WASHINGTON -- Sugar Ray Leonard, reigning World Boxing Council middleweight champion, announced his retirement from the ring today, but left open the possibility he may return if the challenge is right.
'I'm going to try to retire now,' said Leonard, who had twice previously announced retirements that didn't stick. 'I'm going to give it a shot.'
Leonard, who defeated Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the WBC title on April 6 after a three-year layoff, said he will concentrate on several business prospects, including representing Coors Brewery as its spokesman. He said he also will have his own sports show on Mutual Radio.
'Will I fight again?' Leonard said at a news conference in Washington. 'The way I feel now, there is no one out there to give me that motivation. I'm retiring now, but you guys know me.'
In deciding to retire, Leonard acknowledged he was passing up the possibility of a lucrative return bout with Hagler and the opportunity to seek an unprecedented fourth title by fighting Thomas Hearns, the WBC light-heavyweight champion.
But Leonard noted that he had said before fighting Hagler there would be 'one fight and one fight only.' And he pointed out that he had already fought Hearns, defeating him in 1981 for the world welterweight title.'
'Part of my makeup is I don't like to repeat myself,' said Leonard.
Today's announcement marks the third time the 31-year-old Leonard, a Potomac, Md., resident, has retired from professional boxing.
His first retirement on Nov. 9, 1982, came six months after he had damaged his left eye and had surgery for a detached retina. He retired again after an unimpressive comeback knockout of Kevin Howard in May 1984. In that fight, Leonard was knocked down for the first time in his career.
Reaction to Leonard's decision today ranged from anger and disappointment from the Hagler camp to acceptance from Leonard's supporters.
'Marvin's in New Hampshire, he doesn't want to be bothered, but he's not surprised,' said Hagler's manager, Pat Petronelli, from his Brockton, Mass., office. 'Marvin kept saying from the very beginning: 'He'd never fight me again. He didn't beat me and he told me he didn't beat me.''
Petronelli said Hagler had wanted another shot at Leonard 'to knock him out, to prove he's a better man.'
Leonard today again denied he told Hagler after the April 6 bout that Hagler had won despite the judges' decisions. Rather, Leonard said, he had told Hagler 'you're still a champion,' meaning that Hagler was a great fighter.
'I won the fight and he knew it,' said Leonard.
Angelo Dundee, Leonard's trainer, commented after the announcement that he felt Leonard would retire 'because I don't think he can top what he's already done.'
