The Big Fight (37 page)

As for comfort, I will be forever indebted to my good friend and attorney, Mike Trainer, a man who, at times, wore a lot of hats. Because of Mike, I didn't wind up like so many in my profession. He always put my interests first, and that's rare in boxing. His wife, Jill, was a saint, sparing him when I needed him, which was quite often. Assisting Mike was the amazing Caren Kinder, who was priceless during my career and is now a member of my family along with her husband, Larry.

The boys—Juice, Joe Broddie, Ollie Dunlap, James Anderson, Bobby Stuart, Darrell Foster, etc.—were always there for me as well. I was not the easiest person to be around, especially in the weeks before a fight, but they understood. People who also became such an integral part of my life and career include: Johnny Gill, Donnie Simpson, Eddie Murphy, Lyndie and Kenny G, Michael King, Jeff Wald, Bob Lange, Stephanie Rosenberg, Craig Jones, Ross Greenburg, Jimmy (Ringo) Ryan, Charlie Brotman, Kenny Chevalier, Howard Cosell, Don Gold, Don Glab, Bobby Magruder, Emanuel Steward, Tommy Hearns, and the orginal sponsors of Sugar Ray Leonard, Inc.

A special thanks to Martha Robi, my incredible mother-in-law. She never judged me when I dealt with my demons. She only consoled me. I've very grateful as well to Annette Beale, who is my new Caren Kinder.

Patience was also a virtue with my first wife, Juanita. She gave me more chances than I deserved. I owe a lot to my children, Ray Jr., Jarrel, Camille, and Daniel, who have each showed me how to love and receive love in ways that have enriched my life beyond anything I accomplished as a fighter. I'm so proud of them.

Nobody, though, has been more loving and kind than my wife, Bernadette. She rescued me when I was completely lost. To have her in my life every day, a beacon of strength and warmth, is a blessing I can't put into words.

Writing a book is no different from preparing for a title fight: It requires a high-quality team and I was fortunate to have the very best: president Clare Ferraro, editorial director Wendy Wolf, production editor Noirin Lucas, and publicists Shannon Twomey and Carolyn Coleburn. I can't say enough, as well, about Maggie Riggs, who kept each train on time despite the inevitable pitfalls. Leading the way was Viking's senior editor Joshua Kendall, whose passion for the project was a source of constant inspiration from day one. His vision can be found throughout these pages.

My assistant, Katie Diest, was indispensable, helping out with the research and reaching the people who added key details to the narrative. I don't know what I would have done without her.

Special thanks to my former agent, Lon Rosen, who gave me the final push that I needed, and to Jay Mandel of William Morris–Endeavor, who guided us to the finish line.

Finally, I want to express my appreciation to co-writer Michael Arkush, and his wife, Pauletta Walsh, who enthusiastically supported the project from the beginning. Michael met with me on a regular basis from the spring of 2009 through the fall of 2010. We also made trips to Maryland, New York, and Las Vegas. From our initial meeting, he pushed me to reveal my emotions when I did not want to go there,
especially
when I did not want to go there. Michael is a true friend.

 

Ray Leonard
January 2011

Aldama, Andres

Ali, Muhammad

Dundee as trainer of

Frazier and

Liston and

Anderson, James

Antuofermo, Vito

Arcel, Ray

Artis, Jerome

Arum, Bob

Baez, Pablo

Baldeyrou, Raymond

Barkley, Iran

Benitez, Wilfred

Berbick, Trevor

Berrocal, Carlos

Beyer, Ulrich

Blanks, Billy

Bonds, Larry

Bonds, Sam

Bradley, Bill “Fireball,”

Bridges, Todd

Broddie, Joe

Brotman, Charlie

Brown, Freddie

Brown, James “J. B.,”

Brown, J. D.

Brown, Jim

Bryson, Peabo

Buchanan, Ken

Bunch, Henry

Camacho, Hector “Macho,”

Carlsson, Ulf

Carter, Jimmy

CBS

Cervantes, Antonio “Kid Pambele,”

Charles, Ray

Chiaverini, Tony

Clancy, Gil

Classen, Willie

Cobb, Randall “Tex,”

Conn, Billy

Cooper, Dwayne “the Barbarian,”

Cooper, Henry

Correa, Pepe

Cortez, Joe

Cosell, Howard

Crosson, Steve

Cuevas, Pipino

Curry, Bruce

Curry, Donald

Curtis, Louis

Davis, Adrian

Davis, Howard

DeJesus, Esteban

De La Hoya, Oscar

Dempsey, Jack

Denny, Cleveland

Diaz, Hector

Doyle, Dan

Dundee, Angelo

as Ali's trainer

Hagler fight and

Hearns fight and

Leonard's break with

second Leonard-Duran match and

Dunlap, Ollie

Duran, Roberto

Hagler's match with

Hearns's match with

Leonard's first match with

Leonard's second match with

Leonard's third match with

Eklund, Dick

Eleta, Carlos

Elizabeth II, queen of England

Elliott, Nettie (grandmother)

Epps, Herman

Filippo, Lou

Finch, Bruce

Ford, Gerald

Foreman, George

Fox, Michael J.

Foxx, Redd

Frazier, Joe

Ali and

Futch, Eddie

Gant, Johnny

Gatling, Julius “Juice,”

Gaye, Marvin

Geraldo, Marcos

Gibbs, Harry

Gleason, Jackie

Gold, Don

Gomez, Wilfredo

Gonzalez, Daniel

Gray, Clyde

Green, Davey Boy

Greenburg, Ross

Griffith, Emile

Guerra, Jo Jo

Hadley, Odell

Hagler, Bertha

Hagler, Marvin

Duran's match with

Leonard's match with

Mugabi's match with

Hamsho, Mustafa

Hart, Gaetan

HBO

Hearns, Tommy

Duran's match with

Leonard's first match with

Leonard's second match with

Hinnant, Larry

Holiday Salute to the Armed Forces

Holmes, Derrik

Holmes, Larry

Holmes, Regina

Hope, Bob

Howard, Kevin

Hutchings, Fred

Jacobs, Dave “Jake,”

Hearns and

Jenner, Bruce

Johnson, Tom “Sarge,”

Jones, Craig

Kalule, Ayub

Kamnev, Anatoli

Kenner, Roland

Kinchen, James

Kinder, Caren

King, Costello

King, Don

King, Martin Luther, Jr.

Kolev, Vladimir

Lalonde, Donny

Lane, Mills

Lee, Bruce

Leonard, Bernadette Robi (second wife)

Sugar Ray's marriage to

Leonard, Bilge (grandfather)

Leonard, Bunny (sister)

Leonard, Camille (daughter)

Leonard, Cicero (father)

as fighter

health and financial problems of

marriage of

Olympics and

Leonard, Daniel (son)

Leonard, Getha Elliott (mother)

health and financial problems of

marriage of

Leonard, Jarrel (son)

birth of

Leonard, Juanita Wilkinson (first wife)

Duran and

illnesses of

paternity suit by

pregnancies of

Sugar Ray's eye injury and

Sugar Ray's marriage to

Sugar Ray's separation and divorce from

Leonard, Kenny (brother)

Leonard, Norwood (uncle)

Leonard, Odell

Leonard, Ray, Jr. (son)

birth of

paternity suit regarding

in 7UP commercials

Leonard, Roger (brother)

boxing career of

drug addiction of

second Sugar Ray-Duran match and

Leonard, Sally (grandmother)

Leonard, Sandy (sister)

Leonard, Sharon (sister)

Leonard, Sugar Ray:

alcohol and drug use of

birth of

in car accident

childhood and teen years of

comebacks of

decision to turn pro

detached retina in left eye

early boxing experiences of

educational goal of

kidnapping and

near drowning of

nickname of

paternity suit against

retinal thinning in right eye

retirements of

in 7UP commercials

as sexual abuse victim

Leonard, Ting (niece)

Limasov, Valery

Liston, Sonny

LoBianco, Johnny

Louis, Joe

Lov, Valery

McCrory, Milton

McKenzie, Clinton

Madden, John

Magruder, Bobby

Mandela, Nelson

Marciano, Rocky

Marcotte, Fernand

Massey, Bobbi

Mayweather, Floyd, Sr.

Mercante, Arthur

Merchant, Larry

Meyran, Octavio

Michels, Ronald

Miller, Rufus

Minter, Alan

Monroe, Willie “the Worm,”

Montgomery, Tony

Moore, Davey

Moretti, Dave

Morton, Janks

Mugabi, John “the Beast,”

Nappi, Pat

Norris, Terry

Norton, Ken

No. 2 Boys Club

Obelmejias, Fulgencio

Olympic Games (1972)

Olympic Games (1976)

Leonard's preparation for

Padilla, Carlos

Palmer Park Recreation Center

Palomino, Carlos

Pan American Games

Patterson, Floyd

Pearl, Davey

Petronelli, Pat

Poletti, Angelo

Pollin, Abe

Povich, Shirley

Price, Andy “The Hawk,”

Pryor, Aaron

Putnam, Pat

Randolph, Leo

Ranzany, Pete

Reagan, Nancy

Reagan, Ronald

Robi, Martha

Robi, Paul

Robinson, Sugar Ray

Rodriguez, Willie “Fireball,”

Rojas, Pedro

Ross, Diana

Ryan, Edward

Santiago, Hiram

Santore, Frank

Sawyer, Robert “Boo Boo,”

Scypion, Wilford

Seales, Sugar Ray

7UP

Shavers, Earnie

Shields, Randy

Shields, Ronnie

Sibson, Tony

Sinclair, Steve

Spinks, Leon

Spinks, Michael

Stafford, Roger

Staley, Dale

Starling, Marlon

Steele, Richard

Steward, Emanuel

Sullivan, John L.

Szczerba, Kazimier

Taylor, Quincy

Tompkins, Barry

Trainer, Mike

first Duran match and

Hagler match and

second Duran match and

Trinidad, Felix

Tunney, Gene

Vega, Luis “the Bull,”

Viruet, Adolfo

Viruet, Edwin

Walker, Chuck

Walker, Johnny

Ward, Michael

Watts, Bobby “Boogaloo,”

Weston, Harold

Whaley, Greg