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In
1973 a
boxing
promoter noticed Leonard's natural talent and offered him $5,000
to fight in a commercial bout. Leonard dismissed the offer
because he wanted to qualify for the 1976 Olympics—and qualify
he did. Leonard earned a spot on the 1976 U.S. team, which
included future heavyweight champions Michael Spinks and his
brother
Leon.
After
spring
training
in Burlington, Vermont, the team headed for the Olympic Village
in Montreal, Quebec, where Leonard performed superbly in the
three-round Olympic bouts. He won his first match against Ulf
Carlson of Sweden and a second match against left-hander Valery
Limasov of the former Soviet Union. After taking England's
Clinton McKenzie in the third match, Leonard entered the
quarterfinals where he beat Ulrich Beyer of Germany.
Leonard up to that point in his amateur career had lost only
five fights, among them a contested bout in 1974 against
Kazimier Szczerba of Poland. In a subtle irony, Leonard faced
Szczerba in the Olympic semifinals and defeated the Pole with a
resounding knockout.
It was a fine day for Leonard and the United States when in the
Olympic finals Leonard brought the Cuban fighter Andres Aldama
to his knees with a
left
hook
to the chin. Twice during the final bout, the referee had
required Aldama to take a standing eight-count to prove that he
was able to continue the fight. Although Aldama persisted in the
match, Leonard emerged the victor and won the gold medal for the
United States. It was Leonard's one hundred and forty-fifth
victory as an amateur boxer. |
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