Remembrances: Montreal Olympic Games 1976

Forty-five years ago in Canada, the Montreal Olympic Games gave the world one of the greatest fighters of all time, namely Sugar Ray Leonard, who won a gold medal, fighting in the super lightweight division, back then offering us more than a tantalizing glimpse of the translucent brilliance to come.

That night the venue was the Arena “Maurice Richard” and his rival, lanky southpaw Cuban KO artist Andrés Aldama, who four years later in the Moscow Olympics won a golden medal in the welterweight division, which speaks volumes of the quality that Leonard possessed, by imposing himself on someone who undoubtedly was a great fighter. He used all of his skills and firepower to mesmerise the Cuban.

In February of the following year, Leonard debuted as professional and from his first fights, he immediately drew the attention of knowledgeable fans, among whom was the then President of the World Boxing Council, my father.

Instinctively identifying and recognizing greatness, Don Jose began to closely follow his career with great interest, attending to witness some of the fights of this incredible young man born in Wilmington, North Carolina, and who from a very young age went to settle with his family in Palmer Park, Maryland.

It did not take long for Don José and Ray to become excellent friends, a feeling that both preserved. During his career Sugar Ray Leonard waded through the highest echelons of rivals, and became world champion in five different divisions. A Maestro indeed. “Sugar” reigned brilliantly even capturing the light heavyweight crown, that he conquered by beating lofty blonde Canadian Don Lalonde.

It was alongside the WBC that Leonard shaped and crafted his greatest feats. Glittering triumphs that earned him the aforementioned number of titles. Two of those crowns he conquered in the self-same night, overcoming and overwhelming Donny. At stake were the super middle and light heavy belts in November 7, 1978. It all ended in the ninth round by Ray, overcoming the adversity of a knockdown, to summon up a stunning technical knockout.

Thus, with performances that deserved much praise, he continued his fabled path until he came to contest one of the championships he had always sought, the middleweight title, which was owned by none other than the extraordinary left-handed Marvin “Marvelous” Hagler, whom he defeated on points in Las Vegas. It was the last swansong performance of Hagler, who right there made the determination to retire.

When “Sugar” himself decided to retire, he did it with a record of 36 wins with three defeats and a draw, in addition to being unanimously recognized as one of the best and brightest and most illuminating fighters in all of boxing history.

And going back to the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, we do not want to end this text without commenting that in that same legendary night, three more fighters won gold medals who later became world champions: Michael Spinks in middleweight, his younger brother Leon Spínks as a light heavyweight and among the super flies, Leo Randolph. As professionals, Michael became a light heavyweight and heavyweight champion; Leon also reigned among the heavyweights, while Randolph did so in the super bantamweight division.

And in order not to be left with the desire to do so, we will tell readers that on the same day, Cuban knockout artist Teofilo Stevenson conquered the gold medal in the heavy division. An extraordinary night to forever remember!