BoxRec

Just been watching Leonards fight with Kevin Howard and it got me thinking. As we all know after this fight Leonard retired (again) then came back to fight Hagler.

At the time very few people gave Leonard much of a chance against Hagler due to Leonards poor showing against Howard and his three year lay off.

We all know what happened in the Hagler - Leonard fight but my question is-

It came to light after the Hagler fight that to combat his ring rust Leonard had hired some very high quality sparring partners some I believe from Europe. He claimed if I recall correctly that he had a number of 12 round full on sparring sessions with no headgaurds. These were for want of a better term 'real fights' i.e the sparring partners tried to win over the full 12 rounds.

I understand that Leonard was floored during these 'gym fights' can anyone confirm this?

Also does anyone know who these sparring partners were?

Any info fight fans?

He was floored by Quincy Taylor in sparring for Hagler.

I was looking up details yesterday on Frank The Animal Fletcher's brother yesterday, Anthony "Two Gun" - now on Death Row - and read he was one of Leonard's sparring partners for the Hagler fight. Only a lightweight, but one of the best southpaws around.

MightyWarrior wrote:I was looking up details yesterday on Frank The Animal Fletcher's brother yesterday, Anthony "Two Gun" - now on Death Row

Sounds like maybe he took his nickname a little too literally.

Eric the Viking wrote:

MightyWarrior wrote:I was looking up details yesterday on Frank The Animal Fletcher's brother yesterday, Anthony "Two Gun" - now on Death Row

Sounds like maybe he took his nickname a little too literally.

Yeah I'm sure the prosecution just loved that one!
Probably refered to him as "Mr Two Gun" as often as possible during the trial.
Though I think he got it from his amateur days due to his fast hands..

Sounds like he got shafted in terms of a fair trial. Maybe I'll send him an e-mail & find out a bit more..

Tough Middleweight contender Merqui Sosa was a Leonard Sparring partner early in his career ..I think he helped him train for the Hearns rematch..

I got these names of some of his sparring partners out of his 2011 autobiography.

1973-c.1990 Roger Leonard
1976-Howard Davis ( for 1976 Olympics)
1979-Henry Bunch (Johnny Grant fight)Leonard tried to punish him in sparring because he had been( mistakenly )told that he was selling heroin to Leonard's sister)
1980-Dale Staley ( for Duran II fight)
1981-Odell Hadley ( 6ft 2" tall middleweight for Hearns fight,and his elbow may have been responsible for detached retina))
1987- (the 4 for for Hagler fights)

Johnny Walker
Robert"Boo Boo" Sawyer
Dwayne"the Barbarian" Cooper
Quincy Taylor ( had Leonard out on his feet )

1991-
Derwin Richards
Michael Ward
(for Terry Norris fight, knocked down Ray Leonard and cracked his ribs too during sparring sessions)

Caractacus wrote: ↑28 Sep 2020, 14:55 I got these names of some of his sparring partners out of his 2011 autobiography.

1973-c.1990 Roger Leonard
1976-Howard Davis ( for 1976 Olympics)
1979-Henry Bunch (Johnny Grant fight)Leonard tried to punish him in sparring because he had been( mistakenly )told that he was selling heroin to Leonard's sister)
1980-Dale Staley ( for Duran II fight)
1981-Odell Hadley ( 6ft 2" tall middleweight for Hearns fight,and his elbow may have been responsible for detached retina))
1987- (the 4 for for Hagler fights)

Johnny Walker
Robert"Boo Boo" Sawyer
Dwayne"the Barbarian" Cooper
Quincy Taylor ( had Leonard out on his feet )

1991-
Derwin Richards
Michael Ward
(for Terry Norris fight, knocked down Ray Leonard and cracked his ribs too during sparring sessions)

Odell Hadley was one of Duran's sparmates for the Hearns disaster.

SRL was knocked down or stunned preparing for Hagler. So then changed his tactics from standing his ground to dancing.

Nice sparring footage there, with the Bruce Lee screams! I wonder when that was from.
Such a natural talent. He nearly made the Olympic team when he was 16. One of the all times greatest.

he is wearing ankle weights in it so I wonder if it was for the fight with Hector Comacho in 1997 ?
Billy Blanks of Tae- Bo fame had him on a training schedule where he had used weights.
1993

1999

Did you know that Ray Leonard had once sparred for a couple of days with Thomas Hearns
for Leonards December 1977 fight with Hector Diaz.
( source his 2011 autobiography)
He also says that after his fight with Dick Eklund (July 1978)he was approached to fight Tommy Hearns
( for a $100,000 Payday) but Angelo Dundee turned the offer down.
3 years later it was a 12 million dollar payday.

16 yr old bump EO wasn't even alive when this thread was started.

Johnny Walker Banks always gave him a tough time.

Chris Eubank Sr says he used to get battered by him in the Bronx.

I don't know why discussions of who people sparred with is even interesting to people.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑18 Nov 2020, 22:14 I don't know why discussions of who people sparred with is even interesting to people.

Except Tyson & McCall. That has always fascinated me. Perfect partner for Iron Mike.

its the sparring partners who help a boxer to learn once they get in-between the ropes.