AS Sugar Ray Leonard celebrates his 69th birthday today, his legacy still sparks boxing debates. Fans argue over his 1987 middleweight title win against Marvin Hagler, a potential 1980 welterweight clash with Aaron Pryor, and his place among the sport’s greats.
The five-weight world champion is often pitted in fantasy fights, but Roy Jones Jr. rarely enters the conversation. Leonard started at welterweight, while Jones Jr. began at middleweight, 13 pounds heavier. Yet Leonard’s middleweight triumph over Hagler raises the question: who would have won between these two Olympic medallists?
While a professional bout never happened, Leonard once shared a ring with Jones Jr. in an unexpected sparring session. During an interview for the 2017 Boxing News Annual, Leonard was asked: Who is the best fighter you sparred?
“It had to be Howard Davis,” he answered, “His handspeed was super, super fast – and I thought I had quick hands. He came within a whisker of winning the world title, it was a surprise that he didn’t. And also I must add that I sparred with Roy Jones one time. I sparred with Roy Jones and I had just come back from having a few beers [laughs]. I did! I went to lunch with a friend of mine, then I heard that Roy was in the gym so I went to the gym and Roy didn’t have a sparring partner. So I said, ‘Hey man! I’ll spar you’. I had a suit on, I took that off, took my shirt off and I put my gloves on. I took those gloves off pretty fast…”
As Leonard marks his 69th birthday, this lighthearted tale reminds fans why his charisma and skill endure. Happy birthday, Sugar Ray!
