Boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard will be a special guest at this year's Queenstown Winter Festival charity boxing event.
Leonard, a six-time former world champion, will address the crowd before taking a ringside seat at the inaugural "Thriller in the Chiller" at the Queenstown Events Centre on June 27.
Leonard (54) was the first boxer to earn more than US$100 million in purses and won world titles in five weight divisions against the likes of Wilfred Benítez, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler.
He was named boxer of the decade for the 1980s, and finished with a record of 40 fights, 36 wins (25 by KO), three losses and a draw after several retirements and comebacks.
Leonard will donate an item for an auction during the event, with proceeds going to the Bruce Grant Youth Trust.
Festival director Simon Green said he was "absolutely delighted" to have secured the American star, especially because Leonard's tight schedule allowed him to spend only one night in Queenstown.
"This is a real feat for Winter Festival to secure someone as revered as Sugar Ray Leonard to be a part of our inaugural charity boxing event," Green said.
"Our boxers are going to be so excited and honoured to have Sugar Ray in the audience for their bouts."
Ten three-round bouts are programmed for the evening, including a celebrity match-up between Lotto presenter Russell Harrison and former Kiwis rugby league forward Tawera Nikau.
