Everyone knows about
Tyson
Mayweather
Ali
But few really talk about the greatest fighter to have ever lived
Tyson
Mayweather
Ali
But few really talk about the greatest fighter to have ever lived
This right here is Walker Smith Junior
but he made his name in and out of the ring as
Sugar Ray Robinson.
Let's talk about some of the fine achievements of this Great Man
but he made his name in and out of the ring as
Sugar Ray Robinson.
Let's talk about some of the fine achievements of this Great Man
Sugar Ray came from a very poor background in Georgia, USA.
He described it as "black bottom" because in Ray's words
“Black because that’s what we were and bottom because that’s where we were at”.
He described it as "black bottom" because in Ray's words
“Black because that’s what we were and bottom because that’s where we were at”.
He inherited his name after he borrowed a membership card from another fighter named Ray Robinson in order to compete in a boxing contest.
From that point on, everyone knew him as Ray Robinson.
From that point on, everyone knew him as Ray Robinson.
Robinson was a natural fighter who became an instant sensation after his first fight at the age of 15.
He accumulated a staggering amateur record of 85 wins, no losses, with 69 wins coming by way of knockout.
Of those knockouts, 40 were made in the first round.
He accumulated a staggering amateur record of 85 wins, no losses, with 69 wins coming by way of knockout.
Of those knockouts, 40 were made in the first round.
Sugar Ray Robinson was the complete fighter and stylistically he was known as a boxer puncher.
He could box his way to a comfortable decision victory, or come out brawling and knock out his opponent in the early rounds.
He could box his way to a comfortable decision victory, or come out brawling and knock out his opponent in the early rounds.
Robinson is commonly known as the greatest prize fighter to have ever lived.
So much so, that the prestigious term “pound for pound” was invented by boxing journalists to highlight his achievements in the ring.
So much so, that the prestigious term “pound for pound” was invented by boxing journalists to highlight his achievements in the ring.
Even though Muhammad Ali is the commonly known as the best boxer of all time, Ali’s rhythmic style of boxing was emulated after Sugar Ray Robinson.
“Rhythm is everything in boxing.” - Sugar Ray Robinson
“Rhythm is everything in boxing.” - Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray’s incredible professional career spanned 25 years. In that time, he accumulated an insane record of 173 Wins, 19 losses, 6 draws and 108 KOs.
Just to give you some perspective, Robinson had more knockouts in his career than modern day boxers have fights.
Just to give you some perspective, Robinson had more knockouts in his career than modern day boxers have fights.
Robinson had more than double the knockouts than Floyd Mayweather (50-0) had fights.
In the prime of his career after his first loss to Jake LaMotta, Ray went on an astonishing winning streak of 93-0. That number will never be surpassed.
In the prime of his career after his first loss to Jake LaMotta, Ray went on an astonishing winning streak of 93-0. That number will never be surpassed.
For me, the thing that makes Sugar Ray Robinson the greatest prize fighter that ever lived isn’t just his phenomenal record.
It is the context in which that record was earned.
It is the context in which that record was earned.
Sugar Ray didn’t just accumulate an insane number of victories and knockouts.
He avenged most of his losses and never got knocked out.
He avenged most of his losses and never got knocked out.
The only TKO loss on his record occurred when he suffered a heatstroke in a fight he was comfortably winning when he fought for the Light heavyweight title against Joey Maxim.
That night, the temperature at Yankee Stadium was a scorching 103 F that even the referee fainted mid fight and had to be replaced.
Another important feature of a great fighter’s career are the notable rivalries he had. In addition to his astounding record, Ray had a number of tough rivalries. The most notable one is his 6 fight series against the Bronx Bull, Jake Lamotta.
While Lamotta defeated Ray in their first bout, Ray went on to beat Lamotta 5 times.
After the first fight with Lamotta, Ray avenged the loss only 3 weeks later. That’s not even the crazy part....
After the first fight with Lamotta, Ray avenged the loss only 3 weeks later. That’s not even the crazy part....
In order to prepare himself for their first rematch, Ray took on a “tune up” fight just two weeks after losing to Lamotta, and then took the rematch a week after that.
These days, it takes a minimum of 4-6 months before a rematch takes place.
These days, it takes a minimum of 4-6 months before a rematch takes place.
Ray’s greatest moments came when he faced contenders Gene Fulmer and Carmen Basilio for the middleweight championship of the world.
At that time of his career, Ray was already past his prime.
At that time of his career, Ray was already past his prime.
He had taken a 3 year retirement to pursue professional dancing and while he stayed in shape during that time, the training was no way near as grueling as training for a fight.
It took Ray just 7 fights after his retirement to reclaim the middleweight title for the third time in his career.
Ray went on to lose his title to Gene Fulmer in their first meeting and then reclaim the title for the fourth time by knocking out Fulmer with a spectacular left hook in the rematch.
At this point, Ray’s record was a spectacular 140 wins 5 losses and 2 draws. If he had decided to retire at that point, no one would’ve argued. He was already a legend.
Instead, he did the opposite and gave Carmen Basilio a shot at the title.
At this point, Basilio was in the prime of his career, a young hungry lion going for a shot at the middleweight champ.
At this point, Basilio was in the prime of his career, a young hungry lion going for a shot at the middleweight champ.
Basilio won a decision over Robinson in their first fight which went a grueling 15 rounds.
In the rematch, even though both fighters were sluggish, Ray managed to bust up Basilio and win a decision to reclaim the middleweight title for the fifth and final time in his career.
In the rematch, even though both fighters were sluggish, Ray managed to bust up Basilio and win a decision to reclaim the middleweight title for the fifth and final time in his career.
After the rematch with Basilio, Ray was noticeably on his way down.
His athleticism, power and punch resistance were all gone and he became a “shot” fighter. He would go on fighting lower level competition in small venues for tiny purses of $1000.
His athleticism, power and punch resistance were all gone and he became a “shot” fighter. He would go on fighting lower level competition in small venues for tiny purses of $1000.
Eventually, his body couldn’t handle it anymore and he retired from the sport at age 43.
Ray Robinson fought until the very end and never gave up.
Ray Robinson fought until the very end and never gave up.
Even though he lost a lot of fights in the final year of his career, he never got knocked out.
Sadly, it is this very fighting spirit which most likely gave him Alzeimers disease and took his life prematurely.
He died at the age of 67.
Sadly, it is this very fighting spirit which most likely gave him Alzeimers disease and took his life prematurely.
He died at the age of 67.
If you enjoyed this thread, please show some homage to the late, great Sugar Ray Robinson and RT the first tweet in his memory
