“In Washington, D.C., during the 1970s, a black man could get into the newspapers in one of two ways: crime—or boxing.” Such begins the synopsis for boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard’s 2012 ...

In this Feb. 8, 1962, file photo, young fighter Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) is seen at City Parks Gym in New York. Dan Grossi AP “In Washington, D.C., during the 1970s, a black man could get into the ...