Donny Lalonde (born March 12, 1960) is a retired professional
boxer.
His nickname is "Golden Boy," after the Golden Boy statue atop the Manitoba Legislative Building in his boxing home town of Winnipeg.
1977
He defeated McDonald even though he had a smashed middle knuckle on his right hand and was recovering from surgery on his left shoulder, which he first separated when he crashed into the boards while playing hockey in 1977.
Over the years, the shoulder had separated some thirty times and had become so loose that he was able to pop it back into socket himself.
To prepare for his fight with McDonald, he underwent an operation in which doctors inserted a pin to bind the joint, which severely restricted his ability to raise his left arm.
It affected Lalonde's style: He would paw with his left, looking to set up his powerful right.
1980
Lalonde had an amateur record of 11-4 and turned professional in 1980.
1981
Lalonde won his first four fights and then lost a six-round decision to Wilbert "Vampire" Johnson in March 1981.
They had a rematch seven months later, which Lalonde won by a second-round knockout.
1983
In 1983, Lalonde won the Canadian Light Heavyweight Championship, knocking out Roddie McDonald in ten rounds.
1985
In 1985, with a record of 19-1, Lalonde fought Willie Edwards for the NABF Light Heavyweight Championship.
Edwards stopped Lalonde in nine rounds.
At the end of 1985, Lalonde hired Dave Wolf as his manager and Teddy Atlas as his trainer.
Lalonde went 8-0 with Atlas as his trainer, but they clashed in temperament and style.
He and Atlas parted ways, and Lalonde hired Tommy Gallagher and Bobby Cassidy as his new trainers.
1987
Lalonde held the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship from 1987 to 1988.
Lalonde was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
He got into boxing "to try to reestablish self-esteem, respect, pride," he said.
"Boxing is a way of doing that."
In his first fight with Gallagher and Cassidy, he outpointed Mustafa Hamsho on May 7, 1987.
His next fight was for a world title.
On November 27, 1987, Lalonde knocked out Eddie Davis in two rounds to win the vacant WBC Light Heavyweight Championship in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
His first title defense was also in Port of Spain.
1988
On May 29, 1988, he knocked out former WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Leslie Stewart in five rounds.
On November 7, 1988, Lalonde fought Sugar Ray Leonard at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was by far the biggest fight of his career.
Lalonde's purse was six million dollars.
They fought for Lalonde's WBC Light Heavyweight Championship and the newly created WBC Super Middleweight Championship, which meant that Lalonde had to make 168 lbs.
Some were concerned that moving down from the light heavyweight limit of 175 lbs would weaken Lalonde, but he told HBO's Larry Merchant after the fight that he had no trouble making weight, and he felt great on the night of the fight.
Lalonde's size and awkwardness troubled Leonard.
In the fourth round, a right hand to the top of Leonard's head dropped him for just the second time in his career.
Early in the ninth, Lalonde hurt Leonard with a right to the chin.
Leonard fired back and hurt Lalonde with a right.
He drove him to the ropes and unleashed a furious assault.
Lalonde tried to tie up Leonard, but got dropped with a powerful left hook.
He rose but was soon down again, and the fight was stopped.
Leonard won his fourth and fifth world titles.
1989
After Leonard vacated the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship, Lalonde was scheduled to fight Dennis Andries for the title on June 24, 1989 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Shortly before the fight, Lalonde shocked many by retiring.
