Leonard, Ray – Sugar Ray Lenoard. The Big Fight. My Life In And Out Of The Ring

Description

Leonard, Ray ‘Sugar Ray Leonard. The Big Fight. My Life In And Out Of The Ring’ 2011 1st ed. 303-pages. VG+ in a VG dust jacket. INSCRIBED “Clark. A “super” NFL linebacker! Sguar Ray Leonard. For all times! 9-17-11″ Perhaps this was Clark Haggans, a key starting outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won a ring with them in Super Bowl XL.

The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring is a 2011 bestselling memoir co-written by legendary five-division world champion Sugar Ray Leonard and sportswriter Michael Arkush. Released by Viking on June 6, 2011, the 320-page hardcover offers a brutally honest, unflinching look at the complex man behind the celebrated athletic icon.

Core Synopsis & Themes:
Rather than serving as a standard, glossed-over sports retrospective, the autobiography reads like a psychological battle between two distinct personalities: the clean-cut American hero “Sugar Ray” and the troubled “Ray Leonard”.
• The Brutal Inside Story: Leonard fearlessly details a turbulent, impoverished childhood on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., his experiences surviving domestic violence, and a shocking revelation of early sexual abuse.
• The Price of Glory: The book chronicles his meteoric rise from winning a gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics to navigating a notoriously corrupt professional boxing landscape.
• The Legendary Rivalries: It takes readers inside the ring for detailed tactical breakdowns of his iconic, grueling multi-million dollar showdowns against Wilfred Benítez, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler.
• The Shadow Self: Outside the ropes, Leonard lays bare his exhausting personal battles against hidden depression, rage, heavy alcohol consumption, cocaine addiction, infidelity, and greed.
Book Specifications (2011 Hardcover First Edition)
• Publisher: Viking (An imprint of Penguin Putnam Inc.)
• Publication Date: June 6, 2011
• Page Count: 320 pages
• ISBN-10 / ISBN-13: 0670022721 / 978-0670022724

The memoir was heavily praised by critics upon release for its raw, Agassi-style transparency, stripping away the flawless celebrity veneer to present an inspiring path toward ultimate personal redemption.