Sugar Ray Leonard to be Honored at LA Sports & Entertainment Commission’s 8th Annual Golf Classic at The Riviera Country Club

LOS ANGELES - Sugar Ray Leonard, one of the most successful and respected sports icons of our time, will be honored by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC) at its 8th Annual Golf Classic at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades on Monday, May 14.

Leonard, known for his illustrious boxing career, will be presented with the prestigious LASEC Sports & Entertainment Ambassador Award of Excellence in honor of his many accomplishments in sports and in the community. He will receive the LASEC award during the reception and dinner festivities following the completion of the golf tournament.

According to the LASEC President Kathy Schloessman, “We are thrilled to be honoring Sugar Ray Leonard at our event. He has been a tremendous inspiration to so many people with his talent and charisma. He is a wonderful ambassador for the City of Los Angeles.”

A world title holder in five different weight classes, Leonard’s boxing career began at the age of 14. His career includes three National Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and the 1975 Pan-American Games crown. In addition, Leonard won a gold medal in the 1976 Olympic games. As a professional, Leonard has been touted by Howard Cosell as the “new Muhammad Ali,” by defeating boxers Wilfred Benetiz, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler.

Sugar Ray Leonard has also enjoyed a successful career as a television broadcaster for NBC, ABC, HBO and ESPN. Leonard has also been recognized as a host for the critically acclaimed ESPN show The Contender.

Leonard continues to inspire the community and major corporations with his “POWER” (Prepare, Overcome, and Win Every Round) speech. For many years he has been devoted to the community through his involvement as the international chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure.

A limited number of spaces are still available for players still interested in participating in the tournament, which will be a scramble format. Sponsorships start at $2,500 for an individual player, $9,000 for a team foursome and corporate sponsorships are $13,500. The day at The Riviera includes golf clinics and contests, lunch, the tournament, a reception and buffet dinner, silent auction and awards and trophy presentations.

Net proceeds benefit LASEC, a private, nonprofit organization and an affiliate of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Companies already confirmed to take part in the Classic are the following: American Airlines, American Express, Bank of America, Bingham Legg Advisors, Delta Air Lines, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, First American Title Insurance Company, FSN West, Gold Graphics, Hudson Capital LLC, JetDirect Aviation, LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, LA Memorial Coliseum, Longo Toyota/Scion/Lexus, Majestic Realty, Occidental Petroleum Corp, Sprint, Stone Canyon Entertainment Group, Wasserman Foundation, Western Asset Management, Wolfgang Puck Catering and Young’s Market Company.

LASEC is the official organization for the City of Los Angeles to seek, host, promote and retain major sporting and entertainment events that positively impact the local economy by attracting visitors to the city, giving them a reason to stay longer and return more frequently.