, , Foreman. Frazier, Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and even Tyson had their greatest fights in the 70’s-80’s
The problem started with the alphabet soup of belts.
People like Leonard, Lalonde...they created the Golden Age of boxing; along with the few others like Hearns, Hagler, Norris and Duran. Some of the best who even now, have not been surpassed.
well said very well said sir
Don't forget about Ali, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier and George Foreman.
Yeah, agree completely with that, on lalonde if he hadn't been so intent on handing out a lesson to Ray he'd have won this fight, jmo but the more time he took the more Ray got back into it classic fight , one can only pray that Fury- Usyk will be s true fight.
I'd also keep an eye on AJ, yes he's been beaten twice by usyk but that doesn't mean he's finished not by a long shot , I think the title came to AJ too soon and we've still to see the best of him yet.
With respect, Lalonde doesn’t belong in the same sentence with those fighters. And I say that as a Canadian. But he was quite a character and had a nasty right hand.
duran was a bum
Both these fighters fought with heart! That was some fight!
Great coverage of the fight. Keep it up man, i love rewatching these forgotten classics
Right after this fight I met LaLonde in Dominican Republic while vacationing with my family. Gracious dude stopped to say hello👍🏼. Still had swollen eyes from the fight!
Sugar Ray was one of my fav’s. He fought a lot of great battles. One of the greats.
Yes, he practiced on his wife.
I remember this fight as a kid. My brother said Lalonde was Glass Joe from Punch-out. They are both very similar.
Donny was such a nice caring and respectful guy, I think the title calling him trash talking is wrong. He just shown confidence, was magnanimous in defeat and an all round great guy.
Dude got ass beat to damn near to death. Donny was a little trash talking bitch.
I'm going on very old memories (as in, I may be thinking of another fight entirely), but I seem to recall that in the lead-up to this fight, or maybe just during the full broadcast, they ran lengthy promos where Lalonde was trash talking like at the start, and Leonard wouldn't say anything negative in return, just stuff along the lines of "my record speaks for itself," and then they'd list some of his accomplishments.
But that's just the angle that the promotion took, a way to build a good guy vs. bad guy story and hype it for viewers, probably nothing to do with how Lalonde really felt.
YEP!!!!… 100%… trash talking fools.
Yep... Whenever white athletes demonstrate confidence, it's always construed as "trash talking". Just ask Larry Bird or Tom Brady.
There was at least one person who disagrees. Donny probably could have been a much better fighter if he had better friends
What a fabulous fight!!
Full respect to Donny for standing up against the legend ❤🙏
Sugar Ray Leonard ❤🙏
Phenomenal video and your commentary was excellent!
SRL had everything! The sheer determination, the skill, the speed, incredible fitness and so well spoken. One of the greatest in any sport, for sure.
As for LaLonde he fought with great spirit, a warrior.
wow, a boxer who is/was a vegeterian folkie, and a generally kind person....learn something new every day from YT...thanks.
Got that right . 🙏
Great video, great fight.
Lalonde favorite movie was definitely rocky, tuff ass dude tho
He was solid
fasho @@rlmpproductions
This is when boxing was great! It was so fun to watch. Sugar Ray one of the best ever. His skills, his will power, just a pleasure to watch. I watched every fight of his over the years. He was simply incredible.
Great video! Well done. Great fight!!
A classic.👏👏
i used to love watching Ali, Hagler and Leonard fights as a child.
My grandfather used to box before WW2 and the violence and evil man can do to one another, get away with, and be fine with made him want to hang up the gloves for good. He was older than Ray but he liked him a lot. I don't think there is much film i haven't seen of Mr. Leonard, lbvs. A guy who was in his late teens or early 20s needed to make some money bcz he had a baby on the way and his father asked my grandfather to help him find work. Grand couldn't, so he hired him to help just being generous and trying help the guy. And he seemed cool enough but one day, I was cutting hedges, he was supposed to be cutting grass, and Grand was picking something to eat for he and Gram and us to eat when our day was done and Gram came home from her doctor's appointment. Grand caught him going in his Lincoln and digging in his coat pockets. I'll never forget this although I was 8 years old and its been 21 years that time period of under 5 minutes stayed with me in every detail. Literally, lol. Grand didn't yell at the guy or threaten him, he just asked why he was in his car. And the guy took of on Grand. I was scared and took of inside to get my knife to help get the guy of my grandfather. Its summer tjme so all the windows in the house were open and I'm hearing grunts and punches. And fear turned to anger and I'm thinking how I'm going to leap off the top front step and stab this big ass overly muscled kid. Not even thinking of the next move or what happens if i miss. Lol. Hearing the punches and grunts...I got madder every second i couldn't find my knife. I was moving so fast and when i heard, "Mr. James stop!" I thought in my mind he was still beating up my Grand and trying snatch his jacket and wallet from him. Got to the front door and flung it open so hard i almost broke the glass (actually still surprised that i didn't, lbvs). Getting ready to leap of the front step aaaand. Grand was beating the dog sh.t out this dude. I was stunned. Lol. The guy pushed him in his stomach to create space and ran like a cheetah was on his ass. Grand was right behind him and so close to catching him but when he crossed the line of the mailbox Grand stopped and i finally snapped out of being shocked and all i could say was, "Grand?! What the heck?!" Of course thinking of the four letter word starting with "F" but Gram and Grand were Christians, and swea-along with a lot of things wasn't allowed. Lol. I couldn't even answer him when he asked me if i was alright. I asked him, "Grand, what did i just see?! You're 74?! Thay guy is like 20!!! What the-" and he cut me off and i still remember every word. "Agh-language! You bet not say it. For one. And for two...never question the last fight of an old man." Picked the hedge clippers and handed them to me, "Go on and finish them hedges. Your aunt will be here after 'while with your Gram. And you know them long doctor appointment days make her tired. Chop chop. I gotta finish this lawn and get dinner made. Move it." And...he did. Til this day bcz of thay experience, i often tend to bet on an older fighter before the younger just bcz of that. Lbvs. I bet on George Foreman, Benard Hopkins, Glover Texeira, Demetrius Johnson in ONE, and more and more times than not, I've seen an old fighter pull something up out of themselves no one thought they still had and do some awesome things. Like Mr. Leonard did in this fight
Your grandad sounds like a tell if a guy. Respect!
I watched this live on PPV when I was a kid. Didn't understand anything about boxing but just wanted to see this since my father was into it. I became a boxing fan after this.
Spectacular video,amazing, great work 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Great upload thank you
I was Leonard fan before the Olympics. His fight with Wilfredo was a master class. But I thought he got beat by Hagler. When he stepped up to Lalonde, he *fought*. I'll always admire his grit in that fight, just like the first Hearns fight.
He definitely lost to Hagler , boxing can be unfair sometimes
Hagler let Leonard have it by starting off in orthodox stance and starting slow. I’ve rewatched it a few times and it is a very close fight; I used to lean towards Hagler. Leonard did enough to win, certainly can’t be called a robbery.
@@geraldfriend256wrong
@@geraldfriend256Wrong!
@@geraldfriend256 I certainly can't argue with that. No matter how you call it, it was a close fight. I thought Ray missed a huge opportunity at the end of the fight. When he hugged Haggler, I thought he told him, "You beat me." Hagler thought so, too. Later, Ray denied saying that. He said he told Marvin, "You'll always be a champion, to me." Sorry guys, I saw it, you saw it, there's no way Ray said that many words. The best thing Ray could have done was to say, "Yes, I said that. I thought Marvin beat me. The judges didn't see it that way, and there's nothing we can do about their opinions. But we can all acknowledge that Marvelous Marvin Hagler is, in fact, Marvelous." Or some words to that effect. He had the win in the ring, but he could also have won the moral high ground and been the true victor, by giving Marvin the win, also. It would have cemented both legacies, removed all bitterness, and maybe set the stage for a megabucks rematch. Hindsight, right?
This was the generation that made boxing.
Leonard was so lucky against Hagler. He got every condition he asked for and spent the fight running. End of the round flurries and showmanship made it look closer than it was. A robbery.
I don't think it was a robbery. Too close to be called a robbery.
Rubbish
Not a robbery.
lol…you obviously watched a different fight…at the end…Sugar Ray beat the shit out of hagler……boo fucking hoo…wah wah wah….you sound like one of the parents from a Charlie Brown special talking….wah wah wah….wah wah wah…..grow up.
A highway robbery like The Italian Job. Hagler won 7 rounds in a row in a 12 round fight. 115-113 for Hagler
I remember watching rays fights back then.
I consider this to be one of SRL`s greatest victories. Donny was a very dangerous opponent. He could take
out top tier Light Heavyweights with his right hand.
Would have been nice to see him fight Donny at 175
Top Tier?
@@jeffreyferris218 He KO`d Roddy McDonald.
He had a bum left hand and his footwork was definitely not on par with Leonard. Big heart tho.
@@ross_ulbright7779 The only fighter whose footwork was on par with Leonard`s was Wilfredo
Benitez;...but the Sugar man eventually outfoxed even him and scored a KO.
Suger Ray is poetry in motion, and a master class in boxing.
The catchweight was the reason Lalonde came unstuck. A very smart and shrewd move by Leonard, he just ran out of gas! A fantastic fight and one that for some reason is often overlooked.
Spot on. In my opinion if he wanted the light heavyweight title then Donny should have been allowed to come in at 175, it made a massive difference and Leonard knew it…. and also the race was on to gain titles in different weight classes, somehow Leonard managed to notch up two in this fight. If Lalonde comes in at 175 I think he finishes the job.
I rate Tommy’s wins over Andries and Hill at light heavy much higher than this, no bs deals. Ray was a great fighter and his toughness is underrated, but man could he make a deal to work things in his favour.
@@stevet9938 Hagler wanted 15 rounds, Sugar Ray getting the 12 and Hagler fighting orthodox for the first two rounds, personally in my opinion is the reason he lost.
@@stevet9938even with all that being said Lalonde still was HUGE IN THE RING AND MUCH BIGGER AGAINST RAY IT LOOKED LIKE SIDE SHOW AND HE STILL GOT KNOCKED OUT
Excuses...excuses, Lalonde is a grown azz man who agreed to the catchweight which he didn't have to do, he agreed...enough said!! Sugar Ray was just a better man that day, he wanted it more....GET OVER IT!!!! 💯
@@markeharris6867 Get over what exactly Princess? I’m a SRL fan, I’m talking about facts and boxing ffs. I’d learn how to read and understand people’s comments. 🤡
Great job on this vid. Very fair and compelling. Fine editing.
I remember watching this fight live.
Oh yes✊🏿☀️🌟🛸🔥💯
I saw this as a kid..but never knew the guys name. I sure knew who Sugar Ray was!
@user-dk3up2nl1m I was 15 when this fight took place. I don't recall all the trash talking Lalonde was doing pre-fight, but the media sure did hype him up.
i saw wilt score 100
This was awesome... I remember those days like it was yesterday...😢
Great editing, stories and commentary.
For me, this is where Sugar Ray showed what he was really made of. We were all used to the dazzling movement, the
stunning combinations, the occasional showboating and the "star" persona; but there were moments here when Ray
was in serious trouble: Donny was physically stronger by some margin and was able to comfortably manhandle
Leonard, and whenever his right hand connected it backed Ray up. But here we see beyond the "flashy image" and
see that SRL was as tough and brave as they come. At 11:12 Donny lands a solid right soon followed by a strong
uppercut , this could have been the end for Ray, indeed I think most other fighters would have folded; instead Leonard
weathers it, rolls with the punches and within seconds turns the fight around to score a stunning KO. Superb display
from the Sugar man.
Thanks for this!
Great production boss, this is what all boxing videos should be like. Loved the Bloodsport music. More love from Mexico
Ray was one of my favorite boxers EVER !
Lalonde is so much bigger than Leonard that certain angles looks like Ray is in Punchout.
It incredible how lalonde made such a successful career besides being so one handed. Did he have a serious injury or something?
Ray was not only a "Matador" with silky skills and a rapier-like array of punches, he was also a "Pit-Bull terrier" who could, if needs be, slog it out in close and brutal. A superb athlete.
Camacho would have never beaten a prime Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray in his prime would have knocked Camacho out. 👊
Drugs are bad!
@@xaviermagnate They most definitely are. Try to stay off of them drugs. OK!
Leonard and his prime would knock Camacho out no doubt
What a joke, what the fuck was Sugar Ray doing. The 2nd best middle weight of all time fighting a bum. Marvelous Marvin would have been laughing. Hagler... undefeated champion
So much for Lalonde's trash talk. Leonard was an all time great. An amazing fight.
I was in the house that night. Seeing this video brought back so many memories. Sugar Ray Lenard put on one heck of a show. The Stars were out that night it was a great time to be in Las Vegas!!
That 4 round "Beauty knock down" was a slip
Donny had a concrete chin to take those shots from Leonard. The guy was strong, but Suger Ray found his rhythm and drove it home for the win. Amazing.
I was a youngster when he beat haglar but I'll never forget it. Best fight in the 80s imo..
I liked Leonard and Hagler. They were both great fighters but, Hagler won the fight. Leonard would throw a flurry at the end of a round and stole the point. I’m sure there was some favoritism involved.
The fact that they didn't force a rematch was downright criminal, I agree with you btw , I think hagler edged Ray and should have got the nod
Not at all. Sugar Ray won because he … outpointed him. Landed more punches, that’s all.
So true @@fifthbusiness1678
Leonard won
Bull sugar ray won that fight
Sugar Ray, fantastic boxer, also Marvellous Marvin are a big part of my childhood memories. Watching with my grandfather and learned the sport from him. He also taught me how to handicap (horse racing), Im grateful for really weird life skills that were passed down!
Ray was one of the best!
for me the best of all times ... style, punch, speed, vista ! Mr Boxing !!!
They made Lalonde boil down to super middle so that title was on yhe line as well as the light heavy. Lalonde did well though, just gassed.
'cause everything was constantly tilted in Leonard's favor
Lalonde lost too much Muscle for this Fight. He already had no Fat to lose to make a lower Weight.
Leonard's team won the fight before the fight.
Get over it Leonard a Legend
@@kevinmunday6263so is John Cena.
Dude he made 5 million and only had to lose 8 pounds and still was HUGE in the ring against a much smaller Ray and still got knocked out so relax
Even at this point Ray's hands were so damn fast. When he had him hurt and against the ropes and just let 'em fly... wild
My favorite Ray Leonard Fight!
My least favourite. It should have been for the LH belt only. Throwing in a vacant SM belt meant Lalonde had to make SM weight limit
Fantastic job! Your videos are always top-notch.
If Aaron Rodgers was a boxer
Lalonde had heart and some good skills. But in the end it was Leonards stamina and experience that won the day. I love revisiting these old fights, there were so many great fighters in those days.
Even at his advanced age, Leonard was twice the boxer Lalonde was.
Hard to disagree with that. Sugar-Ray had more talent and better all around technique. In hindsight, Lalonde was a gutsy over-achiever up against a legend.
I really enjoyed following Ray Leonard's career.
He is one of the only fighters that could do what his trainers would tell his to do because it's not easy once the fight starts.
Send him some money for a decent hair cut.. And some soap.
That was the 80s, it was the style. It was the best times. Not like now, fruity and tight jeans.
Nothing but Respect for both Fighters....
sorry, but he didn't beat HAGLER. he was likeable with the media and judges. HAGLER wasn't.
@MrMferg240, you are absolutely correct..
He beat Hagler though
I looked it up. Sugar beat him. You are wrong.
i know he beat him. the decision was based on LEONARDS personality and being the darling of the boxing media. if you watched the fight you would see he didn't beat the champion.@@davidcook680
Same thing with Canelo vs Lara , but the fact is Ray and Canelo was the winners.
Great fight and the last of Sugar Ray Leonard, thanks 👍
Ray won this fight, but he stole that fight from Hagler.
Outpointed Hagler, you saw it.
@@georgehazel8175 Not with those cotton balls he was throwing up he didnt. Every time Sugar Ray knew the camera was on him he threw up a flurry of powerless cottonballs that often didnt even land, yeah I saw the fight. I saw an uninjured Hagler beat him like a stepchild.
Yeah still can't believe that Hagler didn't get the decision even all these years later
Lol. Only in your simple little mind
That's absolutely 100% correct.
WOW! That was an awesome fight!
Also VERY nice to see the respect they each had for each other.
GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP!!
Great fight and one of Leonards overlooked fights in his career
Ray was on coke for ten years and everyone forgets that too
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
What does that have to do with him beating the hell out of Donny. Stop being a racist sore looser ok.
I don’t remember this fight. The legend of Leonard continues, wow!👊
You know, I think that's one of the better fights I've seen... and I've seen a bunch.
This video had super great background music! Good, not too loud, very subtle!
This is what made sugar so great he never backed down and fought till the end with everything he had
Lots of guys are smart in the ring, as SRL was. But he was also smart outside it, as he showed when he demanded a bigger ring when he fought Hagler. He handpicked Lalonde, knowing he was slow and had technical flaws that would make him prime picking. And he got him to come down in weight, which was mad important. Also, I don't know that you could call Lalonde much of a trash talker. He predicted he'd win, but hell, most folks do that.
What a great story!! Someone should make a movie about this.