The G.O.A.T. on the ‘Gram: Sugar Ray Leonard on Muhammad Ali and the Modern Crossover

Boxing legend “Sugar” Ray Leonard, a man who knows a thing or two about global stardom and electrifying performance, recently weighed in on a couple of fascinating hypotheticals, touching upon his idol Muhammad Ali’s potential place in the social media age and which modern pugilist could make a seamless leap into the world of professional wrestling.

When asked to envision how the inimitable Muhammad Ali would navigate and leverage today’s pervasive social media landscape—a world tailor-made for his charisma and controversial wit—Leonard’s response was one of sheer reverence, suggesting that Ali’s magnitude transcended any modern platform.

“How can you get even bigger than he was?” Leonard mused. “I mean, Muhammad Ali… he was like a family member to me; he was like my big brother. I learned so much from him and he’s helped me mentally AND spiritually. Muhammad Ali… [pauses] It’s nothing more I could say.”

For Leonard, who shared a profound bond with “The Greatest,” Ali’s iconic status was complete and requires no modern extrapolation. He intimates that Ali was already the ultimate global presence, and while social media would undoubtedly amplify his voice, it couldn’t actually enlarge a figure who was already a spiritual and mental guide to a champion like Sugar Ray himself.

The conversation then shifted to a crossover many athletes eye: a transition into professional wrestling. Given wrestling’s history of embracing former legitimate fighters (like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ronda Rousey), Leonard was asked to nominate a modern boxer who could make the jump “seamlessly.”

It was a tough question for the Hall of Famer, who couldn’t settle on one name, but his answer revealed a surprising personal connection to the grappling world.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know, you know?” Leonard admitted. He then offered a small, surprising detail about his own athletic path. “I wrestled before I started boxing but I kind of tore my rotator cuff, but I love all sports!”

The anecdote serves as a reminder that the skills of combat sports athletes are often transferable, and Leonard himself walked that path, if only briefly. While he didn’t name a modern heir to the crossover throne, Leonard’s openness to the idea and his personal history with wrestling underscores the appreciation legendary boxers have for the spectacle and athleticism of the squared circle. The love of the sport, Leonard affirms, is universal.