"Sugar" Ray Seales was the only American boxer to win a gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

Ray Seales (b. 1952) was born in the Virgin Islands, where his father, who boxed in the U.S. Army, was stationed. The family moved to Tacoma in 1965, where Seales was coached by Joe Clough at at the Tacoma Boys Club. Seales qualified for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, but at age 16 was too young to compete. In the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Seales won all five of his matches, winning gold in the light-welterweight division. Afterwards, Seales had a long professinoal boxing career, retiring in 1983 after nearly losing his sight. He then worked for 17 years with special needs high school students in Tacoma before moving to Indianapolis, where, as of 2018, he coaches young boxers.

This photo shows Sugar Ray Seales sitting on a couch with his mother, Belencita, who is admiring his gold medal. Belencita Seales was noted in the press for her exuberant support of her son during his fights, her voice carrying over the cheers of the spectators as she shouted encouragement.

Caption information source: "Through ups and downs, Tacoma boxing legend Sugar Ray Seales still golden," Seattle Times, October 28, 2018, retrieved at https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/through-ups-and-downs-tacoma-boxing-legend-sugar-ray-seales-still-golden