Sugar Ray Robinson (173W-19L-6D) embodies the pinnacle of boxing in terms of technicality and brilliance. Many view Muhammad Ali to be the greatest boxer of all time, so it may come as a surprise to some that Ali considered Sugar Ray Robinson as the pound-for-pound greatest who ever lived. At the peak of Ray Robinsons career, his record was 128 wins and just 1 loss which came at the hands of the legendary Jake LaMotta. In that loss, LaMotta outweighed Ray Robinson by 16 pounds which gave him a serious advantage. Ray Robinson went on to defeat LaMotta five times in his career. Ray Robinson was relatively tall for his weight class, considering the average welterweight is around 5’8. Ray Robinson had an incredible amateur career which was 85W-2L. He knocked out 69 of his opponents, 40 in the first round. He was a very active fighter who competed whenever he got the chance. He fought 10 times in 1964. Sugar Ray Robinson had wins over legendary competitors which consisted of Angott, Zivic, Gavilan, Fullmer, Basillio, Turpin, Lamotta, Graziano, Olson and Henry Armstrong.
The majority of boxing historians would consider Sugar Ray Robinson the greatest pound for pound fighter who has ever lived. Sugar Ray Robinson was the reason why the term pound-for-pound (P4P) was created. This term assesses your skill and greatness regardless of weight class. Boxers who compete in lower weight classes than a heavyweight deserve just as much respect. A significant advantage that Ray Robinson had over his boxing peers was the knockout power he had in both hands, as well as his extremely technical prowess. Robinson’s height and 73’ reach gave him a physical advantage while competing within the welterweight division. Ray Robinsons footwork revolutionized the boxing world. Many look to Muhammad Ali as breaking the mold of being stationary and flat-footed (as many old-school boxers were), yet it was Ray Robinson who truly shocked the world with his footwork. Ray Robinson had impeccably sublime rhythm and movement that baffled his opponents. He was well-balanced and crafty which allowed him to circle around his opponent and be calculated with his punches.
Unfortunately, there is very limited footage of Ray Robinson in the prime of his career as a welterweight. The footage we have of him is primarily during his career as a middleweight. Ray Robinson boxed incredibly frequently, often multiple times in just one month. In the current sport of boxing, that would be unthinkable. Consider this in comparison, Ray Robinson fought more fights in 4 years than Floyd Mayweather did in his entire career. To compete that frequently takes an insane amount of dedication and heart, but it does come with a cost. That cost is an increased chance of Chronic traumatic brain injury (CBTI) and other injuries. The majority of these types of issues come from frequent sparring and can definitely arise from having a high volume of boxing matches on a monthly basis. Luckily, Ray Robinson never had to deal with those problems (CBT) that we know of. However, he did struggle later in his life due to financial issues. This is unfortunate because he was a highly esteemed boxer who did a lot for the progression of boxing. Joe Louis had a similar fate with issues such as tax problems and financial troubles.
A somewhat lesser-known story about Ray Robinson is that he had a premonition before his fight with Jimmy Doyle that he would kill him in the ring. This ended up occurring, which is very tragic. Robinson hit Doyle with a left hook which resulted in him knocked out unconscious on the canvas. He passed away the next day. Ray Robinson was haunted by this tragedy and it was something that he always had deep regret for. Doyle had serious health problems prior to this fight and it’s unfortunate that this was sanctioned. Another interesting thing to note about Ray Robinson is that he has said that he didn’t enjoy boxing. In fact, he hated it. This is very strange, because it’s not common for someone who reaches the pinnacle of their sport to have such a disdain for it. Generally speaking, most athletes reach the level that they are due to the love they have for the sport which they compete in. It’s what drives them and pushes them forward towards success.
Now it’s time to break down the sweet science. Ray Robinson had blitzing combinations and overwhelming speed paired with determination. He was capable of knocking out his opponents while being on his back-foot which is a rarity. He had the champions heart to win. He’s come back to overcome any obstacle that was put in his path during his prime. This shows his character and determination to win at any costs. Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis stated that Robinson was the greatest fighter to have stepped in the ring. That type of praise from a highly-regarded legend is significant in understanding Robinsons greatness. Every punch he threw had significance because of his expert accuracy. He threw short, compact punches which have landed on his opponents just as an arrow lands on a bulls-eye. He had variables such as timing, reflexes and rhythm in abundance. He was an expert at in-fighting and distance fighting. Basically, he was a jack of all trades. He could finish his opponents with brute force or with quick wits. He was known for throwing punches in bunches with bad intentions. Just his jab alone was capable of knocking out legendary opposition. His stamina and conditioning were above the elite level; he was easily capable of going more then 15 rounds against anyone. It’s sometimes forgotten how he had an iron chin which could withstand an inhuman amount of punishment yet keep applying pressure to his opponent. If Ray Robinson was alive today with modern training and nutrition, he would most definitely wipe out the entire boxing division at his weight class. He was a once-in-a-lifetime competitor who any fight fan should appreciate and acknowledge for the progress he’s brought for the sport. There will only be one Ray Robinson and it’s unlikely his achievements and raw expertise will ever be replicated.
P4P Boxing Insight 