Champ in ring with Waikato youth

Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. Photo / Brett Phibbs

American boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard is to fight for Waikato youth after a chance meeting with a Ngaruawahia school teacher on a service station forecourt.

Teacher Leah Crawford saw Leonard at the Ngaruawahia BP and asked the five-time world title winner if he would help with her project to alleviate problems facing young people. He agreed and will visit today.

Leonard will give a motivational talk to hundreds of the region's students, and will also speak at a charity dinner and have lunch with Maori King Tuheitia.

Leonard is in Queenstown for its Winter Festival, where he was guest of honour at Sunday night's Thriller in the Chiller fight night.

- NZPA