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Legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard has opened up about a painful chapter from his past in his new autobiography, where he reveals that he was a victim of sexual abuse as a teenager by a top Olympic boxing coach.
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The disturbing incident occurred back in 1971 in Utica, New York, when Leonard, still a young teenager, found himself in a vulnerable situation with the coach. According to reports from Dailymail.co.uk, Leonard and another teenager were asked to take a bath while the coach sat on the other side of the bathroom, which they found “inappropriate” but didn’t question at the time.
Years later, in a chilling moment recalled by Leonard, he found himself in an empty car park with the same coach discussing the significance of an Olympic gold medal. “Before I knew it, he had unzipped my pants and put his hand, then mouth, on an area that has haunted me for life,” Leonard wrote in his autobiography.
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Describing his reaction to the abuse, Leonard said, “I didn’t scream. I didn’t look at him. I just opened the door and ran.”
However, Leonard’s first trainer, Dave Jacobs, expressed surprise at the allegations, stating that Leonard never mentioned such incidents to him or anyone in their group. “If that incident did happen, I feel sorry for him in that part of his life and for having to carry that around with him,” Jacobs commented.
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In addition to the sexual abuse revelations, Leonard also opened up about his struggles with drug and alcohol use in his autobiography.
Despite the trauma he endured, Sugar Ray Leonard is renowned for his incredible boxing career, becoming the first boxer to reach $100 million in purses and winning titles in five weight divisions. His memorable matches against legendary opponents like Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Marvin Hagler solidified his status as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Leonard eventually retired from boxing with a record of 33-3-1 and 25 knockouts after facing Terry Morris and Hector Camacho in his final fights.
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Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard Reveals He Was Sexually Abused by His Boxing Coach was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
