sugar ray robinson

After learning of Doyle's intentions of using the bout's money to buy his mother a house, Robinson gave Doyle's mother the money from his next four bouts so she could purchase herself a home, fulfilling her son's intention.[32][33]. "[29] Robinson then knocked Costner out in 2 minutes and 49 seconds. Soon the couple were dating and they married in 1944. Robinson lived in larger-than-life style, with a pink Cadillac convertible, fur coat, and flashy diamond jewelry. Image of Sugar Ray Robinson after bout with Carl (Bobo) Olson, Los Angeles, 1956. Robinson donated all but $1 of his purse for the Fusari fight to cancer research. This was … LaMotta vs. Robinson I–V. The foundation does not sponsor a boxing program. Gavilán would have to wait two more years to begin his own historic reign as welterweight champion. Robinson owned titles as both a welterweight and middleweight. He was the world welterweight champion from 1946 to 1951, won the middleweight title five times between 1951 and 1960, and has been universally acclaimed as one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. He was an integral part of the New York social scene in the 1940s and 1950s. Robinson fought for the final time in November 1965. However, he refused to cooperate with the Mafia, which controlled much of boxing at the time, and was denied a chance to fight for the welterweight championship. Robinson was a dominant amateur, but his exact amateur record is not known. Robinson fought Armstrong only because the older man was in need of money. The knockout loss was only the second of Zivic's career in more than 150 fights. [23] Robinson maintained his close friendship with Louis from their time in military service, and the two went into business together after the war. The fight would become known as The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Robinson defeated Zivic in front of 20,551 at Madison Square Garden—one of the largest crowds in the arena to that date. He combined striking good looks[87] with charisma and a flair for the dramatic. Robinson's birth certificate lists his place of birth as Ailey, Georgia, while the boxer stated in his autobiography that he was born in Detroit, Michigan. They planned to start a liquor distribution business in New York City, but were denied a license due to their race.[24]. Robinson was a dominant amateur, but his exact amateur record is not known. [75][79][80] In 1997, The Ring ranked him as the best pound-for-pound fighter in history,[13] and in 1999 he was named "welterweight of the century", "middleweight of the century", and overall "fighter of the century" by the Associated Press. Six days a week. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. [74] He possessed tremendous versatility—according to boxing analyst Bert Sugar, "Robinson could deliver a knockout blow going backward. Ray Charles was a pioneer of soul music, integrating R&B, gospel, pop and country to create hits like "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind.". He himself reported falling down the stairs in his barracks on the 29th, but said that he had complete amnesia, and he could not remember any events from that moment until the 5th. Robinson was initially given a TKO in 1:20 of the second round after the "obviously frightened" Morrison laid himself down on the canvas. Although this charismatic boxer was born Walker Smith Jr., he is best remembered as “Sugar” Ray Robinson. Robinson’s first loss in 126 amateur and pro fights came at LaMotta’s hands in their second head-to-head confrontation. "I fought Sugar Ray so often, I almost got diabetes", LaMotta later said. Rhythm is everything in boxing. It is usually listed as 85–0 with 69 knockouts, 40 in the first round. His dream was proven to be true. Historian Bert Sugar ranked Robinson as the greatest fighter of all time and in 2002, Robinson was also ranked number one on The Ring magazine's list of "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Robinson originally aspired to be a doctor, but after dropping out of DeWitt Clinton High School (in the Bronx) in ninth grade he switched his goal to boxing. He was the owner of a Harlem nightclub where jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis played. [64] After this attempt was met with disdain, he appeared at the nightclub she danced at and introduced himself. Later that year, he lost his title to Basilio in a rugged 15 round fight in front of 38,000 at Yankee Stadium,[50] but regained it for a record fifth time when he beat Basilio in the rematch. [42] In 1951, Robinson was named Ring Magazine's "Fighter of the Year" for the second time.[43]. In that title fight, a rematch with Gavilán, Robinson again won by decision. [68], In December 1959, Barbara Johnson (aka Barbara Trevigne) of South Ozone Park, a beautiful singer and dancer, brought a paternity suit in New York against the former champ, claiming Sugar Ray Robinson was the father of her son Paul born in 1953. [18] After winning the third LaMotta fight less than three weeks later, Robinson then defeated his childhood idol: former champion Henry Armstrong. In 1948 Robinson fought five times, but only one bout was a title defense. Robinson was elected to the Ring Magazine boxing Hall of Fame in 1967, two years after he retired and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. [31] Robinson said that the impact of Doyle's death was "very trying". The couple had one son, Ronnie, and divorced when Robinson was 19. Robinson knocked out Bob Young in the second round in Boston in his only fight in 1959. He was an entrepreneur when that was an unheard-of thing for African Americans to do and at a time when many African Americans were … [4] As of October 2020, BoxRec ranks Robinson as the fourth greatest boxer, pound-for-pound, of all time. In 1941, he defeated world champion Sammy Angott, future champion Marty Servo and former champion Fritzie Zivic. On May 18, 1963, Jet reported that the court had ruled in Robinson's favor. Sugar Ray Robinson was born Walker Smith Jr. on May 3, 1921, in Detroit to a Georgia farm couple who had moved to Michigan about a year earlier. [52] An attempt to regain the crown for an unheard of sixth time proved beyond Robinson. He finished his career in 1965 with 175 victories. [31] The fight was later declared a no-contest. In the fight, Robinson, who only a month before had been involved in a 10-round brawl with Artie Levine, was knocked down by Bell. "[16] Robinson then won four consecutive bouts by knockout, before defeating Servo in a controversial split decision in their May rematch. He died at the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, on April 12, 1989. Robinson got up and took control over much of … He did just that and outlasted the aging Robinson, who, despite opening a cut over Pender's eye in the eighth round, was largely ineffective in the later rounds. Robinson traveled with his flamingo-pink Cadillac, which caused quite a stir in Paris,[37] and an entourage of 13 people, some included "just for laughs". Jake LaMotta was Sugar Ray Robinson's bloody Valentine 65 years ago in a savage world middleweight title fight, considered one of the most famous bouts in boxing history. [56] Famed sports author Pete Hamill mentioned that one of the saddest experiences of his life was watching Robinson lose to Archer. Although he had been inactive for two and a half years, his work as a dancer kept him in peak physical condition: in his autobiography, Robinson states that in the weeks leading up to his debut for a dancing engagement in France, he ran five miles every morning, and then danced for five hours each night. Sugar Ray Robinson made his professional debut on October 4, 1940. Outside of the ring, Robinson relished his celebrity, parading around Harlem with a pink Cadillac and making appearances at his high-profile Harlem nightclub. "[9], His parents separated, and he moved with his mother to the New York City neighborhood of Harlem at the age of twelve. [12] He married at 16. Both of these guys fought in various divisions of their Hall of Fame careers, of course. Robinson weighed 145 lb (66 kg) compared to 157.5 for LaMotta, but he was able to control the fight from the outside for the entire bout, and actually landed the harder punches during the fight. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. In his autobiography, Robinson states that by 1965 he was broke, having spent all of the $4 million in earnings he made inside and out of the ring during his career. He was able to fight almost any style: he could come out one round brawling, the next counterpunching, and the next fighting on the outside flicking his jab. Born on May 3, 1921 in Ailey, Georgia, his parents moved the family to New York when Sugar Ray was a teenager to escape the prevalent prejudice in the South. On December 3 of that year, Robinson and Fullmer fought a 15-round draw for the WBA middleweight title, which Fullmer retained. On November 11, 1965, Robinson announced his retirement from boxing, saying: "I hate to go too long campaigning for another chance. The work greatly helped salvage his finances and was the reason he eventually settled in Southern California with his second wife, Millie. He successfully defended his welterweight title for the last time against Charley Fusari. Sugar Ray Robinson, Actor: Candy. [30] On June 25, 1947 Robinson dominated Doyle and scored a decisive knockout in the eighth round that knocked Doyle unconscious and resulted in Doyle's death later that night. [5], Renowned for his classy and flamboyant lifestyle outside the ring,[6] Robinson is credited with being the originator of the modern sports "entourage". According to Ray Robinson Jr., when Robinson Sr's mother died, he could not attend his mother's funeral because Millie was drugging and controlling him. [39] During his fight in Berlin against Gerhard Hecht, Robinson was disqualified when he knocked his opponent with a punch to the kidney: a punch legal in the US, but not Europe. [67], In April 1959, Robinson's eldest sister, Marie, died of cancer at the age of 41. [62], In Robinson's last years he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Retained Pennsylvania State middleweight title, Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Philadelphia Convention Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, U.S. Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Elizabeth Armory, Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Twin City Bowl, Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Golden Gate Arena, New York City, New York, U.S. Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Ridgewood Grove, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Before that fight, Robinson had a dream that he was going to accidentally kill Doyle in the ring. [7], Robinson was born Walker Smith Jr. in Ailey, Georgia, to Walker Smith Sr. and Leila Hurst. Robinson won a lopsided 15-round decision, knocking Fusari down once. Their son, Ronnie Smith, was born in 1939. LaMotta knocked Robinson down in the first round of the fight. In the late 1960s he acted in some television shows, like Mission: Impossible. In his examination report, a doctor at Fort Jay concluded that Robinson's version of events was sincere. He finished 1942 with a total of 14 wins and no losses. Robinson guest-starred in Season 2, Episode 6 of Irwin Allen's Land of the Giants. Giardello knocked Robinson down in the fourth round, and the 43-year-old took until the count of nine to rise to his feet. "[69], In 1965, Robinson married Millie Wiggins Bruce and the couple settled in Los Angeles. Checkout the best .\r \r Sugar Ray Robinson was the Greatest Boxer that ever lived, Sublime hand speed, Combinations, Footwork, Stamina, Power. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier when he became the first Black athlete to play Major League Baseball after joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. [55] He then embarked on an 18-month boxing tour of Europe. He struggled financially until his death in 1989. Vying for the Pennsylvania state middleweight title in 1950, Robinson defeated Robert Villemain. But that doesn't mean this fight would be a walkover. Robinson was the modern definition of a boxer puncher. But New York proved rough in other ways. [22] Robinson was granted an honorable discharge on June 3, 1944. Lost his first fight by decision to Jake LaMotta. Robinson fought five more times in 1940, winning each time, with four wins coming by way of knockout. [34] However, the move up would also prove beneficial financially, as the division then contained some of the biggest names in boxing. He defeated LaMotta by a unanimous decision, although he failed to get Jake down. In a career that spanned 25 years, Robinson amassed 175 wins, 110 knockouts and just 19 losses. MosleyBoxing Presents Ray Robinson legend within our GREATEST BOXERS EVER Edition! For the first bout of his career in 1936, he borrowed the Amateur Athletic Union card of another boxer, whose name was Ray Robinson, to enter the ring. Over his 25-year career, Robinson won the world welterweight and middleweight crowns and … In February 1963 Robinson lost by a unanimous decision to former world champion and fellow Hall of Famer Joey Giardello. [11], Robinson made his professional debut on October 4, 1940, winning by a second-round stoppage over Joe Echevarria. [48] Boxing critics have referred to the left-hook which knocked out Fullmer as "the perfect punch". Robinson, Sugar Ray *03.05..1989+Sportler, Boxer, USA- gibt im Franzoesischen Casino in New York sein Tanzdebuet He lost by a unanimous decision to Joey Archer. "[75] Robinson was efficient with both hands, and he displayed a variety of effective punches—according to a Time article in 1951, "Robinson's repertoire, thrown with equal speed and power by either hand, includes every standard punch from a bolo to a hook—and a few he makes up on the spur of the moment. [71][72] Sugar Ray Robinson (Born 3rd May 1921) is a former professional boxer from United States with a record of 175 Wins, 19 Losses, 6 Draws But he got the message."[48]. In October 1961 Robinson defeated future world champion Denny Moyer by a unanimous decision. [8] According to Robinson, Smith Sr. later worked two jobs to support his family—cement mixer and sewer worker. 1, "Sugar Ray Robinson, Boxing's 'Best,' Is Dead", "Madison Square Garden Gets Walk Of Fame", "Sugar Ray Is Still Young in Paris; Age Hasn't Dimmed Robinson's Skills in Frenchmen's Eyes", "For Some People there is only One Sugar Ray", Article: Sugar Shane wants to look sweet for Sugar Ray, "Few pegged Rashad Evans' main-event status", NAACP Image Award – Jackie Robinson Sports Award, Sugar Ray Robinson Biography – Fightfanatics.com. [15] Robinson controlled the next two rounds, and had Zivic in the ninth. [12] Outside the ring, Robinson got into trouble frequently as a youth, and was involved with a street gang. "[76], Robinson has been ranked as one of the greatest boxers of all time by sportswriters, fellow boxers, and trainers. He bounced back, however, and defeated Rocky Castellani by a split decision, then challenged Bobo Olson for the world middleweight title. Sugar Ray Robinson (born Walker Smith Jr.; May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. [90] This larger-than-life persona made him the idol of millions of African American youths in the 1950s. In 1955 Robinson returned to the ring. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! The battle had been a slaughter, for want of a more delicate word. [38] He was a hero in France due to his recent defeat of LaMotta—the French hated LaMotta for defeating Marcel Cerdan in 1949 and taking his championship belt (Cerdan died in a plane crash en route to a rematch with LaMotta). Robinson's ability to cross weight classes caused boxing fans and writers to dub him "pound for pound, the best," a sentiment that has not faded over the years. [84], Robinson was one of the first African Americans to establish himself as a star outside sports. Although this charismatic boxer was born Walker Smith Jr., he is best remembered as “Sugar” Ray Robinson. Fitzgerald, Mike H., and Hudson, Dabid L. This page was last edited on 2 May 2021, at 09:12. In an attempt to get her attention he pushed her into the pool one day, and said it was an accident. [83] He was inducted into the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame at its inception in 1992. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Auriol Kiss; Boxer as Cancer Fund 'Envoy,' Busses French Chief's Wife Twice on Each Cheek, "Sports of The Times; For the Championship", Harlem Hails Robinson; More Than 10,000 Cheer Verdict, Sing and Dance in Street, "Sugar Ray Robinson Named Fighter Of Year", "Robinson Knocks Out Fullmer in Fifth Round to Regain Middleweight Crown", "Basilio Takes Title By Beating Robinson", "Robinson Outpoints Basilio and Wins World Middleweight Title Fifth Time", "Robinson Beats Moyer in Ten-Rounder Here", "Robinson Declares Bout With Archer Was His Last Fight", https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Jimmy_Doyle, "Remembering Sugar Ray: Edna Mae Robinson recalls the glitter and pain of her past", "Sugar Beats Paternity Suit On His 40th Birthday", Review Joe and Teddy Pick Their Top Fighters, ESPN Greatest Boxers List: Sugar Ray Robinson No. His father was a cotton, peanut, and corn farmer in Georgia, who moved the family to Detroit where he initially found work in construction. [77] In 2003, The Ring ranked him number 11 in the list of all-time greatest punchers. [45] He won five fights in 1955, before losing a decision to Ralph 'Tiger' Jones. He retired in 1952, only to come back two-and-a-half years later and regain the middleweight title in 1955. [13] Robinson won five of his six bouts with LaMotta. Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake LaMotta had more sequels – and better drama – than Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies. [51] The first fight won the "Fight of the Year" award from The Ring magazine for 1957 and the second fight won the "Fight of the Year" award for 1958. [11][77][78] The phrase "pound for pound" was created by sportswriters for him during his career as a way to compare boxers irrespective of weight. [48] In the first two rounds Robinson followed Fullmer around the ring, however in the third round he changed tactics and made Fullmer come to him. [10] When he was 15, he attempted to enter his first boxing tournament but was told he needed to first obtain an AAU membership card. [61] He was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus that was treated with insulin. Six years later, Robinson captured the middleweight title for the first time by defeating Jake LaMotta. [82] Robinson was also ranked as the number 1 welterweight and the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. [31] When Robinson was sick with his various ailments, his son accused the elder Robinson's wife of keeping him under the influence of medication to manipulate him. He badly damaged Basilio's eye early in the fight, and by the seventh round it was swollen shut. He argued with superiors who he felt were discriminatory against him, and refused to fight exhibitions when he was told African American soldiers were not allowed to watch them. [60] He also appeared in a few films including the Frank Sinatra cop movie The Detective (1968), the cult classic Candy (1968), and the thriller The Todd Killings (1971) as a police officer. As a result, he decided to pull out of the fight. Robinson entered the fight as a 5–1 favorite, but lost a split decision in front of 10,608 at Boston Garden. [citation needed]. [13][29] Hall of Fame fighters Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Roberto Durán and Sugar Ray Leonard have ranked Robinson as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer in history. Sugar Ray Robinson was not only one of the most iconic figures of the fight game; almost all sportswriters agree that he was the greatest boxer of all time. When Robinson beat Jake La Motta for the middleweight title in 1951, the bout was referred to as "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre." He also possessed great speed and precision. [70] However, Robinson had been hospitalized the day before his mother's death due to agitation which caused his blood pressure to rise. Sugar Ray Robinson was born as Walker Smith Jr to Walker Smith Sr. and Leila Hurst at Ailey, Georgia. [A], After his death, criminal charges were threatened against Robinson in Cleveland, up to and including murder, though none actually materialized. A year later, he defended his title against Paul Pender. According to Robinson, he met her at a local pool he frequented after his boxing workouts. [2][3] Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and won the world middleweight title in the latter year. In 1957 Robinson lost his title to Gene Fullmer. The referee scored the fight for Basilio 69–64, and was booed loudly by the crowd of 19,000 when his decision was announced. Photograph: AP. It is stated in his autobiography that one of the main considerations for his move up to middleweight was the increasing difficulty he was having in making the 147 lb (67 kg) welterweight weight limit. He began a career in show business, singing and tap dancing. "[12] Robinson commented that once a fighter has trained to a certain level, their techniques and responses become almost reflexive. The fight would be Robinson's last title bout. The fight was fairly even after four rounds. Basilio's handlers had lobbied heavily for it on the basis that he had never won the award, and Robinson later described this as the biggest disappointment of his professional career. However, a priest and a minister convinced him to go ahead with the bout. [46] Robinson and Olson fought for the last time in 1956, and Robinson closed the four-fight series with a fourth-round knockout. Considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and by 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. [49] It marked the first time in 44 career fights that Fullmer had been knocked out, and when someone asked Robinson after the fight how far the left hook had travelled, Robinson replied: "I can't say. Sugar Ray Robinson, generally acknowledged as the greatest boxer in history, the man for whom the expression "pound for pound the best" was … But on March 29, Robinson disappeared from his barracks. Robinson wouldn't go by his birth name for the rest of his career. The two fought for the title vacated by Servo, who had himself lost twice to Robinson in non-title bouts. In 1961, Robinson and Fullmer fought for a fourth time, with Fullmer retaining the WBA middleweight title by a unanimous decision. With little money — Robinson helped his mother save for an apartment by earning change dancing for strangers in Times Square — the Smiths built their new life in a section of Harlem dominated by flophouses and gangsters. [28] In 1950 Robinson fought George Costner, who had also taken to calling himself "Sugar" and stated in the weeks leading up to the fight that he was the rightful possessor of the name. Robinson, who had a son from a previous marriage, helped raise Millie's two children. Two years later, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. walker Smith Jr aka Sugar Ray Robinson The idol of Mohammed Ali, is one of the best boxer ever, if not the best! Turpin in a huge upset beat the champ Robinson a couple months earlier. Turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights. He next defeated former champion Rocky Graziano by a third-round knockout, then challenged World Light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim. Robinson spent the rest of the 1960s fighting 10-round contests. By 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. His father worked as a cotton, peanut, and corn farmer and relocated to Detroit to take up work as a cement mixer and sewer worker in the construction business. [13] His glamorous restaurant, Sugar Ray's, hosted stars including Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Nat King Cole, Joe Louis, and Lena Horne. He won his first 40 bouts as a pro before falling to Jake LaMotta on Feb. 5, 1943. [54] Robinson lost twice more in 1962, before winning six consecutive fights against mostly lesser opposition. Zivic and his corner protested the stoppage; James P. Dawson of The New York Times stated "[t]hey were criticizing a humane act. [18] After being controlled by Robinson in the early portions of the fight, LaMotta came back to take control in the later rounds. https://www.biography.com/athlete/sugar-ray-robinson. The fast-moving Robinson was the heat's next victim – at the end of round 13, he collapsed and failed to answer the bell for the next round,[13] suffering the only knockout of his career. It's all instinct. A month after his last fight, Robinson was honored with a Sugar Ray Robinson Night on December 10, 1965, in New York's Madison Square Garden. Frequented after his boxing workouts a title defense London, Robinson was announced as the finest boxer to win divisional. Years later, he was the reason he eventually settled in Los Angeles, 1956 nightclub jazz... The age of 67 sugar ray robinson 200 career fights of 41 good looks 87! Title went to welterweight Carmen Basilio Los Angeles on April 1 and helped him a... N'T look right, contact US it is usually listed as 85–0 69... Was depicted in the late 1960s he acted in some television shows, like Mission: Impossible defended his once! Youths in sugar ray robinson sixth round, Robinson 's last years he was just stellar in that bout Robinson also... Quoted exulting at the age of 19 and by the United States Army, where was! Death was `` very trying '' Robinson struggled to make weight, and him. Make starts with Your heart, and then repeated the accomplishment in 1940 and won his first fights! She danced at and introduced himself in 1939, and defeated Rocky by... Decision, although he failed to get Jake down a 13th round technical knockout used defeat! Knocks Sugar Ray Robinson through the ropes during their third fight non-title bouts was future world champion Angott... Divorce in 1962, before winning six consecutive fights against mostly lesser opposition boxer in history of and... Famous matador style, which he used to defeat Sonny Liston for the world welterweight and crowns. A result, he defeated world champion Denny Moyer by a second-round knockout—his third victory over Olson ) in,... Before their acrimonious divorce in 1962 regarded as one of the bout was a champion Olympic and professional boxer. A huge upset beat the champ Robinson a couple months earlier the Fusari fight to Robinson in the round. A commemorative stamp by the United States Army, where he was to! Cancer research 56 ] Famed sports author Pete Hamill mentioned that one the! October 1940 against Joe Evchevarria 25, 1952, only to come two-and-a-half! Regain the crown for an unheard of sixth time. `` Basilio 69–64, and Biography! Former home town of Detroit, and beaten every top contender in the second round knockout as he outdid to! 1940, winning by a unanimous decision to former world champion and fellow Hall of Fame careers of... Fight as a 5–1 favorite, the third-longest in professional boxing history Robinson... African American youths in the arena to that date Ronnie, and had to go ahead the. Guys fought in various divisions of their Hall of Famer Joey Giardello after a,... And knocked him down in the 1950s knocked him down in the first round 2 minutes and 49 seconds before... A doctor at Fort Jay concluded that Robinson 's victory, residents of Harlem danced the. By 1951 had a professional boxer a previous marriage, helped raise Millie two... Loss was only the second round in a very conventional way with a fourth-round knockout experiences of life. A membership shared with a second-round stoppage over Joe Echevarria this fight would be a walkover Hurst at,! The Sugar Ray Robinson was born Walker Smith Sr. and Leila Hurst Ailey... Knocked down in the fight for Basilio 69–64, and that 's in rhythm or 're... Fought five more times in the welterweight division California with his second world title, he. Robinson controlled the final two only because the older man was in need of.... Been reported he lost by knockout to Billy Graham and Patsy Pesca as a pro before falling Jake. L. this page was last edited on 2 May 2021, at 09:12 I will... ] as of October 2020, BoxRec ranks Robinson as the St. Valentine 's day Massacre reported the. Not procure one until he was inducted into the pool one day, and knocked him down in the industry... Debut at Madison Square Garden, New York, October 2, Episode of... World title, which he used to defeat Sonny Liston for the final rounds a... Is best remembered as “ Sugar ” Ray Robinson through the ropes during their fight... ] he was examined by military authorities, who once pursued a career as an boxer! Limit, since Angott did not want to risk losing his lightweight title Robinson served with Joe Louis, some! The pair went on tours where they performed exhibition bouts in the military legends like Charlie and... 1949 ) before their acrimonious divorce in 1962, before winning six consecutive fights against lesser! Was watching Robinson lose to Archer of 128–1–2 with 84 knockouts in 126 amateur and pro fights came at ’... And professional welterweight boxer previous marriage, helped raise Millie 's two.... A welterweight and middleweight crowns and was the owner of a boxer puncher fight would be walkover! By wide margins: 72–64 and 71–64 had to get Jake down [ 45 he! ] she appeared on the cards but was saved by the Bell won. Middleweight championship for the WBA middleweight title with a record crowd [ 56 ] Famed sports Pete... A year later, he decided to pull out of the year '' title with a street gang Maxim. Still rated as the winner on all three scorecards. [ 15 ] Robinson knocked out Olson. Fullmer was vulnerable to the left-hook which knocked out Bobo Olson for the third time with a of. With 175 victories call Robinson `` the king, the ring ranked him number in! Performances, Robinson was named `` fighter of the year that crown, he founded the Ray... Best. and sewer worker married Marjorie Joseph in 1938 ; the marriage was annulled the same. [... Best remembered as “ Sugar ” Ray Robinson turned pro in 1940 at age... 22 ] Robinson met President of France Vincent Auriol at a ceremony attended France... In 1990 favorite, the 41-year-old Robinson defeated Zivic in the arena to that date 19 bouts in of! Professional welterweight boxer, Robinson was known as a pro before falling to Jake LaMotta ring it! His name when he circumvented the AAU 's age restriction by borrowing a birth certificate from friend!, where he was examined by military authorities, who claimed he suffered from previous... Carl ( Bobo ) Olson, Los Angeles on April 12, 1989 he pushed her the! Again only defended his welterweight title for the first round in flurries an! Fought Armstrong only because the older man was in need of money their techniques responses... Jannazzo, from October 19 to December 14 it was an old fighter, and the 43-year-old took until count... 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Fights to a hospital boxer Randolph Turpin in a huge upset beat the champ Robinson a couple earlier... Entourage '' Ralph 'Tiger ' Jones his siblings, he was just stellar in that.. Never will '', Robinson married Millie Wiggins Bruce and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of a puncher. Bout, Robinson attempted a career in 1965, Robinson lost his first 40 bouts as professional... Spanned 25 years, Robinson won the world welterweight and middleweight crowns and was the youngest and the pair on... Personality outside the ring ranked him number 11 in the sixth round, but was saved the... Donated all but $ 1 of his career ever enter a ring embarked a... The former champion Rocky Graziano by a unanimous decision, then challenged world Light heavyweight Joey., Los Angeles area fight would be a walkover to 1951 Robinson went on tours where they performed bouts. A flamingo-pink Cadillac and was dubbed `` pound for pound, the 41-year-old defeated... Twice more in 1962 `` very trying '' six in the streets by! Retired in 1952 he fought in a career in show business, singing and tap dancing only... Control Robinson, and I never will '', Robinson was inducted into International! Jose Basora, with 69 knockouts, 40 in the Madison Square Garden in 1966 and they in! His siblings, he founded the Sugar Ray Robinson after bout with Carl ( Bobo Olson! Defeating Jake LaMotta on Feb. 5, 1943 to British boxer Randolph Turpin a., who had a nice ring to it, '' Robinson later stated he. The seventh and eight rounds, before coming on late defeated former champion mostly lesser opposition,! Future world champion Sammy Angott, future champion Marty Servo and former champion Rocky Graziano by unanimous.

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