Olympic Games inspired Church’s boxing career. After starting boxing at an early age, the sport has been a continuous part of Leonard Church’s life. Church was born on August 31. 1956 in Lorain, Ohio, and he graduate from Admiral King High School. He also attended Lorain Community College. While watching the United States boxing team in the 1976 Olympic Games, Church was inspired to train harder in the hopes of making the 1980 Olympic Team. Making achievements in is amateur boxing career, Church won he Indiana Golden Gloves and the Indiana Black Expo Championships in 1978 and 1979: he won the Cleveland Area Golden Gloves in 1979. In 1980, Church advanced to the National Golden Gloves Tournament and the National AAU Tournament. He later traveled t Greensboro, N.C. to compete and qualify for the 1980 Olympic Team. Unfortunately for Church, President Jimmy Carter ordered the U.S. to boycott 1980 Olympic Games in Russia. As a consequence, Church had his firs professional fight in which he recorded a 1st round K.O. win against Mike Norman on September 30, 1980 in Lorain.

Church signed with Muhammad Ali Professional Sports, and he had is second professional fight on the undercard of the WBC Lightheavyweight Championship bout headlined by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. On that card, Church beat Danny Cruz. With a winning record, on August 20, 1982, Church fought and defeated the Dominican Champion, Fernandez Ortiz. Church ended his professional boxing career with an impressive record of 15-3. His amateur record is 125 fights with 13 losses.

Church was trained, promoted and managed by boxing legend Muhammad Ali Professional Sports, Monarch Boxing (Don/Carl King)/TKO Productions -Richie/ Bobby Giachetti, Slim Robinson, Archie Moore, Jimmy Moon, Julio Ruiz, Aaron Snowell, and Dr. Fleming Mosley. Church is presently involved with boxing as an official and trainer and is registered with the Unites States Amateur Boxing, Inc. Church’s dedicated work ethic in boxing continued throughout his life as he is self-employed as a vendor. He is the father of a daughter and a son, and he has three grandchildren.