Pacific Fighters Patches

5. Nov. 7, 1988: Donny Lalonde, Las Vegas, NV -- KO 9

Sugar Ray beat back Father Time once again to stage one of his most dramatic comebacks. After losing the first four rounds and getting knocked down in the fourth, Leonard had a mountain to climb against a younger and heavier fighter but began to step inside in the fifth round to land combinations. Dazed by a hard right early in the ninth round, Leonard recovered and knocked the light heavyweight champion down with a left hook. Lalonde beat the count but Leonard pinned him against the ropes and finished him off with a rapid-fire combination.  

4. Nov. 25, 1980: Roberto Duran, New Orleans, LA -- KO 8  

Five months after their first epic encounter in Montreal, when Sugar Ray had opted to slug it out and lost a close 15-round decision, he changed his tactics and stayed on the outside. This time, Leonard repeatedly beat Duran to the punch and avoided being caught against the ropes. Frustrated by his inability to catch the elusive challenger, the proud Panamanian uttered the words "No mas, no mas" and referee Octavio Meyran waved the fight over in the eighth round. Moments earlier, Leonard had frustrated Duran by winding up for his trademark bolo punch, then landing a clean left jab to Duran's chin. Sugar Ray avenged the first defeat of his pro career and regained the welterweight title. 

3. Nov. 30, 1979: Wilfredo Benitez, Las Vegas, NV -- KO 15

In a chess match between two master boxers, Sugar Ray had the heavier hands and that proved to be the difference. Benitez, the welterweight champion, was undefeated in 39 fights, but Leonard got the better of most of the exchanges and was ahead on the scorecards going into the 15th round. The fighters traded toe-to-toe in the center of the ring until Leonard knocked Benitez down with a chopping left hand. Benitez rose and took the mandatory eight count, but Leonard moved in and began to land when referee Carlos Padilla stepped in to stop it with less than 10 seconds remaining.