 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | November 7, 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBC light heavyweight and inaugural super middleweight titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leonard wins via 9th-round TKO | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Donny Lalonde vs. Sugar Ray Leonard , billed as For All the Gold, was a professional boxing match contested on November 7, 1988, for Don Lalonde's WBC light heavyweight title and the inaugural WBC super middleweight title. [3]
In August 1988, a fight between reigning WBC light heavyweight champion Donny Lalonde and 3-division champion "Sugar" Ray Leonard was agreed upon. The fight was a rarity in boxing as two titles from different divisions would be on the line; Lalonde's WBC light heavyweight title and the newly created WBC super middleweight title. As such, the two fighters would fight at the 168-pound super middleweight limit. [4] Leonard was ending his third retirement, which he had entered the previous year after defeating Marvin Hagler by split decision. [5] Leonard and Lalonde agreed to split a $20 million purse with Leonard getting $15 million and Lalonde earning a career-high $5 million. Rather than have an outside promoter, Leonard and Lalonde's teams agreed to co-promote the fight in a joint partnership with the Coors Brewing Company sponsoring the bout. However, there was some controversy prior to the fight when Lalonde refused to wear gear bearing the Coors logo nor participate in promotion for the company. Coors had guaranteed an additional $1 million in each fighters purse and Leonard's lawyer and adviser Mike Trainer threatened to withhold the Coors money from Lalonde, stating "Their money is going to go to a charity of Donny's choice. He's not getting it." He also called the joint-partnership a "nightmare" due in part to problems with Lalonde's manager Dave Wolf. [6]
Prior to the fight, Leonard and his long-time trainer Angelo Dundee, whom had been with Leonard his entire professional career, parted ways. Dundee had taken exception to only receiving $150,000 from the $12 million purse Leonard received for his previous fight against Hagler. Dundee demanded a contract to train Leonard for the Lalonde fight, but Mike Trainer refused, resulting in the split. [7]
Lalonde controlled the early portion of the fight as a sluggish Leonard had trouble establishing any offense from rounds one through four as Lalonde used his height and reach advantage. In round four Lalonde scored a knockdown after hitting Leonard with a right cross to the head. Leonard was able to continue, but Lalonde quickly went on the attack, throwing punches wildly and opening a cut near Leonard's left eye, though he was able to survive the round. From round five on, Leonard bounced back offensively and the two fighters traded power punches and combinations throughout. In round nine, Lalonde started aggressively but Leonard backed Lalonde into the ropes and landed a flurry of punches ending with a left hook that sent Lalonde down. A clearly dazed Lalonde was able to get back up and continue, but Leonard quickly sent him down again with two right hands followed by a left. Lalonde was unable to get up and Leonard was declared the winner by technical knock out at 2:30 of round nine. [8]
After the fight, Leonard vacated the light heavyweight title, but kept the super middleweight belt.
Confirmed bouts: [9]
| Weight Class | Weight | vs. | Method | Round | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Middleweight | 168 lb | Ray Leonard | def. | Donny LaLonde (c) | TKO | 9/12 | Note 1 |
| Light welterweight | 140 lb | Roger Mayweather (c) | def. | Vinny Pazienza | UD | 12/12 | Note 2 |
| Super Flyweight | 115 lb | Gilberto Román (c) | def. | Sugar Baby Rojas | UD | 12/12 | Note 3 |
| Light heavyweight | 175 lb | Kevin Casimier | def | Arthur Hall | MD | 8/8 | |
| Heavyweight | 200+ lb | Ike Padilla | def. | Anthony Hayes | TKO | 3/4 |
^Note 1 For WBC Light Heavyweight and Super Middleweight titles
^Note 2 For WBC Light Welterweight title
^Note 3 For WBC Super Flyweight title
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Mexico | Televisa |
 Philippines | GMA Network |
 United Kingdom | ITV |
 United States | HBO |
Roberto Carlos Durán Samaniego is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held world championships in four weight classes: Lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight. Duran also reigned as the undisputed and lineal lightweight champion and the lineal welterweight champion. He is also the second boxer to have competed over a span of five decades, the first being Jack Johnson. Durán was known as a versatile, technical brawler and pressure fighter, which earned him the nickname "Manos de Piedra" for his formidable punching power and excellent defense.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler was an American professional boxer. He competed in boxing from 1973 to 1987 and reigned as the undisputed champion of the middleweight division from 1980 to 1987, making twelve successful title defenses, all but one by knockout. Hagler also holds the highest knockout percentage of all undisputed middleweight champions at 78 percent. His undisputed middleweight championship reign of six years and seven months is the second-longest active reign of the 20th century. He holds the record for the sixth longest reign as champion in middleweight history. Nicknamed "Marvelous" and annoyed that network announcers often did not refer to him as such, Hagler legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in 1982.
Ray Charles Leonard, best known as Sugar Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professionally between 1977 and 1997, winning world titles in five weight classes; the lineal championship in three weight classes; as well as the undisputed welterweight championship. Leonard was part of the "Four Kings", a group of boxers who all fought each other throughout the 1980s, consisting of Leonard, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. As an amateur, Leonard won a light welterweight gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Thomas Hearns is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra", and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns's tall, slender build and long arms and shoulders allowed him to move up over fifty pounds (22.7kg) in his career and become the first boxer in history to win world titles in five weight divisions: welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.
John Mugabi is a Ugandan former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1999. He held the WBC super-welterweight title from 1989 to 1990, and challenged twice for world titles at middleweight, including the undisputed championship.
Donny Lalonde is a retired professional boxer. His nickname is "Golden Boy," after the Golden Boy statue atop the Manitoba Legislative Building in his boxing home town of Winnipeg. Lalonde held the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship from 1987 to 1988.
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum, Butch Lewis and Murad Muhammad, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson emerged as a fresh new face in the heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC ruler Larry Holmes' prime. In addition, the IBF and WBO began operating.
Super middleweight, or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports.
The distance, in boxing, refers to the full number of rounds in a match. It is frequently used in the expression "going the distance", which means fighting a full bout without being knocked out.
Guerino "Goody" Petronelli was an American boxing trainer and co-manager.
A quadruple champion, also known as a grand slam champion, occurs in different sports when a competitor wins four crowns, titles, medals, belts or another distinction. The definition varies depending on the sport.
Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, billed as The Super Fight, was a professional boxing match contested on April 6, 1987 for the WBC and The Ring magazine middleweight titles. Leonard won by a controversial split decision and ultimately this became Hagler's final fight in his career.
Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks, billed as Once and For All, was a professional boxing match which took place on June 27, 1988. Both fighters were undefeated and each had a claim to being the legitimate heavyweight champion. At the time, Tyson held the belts of all three of the major sanctioning organizations while Spinks was The Ring and Lineal champion. The fight was held at the Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey U.S., it was at the time the richest fight in boxing history, grossing some $70 million, of which Tyson earned a record purse of around $22 million and Spinks $13.5 million. Tyson won the fight, knocking out Spinks in 91 seconds.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns II, billed as The War, was a professional boxing match contested on June 12, 1989, for the WBC super middleweight title. The fight ended in a split draw, meaning both fighters retained their respective titles.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán III, billed as Uno Mas, was a professional boxing match contested on December 7, 1989 for the WBC super middleweight title.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Terry Norris was a professional boxing match contested on February 9, 1991, for the WBC super welterweight title.
Wilfred Benítez vs. Sugar Ray Leonard was a professional boxing match contested on November 30, 1979, for the WBC and The Ring welterweight titles.
Thomas Hearns vs. Roberto Durán, billed as Malice at the Palace, was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1984 for the WBC and The Ring super welterweight titles.
Thomas Hearns vs. Juan Roldán was a professional boxing match contested on October 29, 1987, for the vacant WBC middleweight title.
Wilfred Benítez vs. Roberto Durán, billed as The New Beginning was a professional boxing match contested on January 30, 1982, for the WBC super welterweight title.