What is Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $120 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 67 |
| Born: | May 17, 1956 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Boxer |
| Last Updated: | May 8, 2024 |
Introduction
As of May 2024, Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth is roughly $120 Million.
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor from North Carolina.
Leonard is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
He was part of “The Fabulous Four”, a group of boxers who all fought each other throughout the 1980s.
Early Life
Ray Charles Leonard was born on the 17th of May, 1956, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
He was named after Ray Charles, his mother’s favorite singer.
He attended Parkdale High School, Leonard was a shy child, and aside from the time he nearly drowned in a creek during a flood in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, his childhood was uneventful.
Career
When Sugar Ray Leonard decided to turn professional, Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali’s trainer, was brought in to train and manage him.
Leonard made his professional debut in 1977 at the Civic Center in Baltimore, and he was paid $44,044 for his winning match.
For his 14th fight, Leonard squared off with his first world-class opponent, Floyd Mayweather, and won with a 10th-round knockout.
A month later, he defeated his amateur rival Randy Shields in 10 rounds by unanimous decision, starting his career off strong.
A World-Class Fighter
In 1979, Sugar Ray Leonard fought Wilfred Benitez for the WBC Welterweight Championship and ended up coming out on top.
Leonard was named the Fighter of the Year by The Boxing Writers Association of America after taking home $1 million for the match.
A year later, he took part in The Brawl in Montreal to defend his title against Roberto Duran, who ended up being awarded a unanimous decision.
However, this loss didn’t keep Leonard down, and in 1980 he had a rematch with Duran, which ended up being one of his most memorable fights.
Leonard ended up winning by a technical knockout, and he regained the WBC Welterweight Championship title.
He then defended his title successfully against Larry Bonds, before moving to the junior middleweight division to face Ayub Kalule.
After eight rounds in the ring, Leonard dropped Kalule, who had been the WBA Light Middleweight Champion for two years.
Like Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Ray Leonard had proven himself to be an incredibly fierce fighter and one of the toughest boxers in the sport.
Retirements & Comebacks
After fighting Bruce Finch, Leonard began to see floaters during training and was diagnosed with a detached retina.
His subsequent fight against Roger Stafford was canceled, and he underwent surgery in May 1982, after which he announced his retirement.
However, after only a year, he returned to the ring, taking on Milton McCrory, Donald Curry, and Roberto Duran.
Leonard then had a match with Kevin Howard, after another minor operation to fix his loose retina, and after the match, announced another retirement.
While he was absent for two years after that, Leonard came back in 1986 to fight Marvin Hagler at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
At the end of the fight, Leonard was awarded the controversial split decision in what was called the “Upset of the Year” by The Ring.
In 1988, Leonard made another comeback, this time facing Donny Lalonde for the WBC Light Heavyweight and Super Middleweight Championships.
After winning, Leonard vacated the light heavyweight title, but kept the super middleweight title and defended it the following year against Thomas Hearns.
He then defended the title against Duran, but a year later relinquished it, saying that he was under the division’s required weight.
That said, he’d become one of the richest athletes in the world thanks to his skills, and he wasn’t quite done yet.
A Final Comeback
In 1996, Sugar Ray Leonard announced his final comeback to fight Hector Camacho the following year.
Along with the fight, in 1997, Leonard was also voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside George Foreman and Floyd Mayweather.
His fight with Camacho took place in March, and he ended up losing via knockout for the first and only time in his career.
After, Leonard retired once more, and though he almost came back to fight Tony Menefree, he later pulled out citing no motivation.
Following his final retirement, Leonard worked as a boxing analyst for ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, and EPIX.
Life After Boxing
Once he’d left the ring for good, Sugar Ray Leonard went on to appear in numerous commercials for Coca-Cola, EA Sports, Ford, and more.
He also started working as an actor, appearing in shows like Married…With Children, Tales From The Crypt, and L.A. Heat.
In 2010, he appeared with Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg in the film The Fighter and was the host of the series The Contender.
As the godfather of Khloe Kardashian, Leonard has also appeared in many episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Most recently, he appeared on the popular YouTube show Good Mythical Morning, where he broke a tie between Froot Loops and Oreo O’s.
Sugar Ray Leonard Net Worth
As of May 2024, Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth is roughly $120 Million.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Sugar Ray Leonard’s career:
- Gold medal at the Pan American Games (1975)
- The Big Fight: My Life in and out of the Ring (Autobiography, 2011)
Favorite Quotes from Sugar Ray Leonard
“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.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“It’s different when you become a professional because you also have to become a businessman, and that takes something away from it” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“Boxing was not something I truly enjoyed. Like a lot of things in life, when you put the gloves on, it’s better to give than to receive.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“It is wonderful. It’s you against me, it’s challenging another guy’s manhood. With gloves. Words cannot describe that feeling of being a man, of being a gladiator, of being a warrior. It’s irreplaceable.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“I fought tall fighters, short fighters, strong fighters, slow fighters, sluggers, and boxers. It was either learn or get knocked off.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
“Looking back, yes, I made too many comebacks. But each comeback I was 100 percent sure that I would win. I never came back for the money, because I didn’t need it. The adulation I was getting anyway in other spheres. But I’m a guy who likes to see how close he can get to the edge of the mountain – that’s what makes me tick.” – Sugar Ray Leonard
3 Life Lessons from Sugar Ray Leonard
Now that you know all about Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth, and how he achieved success; let’s take a look at some of the best lessons we can learn from him:
1. Do What You Love
If you can do what you love for a living, life will be a lot less stressful and a hell of a lot more fun.
2. Smile
A smile is one of the few contagious things that you should spread. So spread it to everyone! You can make a better day for someone if you smile.
3. Ask For Help
Never be too proud to ask for help (especially for directions, ahem).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Sugar Ray Leonard worth?
Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth is estimated to be $120 Million.
How old is Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sugar Ray Leonard was born on May 17, 1956, and is currently 67 years old.
How tall is Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sugar Ray Leonard’s height is 1.78 m, which is equal to 5 ft 10 in.
Summary
Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the most charming and popular boxers of our time.
Today, he is one of the most revered boxers and has set great examples for decades to come.
As of May 2024, Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth is approximately $120 Million.
What do you think about Sugar Ray Leonard’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
