Sugar Ray Leonard's first ex-wife, Juanita Wilkinson: Everything we know about her

Juanita Wilkinson is the first ex-wife of boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. She married Leonard in January 1980 and divorced him a decade later in 1990. Since then, she has lived an extremely private life. Juanita is still alive, though she rarely appears in public. She later became engaged to singer Peabo Bryson, though they never married, and went on to wed former MLB outfielder Otis Nixon before the pair eventually separated.

Key takeaways

• Juanita Wilkinson married Sugar Ray Leonard on 19 January 1980 in Landover, Maryland.
• The couple divorced in 1990 after ten years together and have two sons: Ray Leonard Jr. and Jarrel Leonard.
• Juanita was engaged to R&B star Peabo Bryson in the early 1990s, but they never married.
• She later married former Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon around 1992–1993; that marriage also ended in divorce.
• She is believed to be currently single and lives quietly, likely in Maryland.

Profile summary

Full name	Juanita Wilkinson
Date of birth	Reportedly 8 April 1963 (unverified)
Age	Reportedly 63 as of 2026 (unverified)
Place of birth	Prince George's County, Maryland, USA
Nationality	American
Profession	Unknown
Relationship status	Believed to be single
Children	Ray Leonard Jr., Jarrel Leonard
Ex-husbands	Sugar Ray Leonard (1980–1990), Otis Nixon (~1992–1993)

Where is Juanita Wilkinson from?

Juanita Wilkinson was raised in Prince George's County, Maryland. Little else is publicly known about her early life. She keeps her upbringing, family background, and education firmly out of the public eye.

She met Sugar Ray Leonard in the county where they both grew up. The two became a couple while Leonard was rising through the amateur boxing ranks.

How old is Juanita Wilkinson?

Her exact age is not publicly confirmed. One unverified source places her date of birth on 8 April 1963, which would make her approximately 63 years old in 2026.

Juanita Wilkinson and Sugar Ray Leonard wed on 19 January 1980, in a ceremony in Landover, Maryland. They had two sons together: Ray Leonard Jr. and Jarrel Leonard.

The marriage became strained amid Leonard's boxing career, and Juanita later alleged physical abuse linked to alcohol and substance use. Leonard disputed the severity of those claims. The couple divorced in 1990 after a decade together.

Leonard would later reflect on his first marriage and his post-retirement struggles during the 1980s. He said:

"I stand here ashamed, hurt... I stand here and think about my parents, my ex-wife, kids and the fans who stood behind me not knowing what I went through for three years. All I can do is say I'm sorry, and that's not enough."

Their marriage had coincided with one of the most celebrated periods in boxing history. Leonard won multiple world titles across five weight classes during the 1980s.

Children

Juanita shares two sons with her ex-husband Leonard: Ray Charles Leonard Jr. (born in 1973) and Jarrel Leonard (born in 1984).

Ray Leonard Jr

Ray Leonard Jr. did not follow his father into the boxing ring. He built a career in business and motivational speaking. He is co-founder of Nobody Studios and has served as CEO of Ovationz, a talent marketplace connecting businesses with speakers, athletes, and artists. He also founded and sold his own sports agency earlier in his career.

Ray Jr. speaks publicly on leadership, overcoming adversity, and personal growth. He draws openly on the lessons of growing up in a high-profile family.

Jarrel Leonard

Jarrel Leonard, Juanita's younger son with Sugar Ray, maintains a low public profile. He has not pursued a career in sport or entertainment.

Who is Juanita Wilkinson married to now?

Juanita is believed to be currently single. She has had two known relationships since her divorce from Sugar Ray Leonard.

Juanita Wilkinson and Peabo Bryson

In the early 1990s, Juanita became engaged to Peabo Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B and soul singer known for recording Disney theme songs. The engagement attracted media attention at the time.

They never married. The engagement ended before any wedding took place. Bryson later went on to marry other partners.

Juanita Wilkinson and Otis Nixon

Juanita next married Otis Nixon, a former outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, in a ceremony reported to have taken place in Jamaica around 1992 or 1993. The couple did not have children together.

That marriage also ended in divorce. Nixon later married again, and Juanita retreated further from public life.

Juanita Wilkinson today - is she still alive?

Yes, Juanita Wilkinson is still alive. There are no reports of her death. As of 2026, she is believed to be living quietly in the United States, most likely in Maryland. She gives no interviews and does not maintain a public social media presence.

Her exact age is not confirmed by any authoritative source. One unverified report places her date of birth on 8 April 1963, which would make her approximately 63 years old in 2026.

Sugar Ray Leonard: career, net worth, and retirement

Sugar Ray is widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, winning world titles in five weight divisions and captivating the world during the 1980s "Four Kings" era. He is an Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer. After retiring, he became a successful television analyst, author, and philanthropist.

What is Sugar Ray's net worth?

Celebrity Net Worth estimates the legendary boxer is worth around $100 million as of 2026. Other entertainment sources value him at around $120 million. His wealth comes from his boxing career, which generated enormous purses across five world championship reigns, endorsement deals, television work, and business ventures.

Leonard was one of the highest-earning boxers of the 1980s. His fights against Marvin Hagler, Roberto Durán, and Thomas Hearns drew massive pay-per-view audiences.

Why did Sugar Ray retire?

Leonard retired from boxing five separate times throughout his career. His final retirement was in 1997 after suffering a detached retina. His last fight was a defeat to Héctor Camacho in 1997, after which he did not fight again.

The detached retina injury had first surfaced in the early 1980s, making his later comeback bouts medically controversial at the time.

Sugar Ray Leonard's second wife

After his divorce from Juanita, Leonard married Bernadette Anderson in 1993. They remain married and have two children together, a son and a daughter.

FAQ

• Is Juanita Wilkinson still alive? Yes. As of 2026, Juanita is still alive. She lives privately in the United States and does not appear in the media.
• Who is Juanita Wilkinson married to now? Juanita Wilkinson is believed to be currently single. Her last known marriage was to former baseball player Otis Nixon in the early 1990s, which ended in divorce.
• Was Peabo Bryson ever married to Sugar Ray Leonard's ex-wife? No. Juanita Wilkinson and Peabo Bryson were engaged in the early 1990s, but they never married. The engagement ended before any wedding.
• Who did Sugar Ray Leonard's ex-wife marry? After divorcing Sugar Ray Leonard in 1990, Juanita Wilkinson was engaged to singer Peabo Bryson and later married former Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon around 1992–1993. That marriage also ended in divorce.
• What is Juanita Wilkinson's net worth? Her exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. She received a divorce settlement from Sugar Ray Leonard in 1990, but the terms were not made public.
• How rich is Sugar Ray Leonard? The legendary boxer is worth approximately $100 million, accumulated through his boxing career, endorsements, television work, and business ventures.
• What does Ray Leonard Jr. do? Ray Leonard Jr. is an entrepreneur and motivational speaker. He co-founded Nobody Studios and served as CEO of Ovationz, a talent marketplace. He also previously founded and sold a sports agency.

Juanita Wilkinson returned to living away from the media’s prying eyes after divorcing her then-husband, Sugar Ray Leonard. Their relationship is rumoured to have continued after the divorce was finalised, but it is unknown if this is still the case today.

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Source: Briefly News