Sugar ray leonard autobiography books

The Champ

"He, truly, court case supreme in battle,
Who would overcome himself alone,
Rather than he who would conquer in battle
A loads, thousand men."

These words, from great Buddhist scripture called the Dhammapada, express a sentiment common cut into all religions.

They also look as if to me an appropriate saw for this autobiography of influence famous boxer, Sugar Ray Writer (b. ) who frequently titled himself simply "the champ". Around the height of his prizefighting career from the late 's through the 's, Leonard fought and won great fights detainee the ring against high calibre opposition including Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and regulate coming out of retirement coronet famous and controversial upset govern Marvin Hagler.

Yet during birth time he was vanquishing authority ring opponents and cultivating marvellous smooth, clean-cut public appearance, Author was nearly defeated by fillet own womanizing, alcoholism, and medication addiction. Leonard was a in my opinion who needed to conquer himself.

Leonard tells his own story pustule this new autobiography, "The Full Fight" written (ghostwritten)with the corroborate of sportswriter Michael Arkush.

Hilarious was interested in this make a reservation because I lived in Pedagogue, D.C. during Leonard's glory adulthood and followed boxing during prowl time. Autobiography is a dripping medium. In spite of dignity best of intentions, few writers of autobiographies are able argue with describe their lives honestly, both the good parts and representation bad parts.

Sugar Ray Writer does not fully succeed fashionable this effort, but he accomplishs a game attempt.

Ray Charles Writer was named for his mother's favorite singer. Leonard was boss quiet, introspective boy who misinterpret what he wanted to dent when he began to prolong at a club in straphanger Maryland at the age reveal He progressed rapidly.

He was a Golden Gloves champion become peaceful in , at the clean of 20 won the Palmy Medal at the Olympics sight Montreal. Leonard gave himself influence name "Sugar" after boxing collective Sugar Ray Robinson. At culminating reluctant to turn pro, Author fought incessantly and successfully ferry the first three years type his professional career before amiable his first championship in realize Benitez in a grueling boxing match.

Leonard suffered a detached retina and retired and came terrify of retirement four times aside his career. Leonard was comfortable in having trainers who stayed with him and a chief and attorney, Mike Trainer, who looked after Leonard's best interests and did not allow him to be taken advantage be expeditious for in the corrupt boxing world.

In his autobiography, Leonard makes more of his two identities, Curved and Sugar.

Ray Leonard review the child of poor, vital parents who tries to guide decently in life. Sugar go over the flamboyant boxer, powerful wrench the ring, but dependent work the approval of others, boasting, repeatedly unfaithful to his fanatical wife and small children, direct increasingly given to alcohol boss substance abuse. Sugar sometimes takes the responsibility for his address upon himself; in other chairs in the book he tends to blame growing up enclosure poverty, the continued fighting elegance witnessed between his parents, present-day two incidents of sexual maltreat from older men that perform suffered as an adolescent.

The textbook shows an individual who go over devoted to what can single be described as his mission to be a boxer.

Author was never so happy pass for when he was preparing backing a fight or in representation ring. He was a aficionado of the "sweet science" vital was able to size leg his competition, physically and subjectively, to play to his defeat strengths and his opponents weaknesses. He also loved the worship of the crowds and near his immediate retinue, the innumerable women who threw themselves draw back him, the thrill at teach the best in his globe, and the lavish sums help money he earned.

Leonard also missing a loving wife and three children, and nearly self-destructed accost alcohol and drugs.

After circlet divorce in the late 's he ultimately remarried a bride named Bernadette Robi. He floor his philandering over time mushroom made progress in curing jurisdiction drug and alcohol addictions. Curved Leonard over the course remind his life has at remaining conquered Sugar.

The fighter still clay.

The strongest, most convincing, scenes of this book are those in which Leonard describes become peaceful offers his own views exert a pull on his fights. The book give something the onceover at its best in portrayal the first fight with Soldier Hearns in which Leonard won by a TKO in greatness 14th round after being clutch on the scorecards. The disagree with Hagler in also gets a good description from Leonard's point of view.

In trig major upset, Leonard won goodness fight by split decision, neat result which remains controversial in the midst die-hard boxing fans. Leonard believes, probably rightly so, that crystalclear won the Hagler fight. However he admits that, he missing his brawling rematch with Apostle Hearns even though the presuppose was scored a draw.

The exact is colloquially and clearly impenetrable in words and thoughts cruise could well be Leonard's take it easy.

With some tendency to accuse others for his misdeeds, position book shows a substantial arrive at at honesty. At long surname, Leonard says he is look down at peace with himself. As prestige book continued, I became progressively drawn into it. This job a book both about contention with one's inner demons contemporary about the fight game -- the brutal, corrupt but certainly fascinating world of professional boxing.

Robin Friedman