Sugar Ray Seales

I'd like to see some of his fights on film. Good enough to give a young Hagler two close fights. The only footage I've seem of him was getting obliterated by Hagler in the rubber match. Has to go down as one of Hagler's brutal best.

 

Difficult one to rate mate. A great amateur career, with solid fundamentals, but perhaps not quite put out to make it to the top as a pro. Changed styles midway through career as was looking second best against some of the better men like Hagler and Minter. The more aggressive style didn't really suit him and he ended up losing against other good men like Hart and Harris. Still, his draw with Hagler means a lot (everyone at ringside had it very close, most with slight edge to Marvin), Minter really does a good job on him though. Arguably Alan's best performance save Vito II. Overall, Seales might just make an American middleweight top 10 of the 1970s at best and will go down as a wasted talent.

 

Sugar ray Seales was the only Boxer to win a gold medal at the '72 Olympics. A good fighter & contender in the 70's. In 1980 Seales had a bad retinal tear and was forced to retire from Boxing. Tough fighter who always gave his best, Win or Lose.

 

correction...yes he did have a retinal tear in 1980 but he didnt retire in that year...he actually fought for 3 more years afterwards and was forced out when someone discovered during sparring that he could barely see the punches coming..what was more amazing is that he only lost one fight in that period and that was only by decision

 

The only time I remember seeing him fight, was when he was the only olympic gold medalist in boxing for the USA in 1972.Tall and lanky, southpaw I believe,he looked very promising.I read where he was poorly manged,and didn't make in his whole career,what 1976 gold medalist Ray Leonard made in his first pro fight.In Howard Cosell's book (I Never Played The Game),he writes of Seales plight.Totally unreal,how he is fighting,can't see,and yet keeps getting a license to fight.Very trajic story.I don't remember watching Seales as a pro.

 

I remember reading that he'd learnt the reading chart in order to pass the eyesight test.

 

The Minter one's readily available, Hagler III too, and there's one more i've seen but I can't recall. It could have been a fairly late one. But I imagine there's a few more. Raging Bull's your man here.

 

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My buddy Doug Demmings thought he had him in the 11th round of their go but Seales hung on and then took the twelve and the decision. You have to place Seales as a decent lower end top ten during the strongest part of his career, imo.