Sugar Ray Not So Sweet After All
One of my all-time greatest athletes to watch was Sugar Ray Leonard. His epic bouts with Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler transcended the boxing ring. Sugar Ray was always to “good guy” beating the mean monsters of the ring for all of other “good guys.”
It turns out, like many things in life, there is more than meets the eye. In his new tell-all autobiography, “The Big Fight: My Life in and Out of the Ring”, the 55-year-old admits to marital infidelity and abusing both alcohol and cocaine.
While he doesn’t come out and say alcohol and cocaine ruined his career, they certainly help tear his personal life apart. He still is mostly estranged from his children. He is mending his relationship with his sons Ray, Jr and Jerrell.
The big problem I have with this book is it seems like just another attempt by a fading star to capture one more moment of celebrity. He is not so apologetic about his behavior, in fact he uses his behavior of philandering and drug use to show that he overcame obstacles in order to succeed.
While I know everyone has faults and even Sugar Ray is no impervious to the evils of alcohol and drugs, but Leonard’s message should have been stronger about the ill effects he suffered from using these vices rather than showing what a strong person he is because he became a great boxer in spite of these “roadblocks” in his life.
My feelings toward Sugar Ray have definitely soured.