Sugar Ray Leonard Fight History

Career Record of the Boxer Who Held Multiple World Titles

Sugar Ray Leonard
WireImage / Getty Images

Sugar Ray Leonard, who fought professionally from 1977 to 1997, won "world titles in five weight divisions (and held) the lineal championship in three weight divisions as well as the undisputed welterweight title," Wikipedia notes.

He won nearly all of his professional fights, posting 36 wins -- including 25 by KO -- out of 40 bouts, against only three losses and one draw. He is perhaps best remembered for his epic battles with "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns. Here's a look back at Leonard's fight-by-fight career record as a professional boxer.

The 1970s: Leonard Becomes Champ

Leonard scored plenty of KOs in his first years as a pro and took the World ​Boxing Council welterweight title, knocking out Wilfredo Benitez in the process. The same year he won the title -- 1979 -- the Boxing Writers Association of America and "The Ring" magazine also named Leonard fighter of the year.

1977

  • Feb. 5 - Luis Vega, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 6
  • May 14 - Willie Rodriguez, Baltimore, W 6
  • June 10 - Vinnie DeBarros, Hartford, Connecticut, KO 3
  • Sept. 24 - Frank Santore, Baltimore, KO 5
  • Nov. 5 - Augustin Estrada, Las Vegas, KO 5
  • Dec. 17 - Hector Diaz, Washington, D.C., KO 2

1978

  • Feb. 4 - Rocky Ramon, Baltimore, W 8
  • March 1 - Art McKnight, Dayton, Ohio, KO 7
  • March 19 - Javier Muniz, New Haven, Connecticut, KO 1
  • April 13 - Bobby Haymon, Landover, Maryland, KO 3
  • May 13 - Randy Milton, Utica, New York, KO 8
  • June 3 - Rafael Rodriguez, Baltimore, W 10
  • July 18 - Dick Eckland, Boston, W 10
  • Sept. 9 - Floyd Mayweather, Providence, Rhode Island, KO 10
  • Oct. 5 - Randy Shields, Baltimore, W 10
  • Nov. 3 - Bernardo Prada, Portland, Maine, W 10
  • Dec. 9 - Armando Muniz, Springfield, Illinois, KO 6

1979

  • Jan. 11 - Johnny Gant, Landover, Maryland, KO 8
  • Feb. 11 - Fernand Marcotte, Miami Beach, Florida, KO 8
  • March 24 - Daniel Gonzales, Tucson, Arizona, KO 1
  • April 21 - Adolfo Viruet, Las Vegas, Nevada, W 10
  • May 20 - Marcos Geraldo, New Orleans, W 10
  • June 24 - Tony Chiaverini, Las Vegas, KO 4
  • Aug. 12 - Pete Ranzany, Las Vegas, KO 4
  • Sept. 28 - Andy Price, Las Vegas, KO 1
  • Nov. 20 - Wilfredo Benitez, Las Vegas, KO 15

The 1980s: Leonard Loses, Then Wins Back Title

Leonard retained his WBC welterweight title by knocking out Dave Green in a March 1980 bout. But, his more famous fight -- perhaps one of the sport's most famous bouts -- came later in the year. Leonard lost the title to Roberto Duran in a June bout but regained it in a November rematch after Duran quit the fight in the eighth round, reportedly telling the referee "no mass" (no more).

1980

  • March 31 - Dave Green, Landover, KO 4
  • June 20 - Roberto Duran, Montreal, L 15
  • Nov. 25 - Roberto Duran, New Orleans, TKO 8

1981

Leonard retained his WBC title in March and won the WBA junior middleweight belt in June. He also won the WBA and retained the WBC welterweight titles in a September bout, knocking out Thomas Hearns the 14th round.

  • March 28 - Larry Bonds, Syracuse, New York, KO 10
  • June 25 - Ayub Kalule, Houston, KO 9
  • Sept. 15 - Thomas Hearns, Las Vegas, KO 14

1982

Leonard retained the title in a February bout, knocking out Bruce Finch. He announced his retirement on Nov. 9.

  • Feb. 15 - Bruce Finch, Reno, Nevada, KO 3

1984

Leonard came out of retirement in May and would go on to fight professionally for several more years.

  • May 11 - Kevin Howard, Massachusetts, KO 9

1987

Leonard won the WBC middleweight title in a 12-round contest against Marvin Hagler in April.

  • April - Marvin Hagler, Las Vegas, W 12

1988

Leonard won the WBC light heavyweight and super middleweight titles by knocking out Don Lalonde in November. Leonard vacated his light heavyweight title "immediately after the fight," according to Boxing News, though he did retain his super middleweight title.

  • Nov. 7 - Don Lalonde, Las Vegas, KO 9

1989

Leonard defended his WBC super middleweight title against two big-name challengers, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. Leonard's bout with Hearns ended in a draw, which allowed him to retain the title. Leonard's 12-round win against Duran was the third time he had matched up against the fighter. Leonard vacated the super middleweight title in 1990 and did not fight that year.

  • June 12 - Thomas Hearns, Las Vegas, D 12
  • Dec. 7 - Roberto Duran, Las Vegas, W 12

The 1990s: Retirement, and the Hall of Fame

Leonard failed in an attempt to regain the WBC junior middleweight title in February 1991. Leonard retired again after the fight. ​"It took this fight to show me it is no longer my time," he told "Sports Illustrated."

  • Feb. 9 - Terry Norris, New York, L 12

1997

Leonard was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in January and then made one last comeback losing to Hector Camacho by knockout in a March bout. He retired for good after that, stating: "For sure, my career is definitely over for me in the ring," according to the "Los Angeles Times."

  • March 1 - Hector Camacho, Atlantic City, KO by 5