Studies in the Sugar Ray Leonard Wind-Up Sucker Punch
So it turns out it’s not really appropriate to call that funny wind-y punch used by Sugar Ray Leonard a “sucker punch.” You know that punch, right internet? Like where he’s all waving and circling his right fist, and you’re all watching it so you don’t get punched in the face, and while you’re watching it go round and round and round, he socks you with the LEFT hand? Apparently, this is not a “sucker punch.” This is “good boxing.” Sorry, Sugar.
However, it is pretty funny to think of one of the greatest fighters of all time- a fighter so great even I have heard of him- using dirty tricks to get ahead. On that note, here are some other moves made famous by the legendary Sugar Ray:
1) Sugar Ray hands you a copy of the Wall Street Journal and says there is a really important op-ed article on the market collapse on page A3. You open the paper, get about 3 lines deep into a piece by Thomas Frank, and then BLAMMO! He punches you right in the face! Right through the paper!
2) You are changing in the locker room before the big fight. You open your locker and notice that there’s a mirror in there. You don’t remember putting it there, but figure you might as well check out your fine self before stepping into the ring. But looking into the mirror, you see- and you’ve never noticed this before- that your eyes reveal the childish terror deep inside you. You’ve tried so hard to pretend you weren’t afraid, playing the “big man on campus” (why else would you choose to pursue a boxing career?), but your eyes give it all away. Is everyone going to see this? you wonder. Is it true what they say about not running from your fears? Maybe it’s time to face up to my life. Call my Dad up, tell him I love him, even though I know he won’t say it ba–and then BLAMMO!!! Sugar Ray punches you in the back of the head, then takes his mirror out of your open locker.
3) Sugar Ray kills a baby deer and wears it like a suit. I think you can see where this is going.