Donny Lalonde

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Donny Lalonde (born March 12, 1960 in Victoria, British Columbia) is a professional boxer from Winnipeg, Canada. His nickname is "Golden Boy" after the Golden Boy statue atop the Manitoba Legislative Building of his home town of Winnipeg.

A victim of child abuse while growing up, he won the vacant WBC light heavyweight title in November 1987, stopping Eddie Davis in two rounds in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. After defending the title once, against former champ Leslie Stewart, by fifth-round TKO in May 1988 (also in Trinidad), it was on to the 'big time' in Las Vegas, facing boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard in November of that year. Lalonde shocked many, even himself, as he floored Leonard in the early going, but Leonard came back to wear down the Canadian and brutally stop him in the ninth round.

Lalonde continued to fight, but challenged for a world title only once more, losing a decision to Bobby Czyz in May 1992 for the WBA cruiserweight title. His only other 'big-name' opponent was North Dakota's Virgil Hill, whom he fought in July 2003. Hill, however, won a 10-round decision in the Manitoba-North Dakota 'international border match'. Whether Lalonde fights again is yet to be seen.