The year 1981 began with Sugar Ray Leonard enjoying his reign as WBC welterweight champion of the world. His first challenger to his crown was an unheralded trash man from Denver, Colorado named Larry Bonds. Most champions usually schedule an easy title defense after a few big and difficult fights, and Ray was no exception.
The bout took place at the brand new Carrier dome in Syracuse, New York and was broadcast on HBO TV, meaning I would not see it. I was reduced to reading about the fight in the newspaper the next day since we didn’t have cable tv at the time, and seeing brief highlights on the news.
Ray boxed well but was not that aggressive, finishing bonds in a lackluster affair in round 10. Talks of a match with Thomas Hearns were in the air, and a possible fall showdown was in the works. Leonard had a successful title defense under his belt, and the new ambassador ,of boxing was getting more comfortable in that role by the day.
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AT kensoldtimeboxingchat
