Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Kevin Howard

Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Kevin Howard, billed as "The Best is Back!" was a professional boxing match contested on May 11, 1984.

The Best is Back!
DateMay 11, 1984
VenueThe Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts
Title(s) on the lineNone
Tale of the tape
Boxer Ray Leonard Kevin Howard
Nickname "Sugar" "The Spoiler"
Hometown Palmer Park, Maryland, U.S. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Purse $3,000,000 $125,000
Pre-fight record 32–1 20–4–1
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in (177 cm)
Weight 149 lb (68 kg) 151 lb (68 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition Former WBC/The Ring/lineal
Welterweight champion		 The Ring
#8 Ranked Light Middleweight
Result
Leonard defeats Howard by TKO in round nine

Background

Former WBC welterweight champion "Sugar" Ray Leonard announced his comeback to boxing in December 1983 after having retired the previous year following a retina injury.[1] The following month, Leonard's opponent was officially announced to be little-known fringe contender Kevin Howard. In anticipation for a future fight with then-middleweight champion Marvin Hagler, Leonard decided to fight Howard as a light middleweight, a division where he had only one prior fight, rather than return to the welterweight division he had spent the majority of his career. Leonard also insisted on using thumb-less gloves as a precaution against eye injuries.[2] Originally, the fight was scheduled to take place on February 25, 1984, however, the Massachusetts Boxing Commission required that Leonard get examined by a retinal specialist whom declared that while his surgically repaired left retina was fine, his right retina was determined to be loose resulting in the fight immediately being postponed.[3] Leonard would then undergo cryotherapy treatment on his right after-which it was determined his right eye had healed enough to put the fight back on albeit with a new May 11 date.[4]

Leonard had hoped to stage his comeback fight at Madison Square Garden, but the rock band Yes had already had the February 25th date booked. Yes was eventually forced to pull out of their scheduled concert due to illness and Leonard's lawyer and adviser Mike Trainer was notified of the Garden's availability but declined as he had already agreed to hold the fight in Atlantic City.[5] Issues with New Jersey's 9% luxury tax eventually led the bout to be moved to The Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts.[6]

The fight

Leonard was knocked down for the first time in his professional career in the fourth round. Leonard was in control of the fight and began taunting Howard by shuffling his feet, winding up his right hand and dropping his hands down and sticking his chin out, challenging Howard to land a punch. However, Howard would counter a Leonard jab landing flush with a right hand to Leonard's jaw that sent Leonard down to the canvas. Leonard would quickly get back up and Howard would continue his attack, but Leonard was able to withstand it and survive the round. Leonard would have little trouble with Howard for the remainder of the fight and would finally end the fight in the ninth round. With around a minute left in the round, Leonard would land a left hook to Howard's head. A stunned Howard nearly went down but held on to Leonard to prevent Howard from falling down. Leonard would attack Howard and after landing a barrage of punches, and the referee stopped the fight, giving Leonard the victory by technical knockout at 2:28 of the round nine.[7]

Fight card
Weight Class Weight vs. Method Round Notes
Light Middleweight 154 lb Ray Leonard def. Kevin Howard TKO 9/10
Super Featherweight 130 lb Kenny Baysmore def. Ruben Munoz Jr KO 3/10
Light Middleweight 154 lb Kenny Butler def. Lloyd Taylor SD 10/10
Light Heavyweight 190 lb Charles Price def. Tom Broady PTS 6/6

References
  1. Says He'll Fight Again, Washington Post article, December 11, 1983 Retrieved on March 11, 2020
  2. Sugar Ray Leonard is coming out of retirement, UPI article, January 27, 1984 Retrieved on March 15, 2020
  3. Leonard's Comeback Postponed, NY Times article, February 14, 1984 Retrieved on March 15, 2020
  4. Leonard Bout May 11, NY Times article, February 24, 1984 Retrieved on March 15, 2020
  5. A No to the Garden, NY Times article, January 21, 1984 Retrieved on March 15, 2020
  6. Garden May Get Bout, NY Times article, January 20, 1984 Retrieved on March 15, 2020
  7. For Leonard It Was Down, And Then Out, ESPN article, May 21, 1984 Retrieved on March 16, 2020
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