In his New York Times bestselling memoir, one of America's greatest boxing legends faces his single greatest competitor: himself "Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next man, more than anyone in the world. Ray's heart was bigger than all the rest. He would never stop fighting."-Muhammad Ali In Washington, D.C., during the 1970s, a black man could get into the newspapers in one of two ways: crime-or boxing. "Sugar" Ray Leonard chose to fight. After winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics, Ray wanted to call it quits and go to college, but his family's financial needs made him go pro. Boxing history was made. All the while, another, darker Ray-one overwhelmed by depression, rage, drug addiction, sexual abuse, and greed-battled for dominance. In The Big Fight, Ray comes to terms with both these men and shares a brutally honest and remarkably inspiring portrait of the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of a true fighter-inside and outside the ring.

Based on interviews collected from Ray Leonard's radio show, listened to in 75 countries, Ordinary People Extraordinary Planet includes incredible stories of a dozen people's triumphs over adversity. Meet Mary K. Hoodhood who provides dinners for over 3,800 hungry children in Michigan daily; a quadriplegic, she coordinates it all from her wheelchair. Arturo Sandoval, the Grammy/Emmy Award-winning trumpet player, escaped persecution in Communist Cuba to live his dream. Clarel Radicella, who pushed past her pain for years to inspire and connect people, shares her final three letters to her children. Through his "Homeless by Choice Tour" Roy Juarez, Jr., has talked to over 100,000 students about his experience being homeless at 14 years old with his siblings. Share adventures from a teenager who has built four libraries in Tanzania to a mechanic's bold expedition in the North Pole. The people in this book will uplift and inspire you Dr. Shellie Hipsky is an associate professor at Robert Morris University, author of five books, and a respected public speaker. She educates, entertains, and inspires globally.

'To be legendary you got to have heart... Ray's heart was bigger than all the rest' Muhammad Ali SUGAR RAY LEONARD was one of the greatest boxers ever. An artist and a showman he was always willing to take the difficult fight: his gruelling encounters with Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler have become legendary. Ray's autobiography takes you into the ring - with the mind games, brutality and euphroia. But, outside of the ring, Ray's biggest opponent was himself. From early domestic violence and sexual abuse to a blur of fame, sex, greed, drink and drug addiction at the height of his career that cost him so much, The Big Fight is a remarkable portrait of the rise, fall and final redeption of a true fighter in every sense.