Sugar Ray Leonard at Thomas A'Beckett Gym 1982

I heard on the Tv (Question of Sport probably with Dickie 'Bow' Davies), that Sugar Ray Leonard was visiting London in 1982 and would be at the Thomas A'Beckett pub on South London's Old Kent Road. He would be there about 10am from memory. I did'nt even own a camera and bought one of those 'Instamatic' auto focus types for £20 especially for the chance of getting close enough to SRL to take a shot. I lived in Norfolk so I took a day off work and got the train down for 90 minutes then across on the Tube to Elephant and Castle and walked the rest of the way. Unfortunately over 1000 people also decided they wanted to see Ray Leonard and turned up outside completely blocking the area. Ray was 2 hours late and was delayed getting through the crowd for ages. Once he went in the crowd thinned out and I made my way to the steps that led up to the gym entrance. After 40 minutes or so someone came out and said 'Right 13 of you can come in' - I think I was second from last and had people trying to climb over me. Still I got in and took these pictures. Errol Christie and Clinton McKenzie were shadow sparring with Ray (there was no contact because of his apparent 'eye condition' but I remember he looked tiny next to Errol. He beat Clinton in the 1976 Olympics as an amateur, I think. I also got Ray, Errol and Clintons autographs which I cannot find anywhere! Well here are the pic's and maybe you were there that day and are in some of them? I know there was a film crew present and would be great to see the footage as I missed it on the TV! If you pause on the first close up photo of Ray you can see actor Edward Fox talking to Reg Gutteridge to the left.

Category:

Sports

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• Sugar
• Ray
• Leonard
• at
• Thomas
• A'Beckett
• Gym
• 1982
• Edward
• fox
• reg
• gutteridge
• Errol
• Christie
• boxing

[SuperMephistopheles]

Errol Christie sparred with him during his visit. Errol's biography 'No Place To Hide' is being published in March, 2010

[Stuber9077]

Yes I remember that. Where you there? They kind of shadow boxed really as Ray was making a deal about his 'eye'. if you find the film footage of it let me know. Cheers

[mogsy1977]

I have footage of this on VHS.

[Stuber9077]

Hello Mogsy, Just saw your post on Youtube. Would love to get chance to see the footage you have. I was ringside so maybe in some of the shots with terrible 80's hairstyle...Can you upload it? cheers Andy

[mogsy1977]

It is on a documentary about Leonard pondering retirement on a visit to England.He shadows,heavy bag,speedball and skips and looks class.He spars on the QE2 with Steve Sinclair a former amateur light heavy and knocks him out with a body shot.Steve Sinclair is now a Blackpool underworld figure and runs the doors at Blackpool nightclubs.He was the subject on one of Danny Dyers deadliest men programmes last year.Documentary also shows Leonard visiting the homes of Dave Boy Green and Maurice Hope.