Sugar Ray Leonard Speaker Profile
Boxing Legend, Successful Entrepreneur and Author, The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring.
An Olympic athlete and world champion boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard shows us how to set our fears of the unknown aside with preparation, focus, discipline, determination and attitude.
An Olympic athlete and world champion boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard shows us how to set our fears of the unknown aside with preparation, focus, discipline, determination and attitude.
Meet Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the legendary sports icons of the 20th century whose very name epitomizes boxing and conjures the image of a champion.
Leonard published his first autobiography (Viking Books) entitled THE BIG FIGHT: My Life In and Out of the Ring on June 7, 2011. In this unflinching and inspiring autobiography, the boxing legend faces his single greatest competitor: himself. Leonard's brutally honest and uplifting memoir reveals in intimate detail for the first time the complex man behind the boxer. The Olympic hero, six-time champion and beloved athlete waged his own personal battle with depression, rage, addiction and greed. With honesty, humor and hard-won perspective, Leonard comes to terms with both triumph and struggle-and presents a gripping portrait of remarkable strength, courage and resilience, both in and out of the ring.
In fall 2013, Leonard debuted his new contemporary athletic men's collection with Starting Lineup available at Saks 5th Avenue and startinglineupclothing.com. Through his online community www.sugarrayleonard.com Leonard connects with fans through the sport of boxing, general fitness and philanthropy. The site features everything you need to know about Leonard’s exciting boxing career and the sport in general, as well as updates from the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation, which helps fight diabetes and child obesity. Leonard also shares photos and video footage from his personal archives.
Leonard was host and mentor for the first, second and third seasons of the critically-acclaimed series, Contender, on NBC & ESPN. Contender was produced by DreamWorks Television and Mark Burnett Productions. Leonard recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Paramount Pictures feature film The Fighter. Leonard also recently served as a consultant on DreamWorks and Walt Disney Pictures’ hit film starring Hugh Jackman Real Steel.
Having learned to box at the age of 14, Leonard's illustrious career includes three National Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and the 1975 Pan-American Games crown. After winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Olympic Games, he turned professional to help his family defer mounting medical bills incurred because of his father's illness. Blinding speed, tremendous power and great charm turned Leonard into an immediate media favorite. The late Howard Cosell called Leonard the "new Muhammed Ali."
In 1977, at the age of 20, Leonard won his first professional fight, setting the stage for a collection of the most memorable fights in history. He went on to defeat some of the finest boxers of the modern era, including Wilfred Benetiz, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler, from whom Leonard won the world middleweight title. During his 20-year professional career, Leonard also won world titles in the welterweight, junior middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. He was the first boxer to win world titles in five different weight classes.
Leonard's sincere, charismatic personality coupled with his ring experience led to a successful career as a television broadcaster for NBC, ABC, HBO and ESPN. His television credits also include competing on the hit ABC series, Dancing with the Stars. In addition, his celebrity status and tremendous cross-over appeal fostered commercial endorsement relationships with numerous companies including EA Sports, Vartec Telecom, Track Inc., Ford, Carnation, 7-Up, Nabisco, Coca-Cola and Revlon. Leonard is also among the most sought after motivational/inspirational speakers in the world today. His speech, titled "POWER" (Prepare, Overcome, and Win Every Round), is consistently booked with major Fortune 500 companies in the United States and abroad. He has recently been signed on as the face of the Global Skechers campaign.
Successful business ventures aside, Leonard has always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. For many years, Leonard has been the international chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure.
Leonard has a passion to help fund research and awareness for type 1 and 2 diabetes and obesity prevention. In 2009, Leonard and his wife Bernadette started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and have been supporting the life-changing programs at the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
The Leonard’s have always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. Leonard also participates in and speaks on a variety of national and international causes benefiting children's charities. He connects with audiences through the sport of boxing, fitness and philanthropy.
Leonard is the focus of the film Hands of Stone, which was released in the United States in 2016. His character is played by Usher, and the film additionally stars Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez and Ellen Barkin.
Leonard has four children and lives in Southern California with his wife Bernadette.
Leonard published his first autobiography (Viking Books) entitled THE BIG FIGHT: My Life In and Out of the Ring on June 7, 2011. In this unflinching and inspiring autobiography, the boxing legend faces his single greatest competitor: himself. Leonard's brutally honest and uplifting memoir reveals in intimate detail for the first time the complex man behind the boxer. The Olympic hero, six-time champion and beloved athlete waged his own personal battle with depression, rage, addiction and greed. With honesty, humor and hard-won perspective, Leonard comes to terms with both triumph and struggle-and presents a gripping portrait of remarkable strength, courage and resilience, both in and out of the ring.
In fall 2013, Leonard debuted his new contemporary athletic men's collection with Starting Lineup available at Saks 5th Avenue and startinglineupclothing.com. Through his online community www.sugarrayleonard.com Leonard connects with fans through the sport of boxing, general fitness and philanthropy. The site features everything you need to know about Leonard’s exciting boxing career and the sport in general, as well as updates from the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation, which helps fight diabetes and child obesity. Leonard also shares photos and video footage from his personal archives.
Leonard was host and mentor for the first, second and third seasons of the critically-acclaimed series, Contender, on NBC & ESPN. Contender was produced by DreamWorks Television and Mark Burnett Productions. Leonard recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Paramount Pictures feature film The Fighter. Leonard also recently served as a consultant on DreamWorks and Walt Disney Pictures’ hit film starring Hugh Jackman Real Steel.
Having learned to box at the age of 14, Leonard's illustrious career includes three National Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and the 1975 Pan-American Games crown. After winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Olympic Games, he turned professional to help his family defer mounting medical bills incurred because of his father's illness. Blinding speed, tremendous power and great charm turned Leonard into an immediate media favorite. The late Howard Cosell called Leonard the "new Muhammed Ali."
In 1977, at the age of 20, Leonard won his first professional fight, setting the stage for a collection of the most memorable fights in history. He went on to defeat some of the finest boxers of the modern era, including Wilfred Benetiz, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler, from whom Leonard won the world middleweight title. During his 20-year professional career, Leonard also won world titles in the welterweight, junior middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. He was the first boxer to win world titles in five different weight classes.
Leonard's sincere, charismatic personality coupled with his ring experience led to a successful career as a television broadcaster for NBC, ABC, HBO and ESPN. His television credits also include competing on the hit ABC series, Dancing with the Stars. In addition, his celebrity status and tremendous cross-over appeal fostered commercial endorsement relationships with numerous companies including EA Sports, Vartec Telecom, Track Inc., Ford, Carnation, 7-Up, Nabisco, Coca-Cola and Revlon. Leonard is also among the most sought after motivational/inspirational speakers in the world today. His speech, titled "POWER" (Prepare, Overcome, and Win Every Round), is consistently booked with major Fortune 500 companies in the United States and abroad. He has recently been signed on as the face of the Global Skechers campaign.
Successful business ventures aside, Leonard has always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. For many years, Leonard has been the international chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure.
Leonard has a passion to help fund research and awareness for type 1 and 2 diabetes and obesity prevention. In 2009, Leonard and his wife Bernadette started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and have been supporting the life-changing programs at the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
The Leonard’s have always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. Leonard also participates in and speaks on a variety of national and international causes benefiting children's charities. He connects with audiences through the sport of boxing, fitness and philanthropy.
Leonard is the focus of the film Hands of Stone, which was released in the United States in 2016. His character is played by Usher, and the film additionally stars Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez and Ellen Barkin.
Leonard has four children and lives in Southern California with his wife Bernadette.
Suggested Speaking Topics
The Power to Win!
Whether achieving greatness as an athlete or in the business arena—the same qualities that drive success apply: discipline, focus, determination, preparation, the right attitude and setting fear of the unknown aside. Sugar Ray Leonard makes a powerful case for his principles of success with a sense of humor and a smile that lights up the room. An enormously charismatic figure, Leonard walks the stage telling stories that paint strong pictures for his audience—stories of what it took to reach his dream of Olympic gold, of what it took to get to the top in his professional career—and stay there, and stories of his journey to make the challenging transition from life as an athlete to that of an entrepreneur. Making your dreams come true, staying at the top and dealing with change—all themes that people in every audience will relate to. Sugar Ray Leonard is a masterful speaker whose audiences come away with a renewed enthusiasm and commitment to being the best.
Fitness and Philanthropy
Sugar Ray Leonard has a passion to help fund research and awareness for diabetes and obesity prevention. In 2009, Leonard and his wife Bernadette started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation to benefit this cause. The Leonard’s have always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. In 2012, the Foundation was able to help develop and sustain Children's Hospital Los Angeles Kids N Fitness program, a community outreach program focused on reducing the rate of weight gain in overweight youth by promoting sustainable lifestyle changes that encourage healthier eating habits and more frequent physical activity. Leonard also participates in and speaks on a variety of national and international causes benefiting children's charities. He connects with audiences through the sport of boxing, fitness and philanthropy.
Whether achieving greatness as an athlete or in the business arena—the same qualities that drive success apply: discipline, focus, determination, preparation, the right attitude and setting fear of the unknown aside. Sugar Ray Leonard makes a powerful case for his principles of success with a sense of humor and a smile that lights up the room. An enormously charismatic figure, Leonard walks the stage telling stories that paint strong pictures for his audience—stories of what it took to reach his dream of Olympic gold, of what it took to get to the top in his professional career—and stay there, and stories of his journey to make the challenging transition from life as an athlete to that of an entrepreneur. Making your dreams come true, staying at the top and dealing with change—all themes that people in every audience will relate to. Sugar Ray Leonard is a masterful speaker whose audiences come away with a renewed enthusiasm and commitment to being the best.
Fitness and Philanthropy
Sugar Ray Leonard has a passion to help fund research and awareness for diabetes and obesity prevention. In 2009, Leonard and his wife Bernadette started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation to benefit this cause. The Leonard’s have always been devoted to the community and to helping those in need. In 2012, the Foundation was able to help develop and sustain Children's Hospital Los Angeles Kids N Fitness program, a community outreach program focused on reducing the rate of weight gain in overweight youth by promoting sustainable lifestyle changes that encourage healthier eating habits and more frequent physical activity. Leonard also participates in and speaks on a variety of national and international causes benefiting children's charities. He connects with audiences through the sport of boxing, fitness and philanthropy.
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