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SUGAR RAY LEONARD: "THIS SPORT NEEDS A SHOT OF ADRENALINE PERIODICALLY...N'DAM AND STEVENS IS A GREAT FIGHT"

By Percy Crawford | September 25, 2014
SUGAR RAY LEONARD:

"This sport needs a shot of adrenaline periodically. But N'Dam and Stevens is a great fight. It's one of those can't miss fights...ou have these fighters that just match up well against each other and I think Hassan and Curtis will match up well against one another and people will want to see a rematch. Same thing happened with the Mayweather fight when he fought Maidana. The first fight brought enough intrigue to where people wanted to see it again. But I love it, man. Boxing is so...I'm entrenched. I'm like the unofficial ambassador," stated Hall of Famer and 5-division world champion Sugar Ray Leonard, who shared his thoughts on the upcoming middleweight clash between Curtis Stevens and Hassan N'Dam, the future of boxing, and much more. Check it out!

PC: It's an honor to speak to you. How is everything going?

SRL: Great, man. You know, life is always challenging with teenagers. My daughter next year will be going to college. My 13 year old son, who will be 14 soon, is playing every sport you can play. But life is great; just trying to keep the household down.

PC: You stay in really good shape, and I believe you are 57 years old now. Are you on a particular diet or workout regimen?

SRL: I'm 58, man. Come on.

PC: (Laughing) I tried to give you a year. But you really do stay in tremendous shape.

SRL: (Laughing) You know Percy, I do things in moderation. I listen to my body a lot more. But it's all about attitude and how you approach life, just like when I approached my fights. I think that there is a correlation there. I think we are fighters outside of the ring and you just try to stay in shape, not just with your body, but with your mind too.

PC: You are good friends with Michael King, who won the purse bid for N'Dam vs. Stevens, which should be a great fight. I'm glad he was able to get ESPN on board because this fight should be televised.

SRL: Without question, you know, Michael King is a good friend of mine. Michael had a show, last April I think it was, and I said, "Michael, if you could continue to provide boxing fans with this kind of excitement and this kind of atmosphere for your shows and events or whatever, Jesus Christ, you could really do well and bring eyes to the sport." This sport needs a shot of adrenaline periodically. But N'Dam and Stevens is a great fight. It's one of those can't miss fights.

PC: I like King's ideas and man, if he can continue to do the things he's doing on top of some of his ideas he's told me about, it can be really interesting.

SRL: He has such a passion. Michael's been a boxing fan for eons, although I think he bet against me against Tommy Hearns in 1981(laughing). I think he lost too by the way (laughing).

PC: Yeah, he may have lost a little bit of money on that one.

SRL: But Michael's world is entertainment and boxing is entertainment. Boxing isn't just two guys going at it. You have to create excitement, you have to make sure it's evenly matched and competitive, and make sure the fans enjoy it, and that's when they come back. They will fill these seats again like they did in April. They are gonna fill the Barker Hangar because boxing fans know a good fight when they see one.

PC: After the Peter Quillin fight, fans were wanting to see more of Hassan, so to get him back on US television was imperative.

SRL: Oh, for sure, for sure. These rivalries are priceless. You have these fighters that just match up well against each other and I think Hassan and Curtis will match up well against one another and people will want to see a rematch. Same thing happened with the Mayweather fight when he fought Maidana. The first fight brought enough intrigue to where people wanted to see it again. But I love it, man. Boxing is so...I'm entrenched. I'm like the unofficial ambassador. I love the sport, man. It's given me so much. It allowed me to take care of my dad, who was sick at the time back in '76. I was able to buy my parents a home and do good things now with my foundation for juvenile diabetes research. And now I can tell people how great Michael King is and some of the great things that King Sports is doing for boxing. I have a great life.

PC: We're talking about the middleweights and you obviously competed there as well. Did you ever think you would go on and end your career as high in weight as you did?

SRL: Hell no. I always thought I was a welterweight and never looked outside the box. I never thought I would go further than I thought I could go. I was always confident, but never could I invision what my career and what my legacy would be after all those years. I mean, we're talking...I've been a fighter for over 40 something years. It's been an incredible journey and an incredible dream and it's been amazing.

PC: Do you think it's fair when you hear boxing people say things like, "This fighter wouldn't have made it in the Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Hagler era?" Is it fair to those guys?

SRL: (Laughing) You know, I was asked hypothetically could I beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. Yeah! I can beat Floyd! I could beat Tommy Hearns! I could beat Tyson! As a fighter, when you're a fighter, you could beat everybody. I don't care if there is a 200-pound or 300-pound difference in weight; I think I could beat 'em. Is there any fighter who is a champion that says, "Well, I don't know." No! You know what I mean?

PC: Absolutely. I talk to boxing fans all the time and they ask me things like, "You think this guy is scared of this guy?" My answer will never change, "Fighters don't think like you and I do," and that's my honest opinion on that.

SRL: We don't think that way. I hear it all the time. "Mayweather is scared of Pacquiao," or "Pacquiao is scared of Mayweather." No, that's not the case. They are fighters for God's sake. We just gotta match them up together. We just have to start matching these fighters up and make it competitive and an even match and that's when the fans come out. And that's why I think the fans will come out to see N'Dam and Stevens. When I was at Michael's event in April, I was like, "Wow!" I mean, people showed up and they had a good time.

PC: I spoke to Michael and he was telling me how he doesn't have ringside seats, he has ringside suits and that it's comfortable couches there and he did the event outside of an airport. That's that outside of the box thinking that made him a huge success in the TV world.

SRL: And the Barker Hangar is so amazing. That venue is so sweet and it accommodates everyone and I encourage people to get their tickets now because the who's who will be there. You don't know who will be there. People love competition, especially boxing. Boxing is one of those sports that people tend to live vicariously through, especially when they see a great fight. Oh my God. They go home and workout themselves.

PC: Oh yeah. And you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when that great fight took place.

SRL: Exactly!

PC: This is a personal question because my hometown really hasn't hosted a huge fight since your fight with Roberto Duran, your second one if I'm not mistaken, but do you think New Orleans will ever get the big fights again?

SRL: You know, I had some of the best times and some of my best memories in New Orleans. First of all, the food was just undeniable. It was so good and unbelievable that it was tough for me to keep my weight down. But the people were sweet and very nice, I love the atmosphere and the culture. Wow! It'll come back. Trust me, it'll come back.

PC: I really appreciate your time. I can scratch this off of the bucket list, so thank you again. Is there anything else you want to add or address before I let you go?

SRL: I love the sport of boxing. I could watch a 6-rounder and it doesn't have to be a named fighter, but again, if it's evenly matched and competitive, I'm in the seat and I'm watching. And that's what you're gonna get on October 1st. Don't miss it!



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

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