Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Armando Muniz
Ray Leonard 149 lbs beat Armando Muniz 151 lbs by RTD at 3:00 in round 6 of 10
- Date: 1978-12-09
- Location: Civic Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
- Referee: Dick Flaherty
- Judge: Dave Sammataro
- Judge: Harry Suprenant
Sugar Ray Too Much For Washed-Up Muniz
By Dick Braude, AP Sports Writer
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Unbeaten welterweight Sugar Ray Leonard is gunning for a championship bout in 1979, but after his latest professional victory, Champion Carlos Palomino may be in no hurry to give him a chance.
Leonard, the 1976 Olympic champion, put on his best show for a national television audience in thoroughly whipping veteran contender Armando Muniz and sending the Los Angeles resident into retirement.
"Sugar Ray hits pretty good. If Palomino has any guts, he'll give him a shot next year," Muniz said.
"It was my toughest pro fight," Leonard said after his 17th victory Saturday at the Springfield Civic Center. "Muniz hits harder than Palomino."
Muniz, battered by rapid-fire combinations from Leonard, called it quits after the sixth round of their scheduled 10-rounder. Under Massachusetts Boxing Commission rules, Leonard got credit for a seventh round TKO after Muniz said he injured his left arm.
Muniz, 32, who fought four times for the welterweight championship and lost a 15-round decision to Palomino this year, said he will retire unless "someone offers me $100,000." His record is 40-15-4.
It was a big day for the Leonard family from Baltimore area Springfield. Ray Leonard's brother, Roger, 158 pounds, won the unanimous six-round decision over Sean Mannion, 154, of Boston, displaying strong jabs and hooks in his third professional bout.
Leonard's stocky cousin, middleweight Odell Leonard, fought a six-round draw with Johnny Harris of East Hartford, Conn.
But it was Sugar Ray who drew most of the 6,000 patrons to the Civic Center, along with the lure of seeing sports broadcaster Howard Cosell, whose entrance was greeted with the most noise of the day.
Leonard, 149, also revved up the fans as he imitated heavyweight Muhammad Ali, by displaying the Ali shuffle and ring savvy.
Leonard rained overhand rights down on the more experienced but shorter Muniz and stung the veteran with a barrage of jabs and hooks. Muniz complained of tendonitis in his left arm and said, "I could have finished with one hand but I didn't want to go out that way." [1]