JAKARTA - Ray Charles Leonard is a former American boxer who is considered a living legend of this sport. Retiring from the ring in 1997, he became the first boxer in history to win world titles in five categories.
At the age of 66, the former world champion and former gold medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, convinced that it was thanks to boxing that he had recovered and that the sport also allowed him to stay alive.
"I wouldn't be here and would probably be dead... Boxing made my father live to be 95 years old," Leonard revealed during an interview with WBC quoted from Marca, Friday, June 10.
In addition to the impressive fights he won against rivals such as Wilfredo Benitez, Roberto "Hands of Stone" Duran and Thomas Hearns, the former universal champion admits that the turning point in his life was the experience of taking part in the Olympics.
"When I returned from the Olympics, I was in a coma and needed medical treatment. I spoke to my mentor, Janks Morton, who advised me to become a professional boxer. Boxing is a dream come true, and boxing is my life. Boxing is a friend. , "he said.
Twenty-five years since he last stepped into the ring before hanging up his gloves for good, Leonard admits that he misses training sessions and all the gear that revolves around boxing.
"It's music to my ears. It's an amazing feeling. You see the transformation of mind, body and soul. That waiting. It's a sign of life. These are the things I miss. I don't fight anymore, but I'll never stop hitting the sandsack and move."
Leonard's last fight was on March 1, 1997 against Puerto Rican Hector "El Macho" Camacho, who knocked him out in the fifth round.
"Boxing is life, and fighting is life. The key is to be tough, but also to be smart. You have to listen to your body," he said.
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