Date: 28th March 1981
Venue: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New YorkTitle: WBC World Welterweight Title
Promoter: Top Rank
Tv: HBO World Championship Boxing
Ray Leonard
(
28
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 145 lbs
Larry Bonds
(
29
-
3
-
0
)
Weight: 144½ lbs
On March 28, 1981, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York, Ray Leonard defended his WBC World Welterweight Title against Larry Bonds. Leonard had a record of 28-1-0, while Bonds was 29-3-0. Leonard weighed 145lbs, while Bonds weighed 144½bs. Leonard won the fight by TKO at 2:22 in round 10.
Despite Bonds' considerable experience, this was a significant step up in purse for him, having only previously earned $1,500. In contrast, Leonard's purse was $750,000. The fight was seen as a tune-up for Leonard, who was set to challenge WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Ayub Kalule later in the year. Both Bonds and Kalule were southpaws, which made the Bonds fight an ideal warm-up for Leonard.
The fight attracted a large crowd of more than 21,000 fans, with tickets ranging from $10 to $60. Leonard was the aggressor throughout the fight, opting not to dance with the slick boxing Bonds. "To stop him I had to be a bully," Leonard said after the bout.
Bonds was knocked down in the fourth round and again in the tenth. Despite getting up both times, he was unable to withstand Leonard's relentless assault and the fight was eventually stopped by referee Arthur Mercante.
This was Leonard's third career fight against a southpaw, having previously fought Adolfo Viruet and Tony Chiaverini. Leonard's win against Bonds was another impressive performance that provided good preparation for his June 25th challenge to WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Ayub Kalule.