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Leading the Fight Against Diabetes
According to the latest research, more of us than ever before are currently living with diabetes, while millions more around the globe are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The figures may be alarming, but it’s not all bad news. Understanding the preventative measures we can take to minimise our risk is a great start; however, raising awareness is crucial.
When tackling diabetes head-on, global brand ambassadors don’t get bigger or better than boxing legend and six-time world champion Sugar Ray Leonard who is making huge strides in the fight against diabetes.
Having learned to box at just 14, Leonard’s celebrated career includes three National Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and the 1975 Pan-American Games crown. After winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Olympic games, he turned professional with his blinding speed, tremendous power and palpable charm quickly making him a media favourite, dubbed the “new Muhammed Ali.”
At the age of 20, Leonard won his first professional fight and went on to defeat some of the greatest boxers of the modern era, from Wilfred Benetiz to Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, from whom Leonard won the world middleweight title. During his 20-year professional career, Leonard also won world titles in the welterweight, junior middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight divisions— the first boxer to win world titles in five different weight classes.
Alongside his wife, Bernadette, Leonard established The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation in 2009, which is committed to funding research and care for paediatric type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By encouraging children to lead healthier lives through diet and exercise, Leonard hopes to prevent others from going through the struggles he witnessed his dad and friends endure through complications with the disease. Drawing from his personal experience and boxing career, Leonard is committed to turning the tide on the global obesity epidemic and improving the lives of youngsters around the world.
For more information on the Foundation and its vital work, visit, www.sugarrayleonardfdn.org.
To learn more about diabetes, visit www.diabetes.org.uk.