International sports legend Sugar Ray Leonard continues to gain praise from generations of both men and women for his athletic expertise, charm, and business insight. He now stars, as a host and mentor, with Sylvester Stallone, in the new NBC reality series “The Contender.”
“So far we’ve seen some very interesting fighters, both in and out of the ring, which is really our goal,” says Leonard. “It’s been a long time since audiences related to or empathized with a fighter. We want to bring boxing back to what it was in its heyday, when I was lucky enough to be a part of it. And the best part is, I’m having a blast!”
Having learned to box at the age of 14, Leonard’s illustrious career includes three National Golden Gloves titles, two 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. Speed, style and tremendous power that proved to be unbeatable, as well as his great charm, turned Sugar Ray into an immediate media favorite. The legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell called Ray the “new Muhammad Ali.”
