35 Years Ago, Boxing Lost The Great Sugar Ray Robinson

In 1946, the year Robinson finally won the welterweight title, he fought 16 times. In 1947, he fought ten times. In 1948, he had somewhat of a quiet year, fighting five times, before fighting 13 times in 1949, and he fought on an astonishing 20 occasions in 1950. Ray fought 18 world champions and defeated ten hall-of-famers. The great fighters he defeated include Jake LaMotta, Henry Armstrong, Sammy Angott, Fritzie Zivic, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Randy Turpin, Rocky Graziano, and Bobo Olson.

The original ‘Sugar Ray’ was a revolutionary fighter during the ’40s and ’50s. He had his own style and made it work. He could do certain things in the ring unconventionally and have success. Robinson was simply too advanced for his time. He possessed magnificent all-around skills, terrific timing, quick feet, power in both hands, great jab, hand speed, ring IQ, strength, granite chin, heart, brilliant combination punching, stamina, and courage. Fluidity and power while throwing triple hooks with either hand. Great athleticism paired with great all-around boxing ability. The general consensus is clear: Sugar Ray Robinson is the most complete fighter ever in a boxing ring.

Robinson was vicious but graceful. He defied all limitations of boxing and was that rare breed of a fighter who was brutal but elegant. A.J. Liebling described Robinson as “the epitome of ring grace,” but he was also a chilling puncher with vicious power in both fists. Ray once said: “Rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that’s in rhythm, or you’re in trouble. Your rhythm should set the pace of the fight. If it does, then you penetrate your opponent’s rhythm. You make him fight your fight, and that’s what boxing is all about.”

After a brilliant amateur career in which he went undefeated in 85 fights with 69 knockouts (40 of those knockouts in the first round), winning two New York Golden Gloves championships along the way, he turned professional in 1940 at the age of 19. Over a career spanning a quarter of a century, from 1940 to 1965, Robinson recorded 174 victories, 19 losses, and six draws, with 109 knockouts. Robinson was welterweight world champion from 1946 to 1951, then became an unprecedented five-time middleweight world champion between 1951 and 1958.

The welterweight division is known for its rich history and amazing talent. “Barbados” Joe Walcott, Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Leonard, just to name a few of the legends to grace the 147 lbs division. The most accomplished of them all was Sugar Ray Robinson. There have been few fighters throughout history who were so utterly talented and special in their prime that they were considered unbeatable in any era of their optimal weight class. Roberto Duran’s reign of terror as world lightweight champion was devastating for all opponents. A prime Duran at 135 pounds was the ultimate fighting specimen. A peak Roy Jones Jr was dominant and simply unbeatable as a super-middleweight. Sugar Ray Robinson was untouchable as a welterweight. Then, in an equally historically revered division as a middleweight, he was competitive well beyond his prime against the roughest competition and cemented his place as one of the greatest middleweights ever.

Within 12 months of turning professional and after a mere 20 professional fights in 1941, Robinson had defeated Angott, an experienced 80-fight veteran who would become the best lightweight of his era. From the very start, Robinson was fighting frequently and fighting significant opposition. He proceeded to beat Angott twice more in his career. Four fights and two months after the first Angott fight, in September 1941, Robinson was only 20 when he beat undefeated veteran Marty Servo before again defeating Servo via split decision a year later.

In February 1943, Robinson completed three 10-rounders in four weeks, and two were against fellow hall-of-famer LaMotta. Later that same year, Robinson defeated another all-time great in Armstrong, the legendary prizefighter and Robinson’s idol, who holds the distinction of holding world titles in three divisions at a time when there were only eight divisions altogether. Ray was unbeaten in 40 fights before losing in his 41st bout against LaMotta in February 1943, losing a ten-round decision to a man who out-weighed him by 16 pounds. It was now 1–1 between the pair as Robinson had previously defeated “The Raging Bull.” They fought four more times to create one of boxing’s most epic rivalries. In the end, Robinson won five of their six clashes, but Robinson stated that LaMotta was his most brutal opponent.

Robinson and LaMotta served fight fans with a legendary rivalry and cemented an everlasting legacy for one another. LaMotta was famously quoted as saying: “The three toughest fighters I’ve ever been up against were Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Sugar Ray Robinson. I fought Sugar so many times, I’m surprised I’m not diabetic!” After losing to LaMotta, Robinson went on a 91-fight unbeaten streak for the next eight years.

After finally defeating boxing politics along with the best welterweights, Robinson got his first title shot on December 20, 1946, against Tommy Bell, whom he outpointed to win the vacant title. At this point, Robinson had a phenomenal record of 74–1–1. In September 1948, Robinson beat the great Kid Gavilan via unanimous decision in a 10-rounder. Less than a year later, they had a rematch. Robinson proved too strong and won another unanimous decision over 15 rounds. His loss to Lamotta was his only loss in Robinson’s first 132 fights, in which he recorded 84 knockouts.

During his long career, arguably his most impressive feat is that while moving through 40 pounds in weight, no man could knock out the original Sugar Ray. Only the unbearable heat in Yankee Stadium managed to do that during a fight in which the referee had to be replaced at the end of the 10th round due to the intense heat. Ray had dominated the bewildered light-heavyweight champion Joey Maxim for 13 rounds before collapsing at the end of the round due to disorientation due to the heat, and the fight was over. This was the only time Robinson had lost a fight within the distance. Ray fought in a magnificent era with many great fighters and fought them while they were at their best.

A fitting manner in which to conclude would be to quote the former president of boxing at Madison Square Garden, Harry Markson:

“With all due respect to all the good fighters who were before my time, I can’t conceive of a better fighter than Ray Robinson, and here’s why: If you take all the requisites necessary for a great boxer, you find that Ray Robinson not only possesses them all but does everything to perfection. Everybody agrees on that. So, to be better than Ray Robinson, you have to improve on perfection. I ask you — is that possible?”