Montreal 1976. A talented and hungry amateur by the name of Ray Charles Leonard wins Olympic gold for Team USA.
The light-welterweight stylist defeats Cuban Andres Aldama in the final 5-0, just as he had his previous five bouts, and the world has just been introduced to the next great fighter.
Leonard, a victor of 145 of 150 amateur contests, was the leading light in an all-star cast, in what many believed to be the finest boxing team in the history of the Olympics.
The class of 76’ included future world champions Leo Randolph, Michael Spinks and his brother Leon, as USA won five golds, silver and a bronze.
Fast forward some 36 years later and Sugar Ray watches on in horror as U.S. Olympic boxing sinks to its lowest ebb at the London 2012 games.
For the first time in history, the men’s boxing team returned home without a single medal to show for their efforts and followed an alarming trend of decline for Team USA in recent games.
Four years ago in Beijing, heavyweight Deontay Wilder was the only American to medal with a bronze. Andre Ward (gold) and Andre Dirrrell (bronze) were the saving graces in Athens.
Leonard slams USA Boxing for not preparing the top American amateurs correctly for Olympic competition.
“I am really disappointed about our amateur programme; amateur boxing has deteriorated significantly,” said the former six-time world champion.
“Our kids are very determined individuals, but are not as prepared as they should be.
“They don’t have the international experience I had, what Oscar De La Hoya had or Pernell Whitaker had.
“Back in the day we fought the Germans, the Russians and British fighters so we had the experience.”
According to Leonard, Team USA needs to be fighting European style boxers on a regular basis if they are to top medal rostrums at future Olympics.
“I was fighting in international competitions in my early teens so I was aware of the different styles that I would face in Olympic boxing.
“The Olympics represents the very best in amateur boxing bar none, and our boxers are not prepared.”
USA Boxing recently recruited the services of top Cuban trainer Pedro Roque Otano to help lead the Americans back to a position of dominance.
The highly experienced coach has led athletes, from multiple nations, to 35 Olympic medals as well as 43 medals at the World Championships over his 40-year career.
But Leonard says there is not necessarily a blueprint to follow to help bring through the next generation of American talent.
“I don’t believe there is a blueprint, but first of all fighters can not be taken out of their zone.
“What I mean by that is that a lot of these young kids are offered money way before they turn professional.
“And doing so you take away that edge, that commitment the kid always had because he knows full well he’s going to make a lot of money.”
A point highlighted with the recent announcement of US Olympians Terrell Gausha, Dominic Breazeale, Rau’shee Warren and Errol Spence Jr all signing professional contracts with boxing mogul Al Haymon.
With the amateur system failing, very few ‘big name’ pro fighters, warring promoters and marginalised coverage in mainstream media these are not good times for American boxing.
“I’m an optimist and truly believe the sport can come back from this undesirable position, boxing has many stars out there,” says Leonard.
Two of those stars being Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao: arguably the best fighters of the modern era.
Many believe a potential super-fight between the two megastars will help safeguard the future of boxing, and for years it’s a match-up fans have been clamouring for.
“It’s a fight the public and the fans are thirsty for. One fight won’t save boxing, but will give the sport a massive shot of adrenaline.
“More than anything the fight is to define their legacies.”
Pacquiao has recently said he is willing to accept just 45% of the total purse while granting other concessions to Mayweather Jr for the fight to happen.
“PacMan” has also dropped his December 2009 lawsuit against Mayweather Jr, when “Money” accused the Filipino star of using performance-enhancing drugs.
However, Leonard still has his reservations if the fight will ever happen, despite these positive steps being taken by Pacquiao.
“The fight needs to happen sooner rather than later, but I am not sure the fight will happen, and it’s down to several people, not just Bob Arum, why this fight is yet to take off.
“As a boxing fan I would love to see the fight happen.”
Leonard fought a losing battle with age as he attempted one too many comebacks, and will be interesting to see how well Britain’s former world champion Ricky Hatton fears on his comeback in November.
Time is an undefeatable opponent for any boxer. Just like Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali before him, Leonard proved he, too, could not defy time.
Leonard ended his glittering career with back-to-back defeats as he made failed comebacks to Terry Norris in 1991 and Puerto Rican showman Hector Camacho six years later.
“The Camacho defeat hurt my pride and took me a long time to get over. My ego was damaged significantly, but thank god I wasn’t hurt.
“I came back because I wanted to fight, I wanted to win and it wasn’t for the money.
“My advice to any boxer making a comeback is to comeback for the right reasons.
“Comeback for the passion, comeback because you’re committed and don’t train half-way, as there are no shortcuts.”
