In just 40 days, the early stages of a new year had packed enough headlines to fill more than its share of calendars. On January 16, Desert Storm began as U.S. and coalition allies bombed Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. On January 27, the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
Just two weeks away from the beginning of the ground campaign in Iraq, a man known as “Sugar” was preparing to win another title while fighting for the first time in the historic confines of Madison Square Garden.
The year was 1991.
On Saturday night, February 9, the 154-pound WBC Super Welterweight champion “Terrible” Terry Norris (26-3, 14 KOs) would defend his crown against a ring legend and five-time world champion Sugar Ray Leonard (36-1-1, 25 KOs).
With winter winding down, New York City, like much of the country, was cold and dreary. Boxing fans were hopeful for hot action inside the ring.
Comebacks and layoffs weren’t new challenges for Leonard. At 34, he had been away from the ring for 14 months. His last action was a plodding unanimous 12-round decision over Roberto Duran to complete their trilogy.
Prior to beating Duran, Leonard had accomplished the impossible by returning to the ring and defeating “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler. He followed up with an encore performance by winning the Light Heavyweight crown from Donny Lalonde.
Although Norris was the recognized champion, it was Leonard who received top billing. Fight posters promoting the event proclaimed, “How Sweet It Is! Sugar Ray Comes To The Big Apple.”
Still largely an unknown, Norris, 23, was making the second defense of his title. He had unmercifully pounded John “The Beast” Mugabi the previous March to win the title.
Norris was 11-years younger than Leonard. He was seen the stronger fighter, however, Leonard held a decisive advantage in experience and had wowed opponents and fans alike with his blazing hand speed.
Oddsmakers installed Leonard as a 12-5 betting favorite.
A crowd of some 7,500 were on hand to witness the young champion meet the old lion. Televised live on Showtime, Bruce Beck was alongside “The Fight Doctor” Ferdie Pacheco to call the action.
Ring announcer Ed Derian introduced referee Arthur Mercante Jr. and then the fighters.
Scheduled for 12 rounds, the bell echoed to begin Round 1. Leonard, donned in black trunks and black shoes, met Norris in the center of the ring. Looking to stalk and work behind his left hand, Leonard circled and flicked a slow, soft jab at the champion.
Norris, wearing white trunks with “Terrible” inscribed in red across his waistline, was up on his toes and bouncing. The champion began to work behind his own left jab and didn’t waste any time unveiling his hand speed.
As the timekeeper pounded the mat signaling just five seconds remained in the round, Leonard opened up in hopes of stealing the first three minutes. In between rounds, the Norris corner asked him to be aware of the timekeepers signal and the late Leonard rally that would surely go with it.
After a close opening three minutes, Round 2 began with Norris coming forward and looking to mix it up with Leonard. The champion was firing sizzling right hands and left hooks to the body. With just seconds remaining in the round, Norris blistered Leonard with a short, crisp left hook that thudded home on Leonard’s jaw.
As Leonard reeled backward, Norris followed him and pounded him to the canvas. The crowd roared and Beck bellowed, “Norris with a left hand! Leonard stumbles back!” Leonard rose to take the mandatory standing eight-count.
The bell sounded to end the round as Mercante scolded Norris for hitting Leonard while on the mat and threatened disqualification.
The third round was a disaster for Leonard. The champion immediately backed him into the ropes with a vicious uppercut and began teeing off at will. The crowd again rose as Pacheco screamed, “Oh! Terrible punishment being inflicted by Norris! Nothing back from Leonard!”
Sugar looked slow and unable to deal with the Norris power and hand speed. Physically, he looked gaunt and was showing no signs of the flash and zest that made him the thrilling, crowd pleasing icon of the 70’s and 80’s.
Leonard’s previous three fights were at Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight. Weighing in at 154 pounds against Norris, perhaps it was more than just Leonard’s age that was haunting him. He was fighting at 154 pounds for the first time since defeating Kevin Howard in 1984.
As the rounds progressed, it became increasingly apparent that Leonard had no answers. His lip was swollen and bleeding and he was now swelling around his left eye. Norris was cementing himself as not only the stronger man, but also the faster of the two.
Leonard’s attempts to flurry late in the closing stages of the round were met with stiff resistance. Norris was ready, battling back and refusing to let Leonard steal the round in its closing seconds.
Now in Round 7, Norris continued bouncing, up on his toes, popping his left jab into Leonard’s face. With just under 30 seconds to go in the round, the two came together in close quarters and Norris pelted Leonard with an overhand right.
Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images
The punch sent shockwaves through Leonard’s body as he spiraled to the canvas. Pacheco painfully described the moment, “Down goes Leonard, all the circuits get shorted. Ladies and gentleman what you’re looking at is an old fighter who has no reflexes.”
The punishment Leonard was taking brought back memories of Rocky Maricano beating up an aging Joe Louis and Larry Holmes doing the same to Muhammad Ali. Leonard’s heart and desire were as strong as they had ever been. He simply lacked the tools at this stage of his career to compete with the younger Norris.
At the final bell, the judges scored the bout unanimously for Norris, 119-103, 120-104 and 116-110.
After Hull announced the decision, Leonard took the microphone and addressed the ringside crowd. “Ladies and gentleman, it was a pleasure to fight here for the very first time. I have to turn the baton over to the future world champion Terry Norris. This is my last fight. Thank you for coming out. God bless you all.”
Pacheco interviewed Norris after the bout who acknowledged the feeling of sadness that resonated in the Garden, “It’s a sad victory. He’s still my idol.” Beating Leonard would launch Norris into a more recognizable name and face on the boxing scene for many years to come.
Leonard would give it a go one more time, six years later, in March of 1997. He would again come up short after being stopped inside five rounds by Hector “Macho” Camacho.
