Kevin Howard

Kevin "The Spoiler" Howard, born on September 27th, 1960, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, was a welterweight who left his mark on the sport despite his relatively short career. With a record of 21 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw, Howard could challenge and push even the most celebrated boxers of his time.

Standing 178cm tall and employing an orthodox stance, Howard's boxing style was characterized by his tricky moves and knack for making his opponents look less than impressive. This earned him the nickname "The Spoiler," a moniker that would prove to be prophetic in his most famous bout.

On May 11th, 1984, Howard stepped into the ring against the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard. Leonard, the former unified welterweight king, was returning to boxing after a nearly two-year hiatus due to a detached retina in his left eye. Leonard, fighting as a light-middleweight, had his sights set on a potential challenge against Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the middleweight crown.

However, the little-known Kevin Howard had other plans. In a nationally televised fight, Howard shocked the boxing world by knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard in the fourth round with a powerful right hand to the head. This was the first time in Leonard's illustrious career that he had been sent to the canvas.

Although Leonard managed to rally and secure a TKO victory in the ninth round, the stoppage by referee Dick Flaherty was widely considered premature. Leonard, who was narrowly ahead on all three judges' scorecards (77-76, 79-74, and 78-74), expressed his dissatisfaction with his performance, stating, "It's just not there." Immediately following the tougher-than-expected "tune-up," Leonard once again announced his retirement from boxing.

On the other hand, Howard vehemently disputed the stoppage, claiming that Leonard "was hurt worse than me." The bout against Leonard marked the first time Howard had been stopped in his career, and he would go on to fight just four more times before hanging up his gloves.

Kevin Howard's career, which spanned from his debut on October 22nd, 1978, to his retirement on March 21st, 1986, may have been relatively short, but his impact on the sport was significant. His ability to challenge the best in the business and his memorable performance against Sugar Ray Leonard solidified his place in boxing history.