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There were only two ways for a black man to get into the newspapers in Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, Ray tells us: the bad way—through crime—or the good way, which was boxing. Ray’s remarkable talent, combined with his personal determination to build a better life for himself and his family, allowed him to rise swiftly and skillfully through the ranks of amateur boxing, and eventually to go on to win a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. Driven to become an educated, self-made man, Ray was determined to then quit boxing and go to college. It was not to be. With very ill parents and corporations as yet unwilling to have him endorse their products, Ray went pro. What follows is a spellbinding look at the evolution of a champion and an up-close-and-personal tour through a notoriously corrupt sport and its consequences for this nuanced and complicated man. With candor and humor Ray comes to terms with his victories and failures, and with Sugar Ray and just plain Ray Leonard, and presents a remarkable portrait of the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of a true fighter.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 7, 2011 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780307933072
- File size: 272756 KB
- Duration: 09:28:14
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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The Olympics Gold Medal winner in boxing was raised in a poor household just outside of Washington, DC. Much is made of his two personalities: the champ "Sugar Ray," who is an embattled egotist, and "Ray," an evolving mature adult. Leonard recounts the chronological course of his life, routinely blaming others for his excesses and abuses until the very end of the volume. While the work is extremely detailed as to the recent history and facts of professional boxing, it is not all that enlightening relative to Leonard's inner demons. The narration has a colloquial style and uses essentially identical inflection in every sentence. The endings of sentences also tend to trail off in volume. This audiobook would be best for Leonard's fans and those with an enthusiastic interest in "the sweet science." W.A.G. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine -
April 11, 2011
In this moving memoir, boxing legend Leonard tells his story of growing up as a ghetto kid whose athletic skills lifted him into a world of fame for which he was ill-prepared. Born in 1956, Ray Charles Leonard grew up near Washington, D.C., in an African-American suburb.. A shy boy, Ray was goaded by an older brother to enter the ring, where he discovered a talent for the sport. Ray's meteoric rise through the amateur ranks led to a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics. With a flashy style and a media-ready persona, "Sugar Ray" became a big draw as a pro and fought in some of the most lucrative boxing matches of his era. Leonard frames his memoir around the most important event of his careerâhis middleweight title fight with Marvin Hagler in 1987. Leonard hadn't fought since 1984 yet he managed to win a split decision. The true focus of the book, however, is Leonard's struggles with celebrity. He writes honestly of the many affairs he had while married, as well as his addiction to alcohol and cocaine. Few of our cultural icons look at themselves so clearly, and it's a tribute to Leonard's insightfulness that he makes his story such a gripping one.
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