Sugar Ray Robinson

World Welterweight Champion 1946-1951
“Five Time” World Middleweight Champion

Pro Record 175-19-6 (109) with 2 no contests

Robinson set the standard to witch all fighters would aspire, regarded by most as the best fighter ever to grace the ring.

Born Walker Smith in Detroit on 3RD May 1951, and gained the ring-name Ray Robinson when he substituted for a fighter named Ray Robinson, devoid of the appropriate certification having failed to register with the authorities the young Smith would borrow the card of Ray Robinson. According to legend his manager often remarked on his style as being “Sweet as Sugar” with this his name was complete.

“Sugar” Ray Robinson had an impressive amateur career winning all but a few of his 89 bouts, 69 of which were knockouts, (40 in the first round). He turned professional in October 1940, having unparalleled success in his first year as a professional winning forty contests before loosing to the man he would face six times; Jake La Motta. (Robinson would go on to win the other five contests). Ray Robinson would astonishingly go on a 91 unbeaten streak from 1943 to 1951, in a feat that would bring him the welterweight title in 1946 followed by the middleweight title in 1951. Robinson defend his title against old foe La Motta again in an epic battle remembered as “St Valentine Days Massacre” in Chicago, this time Robinson stopped La Motta in the thirteenth in a memorable battle.

‘Sugar’ Ray was all to accustom to the good life displaying his wealth with a Pink Cadillac, expensive suits, a personal barber, tailor and even a shoe shiner where all part of his ever-growing entourage. This would take some financing and with opponents, fast running out Robinson signed a seven-fight deal in Europe, which would take place in the summer of 1951. The deal would include many exhibition contests ending with title defence against Englishman Randolph Turpin. The champion would underestimate the awkward Englishman, spending as much time partying as he did training resulting in Turpin winning round after round and getting the decision ending Robinsons long unbeaten streak. Turpin’s reign would be short lived, sixty-four days later in New York before 61,433 spectators; Robinson was behind in the contest but rallied in the tenth to force a stoppage and won back his title.

In 1952 Robinson made two defences of his middleweight crown, out-pointing Carl Olsen in March, followed by a third round knockout of Rocky Graziano in April. Two months later Robinson challenged for the light-heavyweight title against Joey Maxim in New York. Ahead on points, Robinson failed to come out for the fourteenth due to heat exhaustion, the atmosphere was so hot (in the excess of 100 degrees), the referee collapsed in the tenth round and had to be replaced.

Robinson announced his retirement not long after the fight, but financial obligations would lure him back to the ring in 1955, where he needed only two rounds to regained his old middleweight crown. He lost and regained his title twice more in terrific battles with Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basillo, and lost it for the final time in 1960 loosing a decision to Paul Pender in Boston, Massachusetts. Robinson failed on three occasions trying to regain various titles, and finally hung up his gloves on 10th December 1965.

Sugar Ray Robinson fought through the preface of close circuit TV earning him recognition thought the world, and became the first boxer to live the extravagant lifestyle of a celebrity. Between the ropes Robinson truly was a genius, the accomplishments he achieved have stood the stand of time; his statistics remain in many categories in the history books. In later life Robinson suffered from Alzheimer’s, and died on 12th April 1989.

Cristian Palmer