UFO Info Week-End

The Macho Man is a much more appealing personality than the egocentric Leonard whose niceness always seemed contrived

The Macho Man is a much more appealing personality than the egocentric Leonard, whose “niceness” always seemed contrived. Of course, as Naseem Hamed has recently demonstrated, niceness is not a prerequisite for success, and whatever his character flaws, at his peak Leonard was a magnificent fighter. Where Hamed – and, for that matter, Camacho – show their genius in outrageously unorthodox technique, Leonard was a supreme exponent of boxing’s textbook skills.The years, and his recurring spells of inactivity, had already blunted those skills beyond recall when he lost to Norris, and the still-speedy Camacho ought to be able to outpoint him. That would be a kindness: better that reality be brought home by Camacho’s southpaw jabs than by heavier- fisted, ambitious youngsters out to make their names off a once-great fighter’s ego.The sweet and sour years of Sugar Ray1976: Wins Olympic light-welterweight gold medal in Montreal. Announces retirement.5 February 1977: Turns professional30 November 1979: Wins World Boxing Council welterweight title from Wilfred Benitez, as the first challenger in history to earn $1m.12 August 1979: Wins first professional championship, stopping Pete Ranzany in four rounds for the North American welterweight title.20 June 1980: Loses world welterweight title to Roberto Duran in Montreal. Announces retirement25 June 1980: Regains title from Duran, forcing the Panamanian to call “No mas” in the eighth round.25 June 1981: Stops Ayub Kalule to win the World Boxing Association light- middleweight title. Promptly relinquishes it.16 September 1981: Stops WBA champion Thomas Hearns in the 14th round of a classic fight to unify the world welterweight title.March 1982: Announces retirement after discovering he is suffering from a detached retina.11 May 1984: Makes a one-fight comeback, and is floored by the unknown Kevin Howard Gets up to win.

Announces retirement.6 April 1987: Outpoints Marvin Hagler to win WBC middleweight title. Announces retirement.7 November 1988: Stops Donny Lalonde for WBC light-heavyweight title after compelling Lalonde to weigh in at 12st so that the fight could also be for vacant WBC super-middleweight title.12 June 1989: Gets a fortunate draw with Thomas Hearns in a rematch for the WBC super-middleweight title. Announces retirement.7 December 1989: Settles superiority over Duran by outpointing him in super-middleweight title defence in Las Vegas.9 February 1991: Floored and outpointed by Terry Norris for the WBC light- middleweight title Announces retirement.. Year in year out she has topped the bill all over the world She never looks a day older and is born star material.

Yet after the best part of 20 years she has never been presented with the ultimate golden disc. Merlene Ottey is going into her final season as the world’s most successful and popular female athlete but still without an Olympic gold medal. Today she is scheduled to make her farewell appearance in Britain at the Bupa Games/Ricoh meeting at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. Last summer at the age of 36 and encouraged by that far from retiring golden oldie, Linford Christie, she again defied the years by reaching the Olympic 100 and 200 metres finals in Atlanta.