Suga meets Sugar Ray Leonard, the boxing legend behind his BTS stage name
BTS member Suga has finally come face to face with the boxing legend behind his stage name, Sugar Ray Leonard.
Leonard, the five-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist, shared a photo with Suga on Instagram on Thursday, Sept. 11, after attending BTS’ concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
In the photo, the two posed side by side with their fists raised, mirroring a boxer’s stance.
Article continues after this advertisement
“Still smiling from this unforgettable night in Los Angeles. Getting to meet SUGA of BTS was such a special moment,” Leonard wrote in the caption. He described the K-pop star as “kind, humble, and down-to-earth” and said watching BTS perform with his family made the night one they would not forget.
FEATURED STORIES
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
READ: BTS’ Jungkook hacking ringleader gets 20 years in prison
The two also exchanged signed memorabilia. Leonard gave Suga a pair of autographed boxing gloves, while Suga presented the boxing icon with a signed copy of his 2023 album “D-Day.”
The meeting came months after Suga revealed that Leonard was the inspiration behind his stage name.
In an April interview for WIRED’s Autocomplete Interview, Suga corrected the long-held explanation that “Suga” came from “shooting guard,” a basketball position he has been associated with because of his love for the sport.
Article continues after this advertisement
Suga said the name was suggested by HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk, who was a fan of boxing. He explained that Leonard’s name inspired “Suga” because of the boxer’s technical and precise fighting style, which Bang Si-hyuk associated with Suga’s skills as a rapper.
View this post on Instagram
The revelation eventually reached Leonard, who responded in an April Instagram post.
Article continues after this advertisement
“I’m grateful to know that ‘Sugar’ could inspire someone across the world in a completely different craft,” Leonard said. He added that the connection was about more than a name, citing “the work, the dedication, and the love for what you do.”
Leonard, now 70, is regarded as one of boxing’s all-time greats. He won Olympic gold in 1976 and went on to become a world champion in five weight divisions during his professional career. /ra
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.