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SUGAR RAY LEONARD FOUNDATION 12TH ANNUAL
‘BIG FIGHTERS, BIG CAUSE’ CHARITY BOXING NIGHT PRESENTED BY B. RILEY
SECURITIES
RAISES $500,000 TO HELP TREAT TYPE 1 & 2
DIABETES
ANTHONY ANDERSON HONORED WITH THE 2023
GOLDEN GLOVE AWARD
ACTION-PACKED EVENING FEATURED FOUR
GOLDEN BOY FIGHTS,
INCLUDING KAREEM HACKETT VS. CHRISTIAN THOMAS IN
THE MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES, CA For
the 12th year, B.
Riley Securities presented
the Sugar
Ray Leonard Foundation "Big
Fighters, Big Cause" Charity
Boxing Night on
Wednesday, May 24 at The Beverly Hilton. Actor Chris
Spencer hosted
the exclusive star-studded event which featured first-class
entertainment, a National Anthem performance by emerging
pop/R&B singer Gabby
Samone, four
action-packed live fights presented by Golden
Boy Promotions, and
a live and silent auction display featuring iconic
memorabilia and one-of-a-kind items and experiences.
The evening also
honored Emmy® and Golden Globe®-nominated actor Anthony
Anderson with
the 2023
Golden Glove Award,
recognizing his commitment to raising awareness for
diabetes. Anderson is an advocate for diabetes awareness and
a spokesperson for the “Get Real About Diabetes” campaign.
Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he is active in his
community and a champion of the cause.
While accepting
the award on stage, Anderson said, “Ray, thank you very much
for giving me this honor. I appreciate what you and your
lovely wife Bernadette have been doing for the last 12 years
bringing awareness to pediatric diabetes. I’m a type 2
diabetic myself and I really appreciate that your Foundation
is there to fight this disease for the children of our
community.”
The event raised
$500,000, with proceeds benefiting the Sugar Ray Leonard
Foundation’s mission to fund life-changing research, care
and awareness for pediatric type 1 and 2 diabetes, and to
help children live healthier lives through diet and
exercise.
Among the other
celebrity guests in attendance, the Foundation welcomed Sugar
Ray Leonard and Bernadette
Leonard, Michael
Buffer, Brooke
Burke, Cedric
the Entertainer, Johnny
Gill, Berry
Gordy, Kathy
and Richard Hilton, Lil
Rel Howery, LL
Cool J, Jimmy
Jam, Ellen
K, Mario
Lopez, Sergio
Mora, Sugar
Shane Mosley, Rodney
Peete, Holly
Robinson Peete, Kalis
Reis, Smokey
Robinson, Gabby
Samone, Robert
Shapiro, Ali
Siddiq, Chris
Spencer, Mia
St. John and David
Winfield,
among others.
The live fights
presented by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions
featured a six-round light heavyweight match. Kareem Hackett
(11-0, 6 KOs) secured a fifth-round knockout against
Christian “Liger” Thomas (11-3, 9 KOs). In a jaw-dropping
four-round lightweight co-main event, Daniel “Ikaika” Luna
(2-0, 2 KO) defeated Jonathan Teofilo (0-1-1) via
second-round knockout. Also on the card in a four-round
super welterweight was Fabian Guzman (2-0, 2 KO) of Orange,
CA who defeated Rahiem Cooke (1-5) via second-round
knockout. Opening up the action was a four-round super
bantamweight fight between Juan Carlos Gonsales (2-0, 1 KO)
of Los Angeles and Jonathan Tejeda (0-5) of Mexico City. The
fight also went the distance with judges scoring the bout
unanimously in favor of Gonsales with scores of 40-36, which
started off the night of boxing with all-out-action for the
guest in attendance.
Nick
Jonas’ Villa One was the exclusive tequila sponsor of the
evening. Guests were treated to Villa One’s award-winning
expressions of tequila in specialty craft cocktails
including the “Sucker Punsche” made with Villa One Silver
and “Fancy Footwork” made with Villa One Añejo. Guests also
sipped on the tequila served neat – enjoying the unique
flavor Villa One provides thanks to a blend of agave from
the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico. Villa
One was served across all bars at the event as well as at
the VIP Villa One Cocktail Bar.
The event took
place during B. Riley Securities’ 22nd Annual
Institutional Investor Conference, a two-day premier
investment and networking event which brings together public
and private companies with institutional investors, high-net
worth individuals, and corporate clients, as well as select
members of the press. Conference attendees also joined the
Charity Boxing Night.
About Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation
The Sugar Ray
Leonard Foundation was established in 2009 by boxing legend
and six-time world champion Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife,
Bernadette. The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation is committed to
funding research and care for pediatric type 1 & 2 diabetes
and creates awareness for both diseases. The Foundation also
strives to help children live healthier lives through diet
and exercise.
Type 1 diabetes
strikes both children and adults at any age. It comes on
suddenly, causes dependence on injected or pumped insulin
for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating
complications. Type 2 diabetes in children is on the rise,
fueled largely by the obesity epidemic.
Leonard draws from
his personal experience and boxing career to provide
inspiration for funding research to combat the disease. For
more information, visit www.sugarrayleonardfdn.org.
Follow on Instagram at @sugarrayleonard, Twitter
at @SugarRayLeonard and
Facebook at @SugarRayLeonard6.
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