Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife, Bernadette Robi, have been together for over thirty years. However, he had a short-lived marriage with his first wife, Juanita Wilkinson.
The legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard has not only enjoyed success in the ring but also in his personal life, thanks to his long-lasting relationship with his wife, Bernadette Robi.
However, Leonard has had his own share of highs and lows in relationships. He did have a failed marriage before tying the knot with Bernadette.
Leonard was once married to his first wife, Juanita Wilkinson. The former couple’s relationship began in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they grew up.
After crossing paths, they quickly fell in love. Despite their young age, the former couple decided to take the next step in their relationship.
Leonard and Juanita married in January 1980 after dating since high school. At the time, Leonard was on the brink of becoming a promising boxer.
The former couple already had their first child, a son, Ray Leonard Jr, when they were teenagers before their marriage. Reportedly, their then-six-year-old son was the ring bearer in their marriage.
Eventually, they extended their family of three to four with the arrival of another son, Jarrel Leonard.
However, high school sweethearts Leonard and Juanita had a short-lived marriage.
By the late 1980s, their relationship had turned sour, and they divorced in 1990 after a decade of marriage.
Juanita later testified that Leonard physically abused her because of alcohol and drug abuse, which he didn’t deny.
Following their divorce, Juanita moved on and married former basketball player Otis Nixon in 1993. However, some reports suggest they have already parted ways. Since she lives a private life away from the limelight, the rumors are yet to be confirmed.
On the other hand, Leonard found home again with Bernadette Robi, an accomplished actress, activist, and former model.
Sugar Ray Leonard’s Wife, Bernadette Robi, Was Previously Married to Lynn Swann!
Reportedly, a saxophonist, Kenny G, introduced Leonard to Bernadette Robi at a Luther Vandross concert in 1989, and they have been together ever since.
Their meeting was nothing short of destined, as both were mesmerized by each other’s presence at the very first meeting.
During the time, Bernadette was making her mark as a model while Leonard had already become a household name.
Bernadette was born into a musical household. Her father, Paul Irvin Robi, was a member of the famous singing group The Platters.
The couple married on August 20, 1993, at the former boxer’s $8.7 million property in Pacific Palisades, California.
Their marriage was nothing but extravagant as they converted the estate’s ground into a legit garden with 10,000 flowers.
Together, they founded the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Not to forget, like Leonard, their union was also her second marriage, as she was previously married to Lynn Swann.
The former couple, Bernadette and Lynn, tied the knot on June 10, 1970. After 13 years, they divorced in 1983.
Even after more than thirty years of marriage, Leonard still feels butterflies and deep gratitude for the blessing of meeting Bernadette.
On their 30th wedding anniversary, the boxer took to his Instagram to celebrate their blissful togetherness, writing:
A great night celebrating 30 years of marriage ❤️ I love you!
Sugar Ray Leonard
Leonard and Bernadette, a married couple of 31 years, have two children, Camille and Daniel Leonard.
Daniel has followed in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather. He is a musician and part of DMG Record Label, a Grammy-winning producer collective.
Whereas his daughter, Camille, is a businesswoman and founder of Born Indigo Fragrance.
Leonard gave a shout-out to his daughter on International Women’s Day, writing:
Today I want to honor my incredible daughter @camillegleonard for building such an incredible company, @bornindigofragrance I am so proud of you Camille! Not only for how you handle business, but also how you treat everyone with such kindness. Your candles make me smile
In Case You Didn’t Know
- The legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is the godfather of Khloe Kardashian, given the fact that he has appeared on several episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
- Leonard published his autobiography “The Big Fight: My Life in and out of the Ring” in June 2011.
- He retired from the arena with a 36-3-1 record with 25 knockouts.
