Pound for pound, the greatest boxer ever.
Over the years, that phrase became part of Sugar Ray Robinson’s name.
Wednesday, Robinson died three weeks before his 68th birthday at a Los Angeles hospital emergency room. When the news spread throughout the boxing world, the phrase was again overworked.
Pound for pound, the greatest boxer ever.
“He was the greatest,” said Mark Conn of Pompano Beach, a retired referee who now judges local shows. “I refereed once when he and Kid Gavilan fought on the undercard of a world (lightweight) title fight between Ike Williams and Jesse Flores.
“It was Sept. 23, 1948 at Yankee Stadium. It was a great fight, and you could tell Robinson was a great fighter. He had speed, power and he was an excellent ring general. He won a 10-round decision.”
Hank Kaplan of Miami, who recently was appointed president of the Las Vegas Boxing Hall of Fame and curator of its museum, did extensive research on Robinson.
“That phrase, ‘Pound for pound, the greatest fighter ever’ has been used by everybody to describe Sugar Ray Robinson,” Kaplan said. “I agree. To me, the guy was the quintessential boxer. He believed that brawn and muscle were secondary, and in every fight he would try to out-think his opponent.
“For me, the most outstanding test of his ability was that he lasted for 25 years. That type of durability has only been demonstrated by a handful of fighters since the beginning of time. He had the poise of a Shakespearean actor, poise you don’t see today. He won and regained the (middleweight) title five times and he fought against some of the best competition ever. Just look at some of the names on his record.”
Those names include Gavilan, Fritzie Zivic, Jake LaMotta, Henry Armstrong, Joey Maxim, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Randy Turpin and Rocky Graziano. They were the cream of a ring record that began Oct. 4, 1940 and ended with an announced retirement Dec. 10, 1965. Robinson fought 201 bouts, won 109 by knockout, another 65 by decision and had six draws.
Robinson lost 18 fights by decision, and only one man, Maxim, was able to knock him out. Even that fight, for the world light heavyweight title June 25, 1952, proved Robinson’s toughness. It took Maxim 14 rounds and the 130-degree heat of Yankee Stadium to overcome Robinson.
But Robinson always will be remembered for his victories. They were glorious.
He took the world welterweight title from Tommy Bell in December 1946, and never again lost a fight in that division. Less than five years later in Chicago, with 122 pro fights already to his credit, he knocked out LaMotta in the 13th round for the middleweight title.
Robinson’s smooth style often overshadowed his power, but two of his more memorable fights were testimony to his strength.
On April 16, 1952, he defended his middleweight championship when he knocked out Graziano in the third round.
“That surprised everybody,” Kaplan said. “Rocky had a strong chin, and Ray just destroyed him.”
On Jan. 2, 1957, Robinson lost the middleweight crown to Fullmer. On May 1, he came back and knocked out Fullmer with his only punch of the fifth round to regain the title.
“I always admired him and appreciated the fact that he gave me a chance to win the championship,” Fullmer told The Associated Press Wednesday.
Robinson’s place in history is not lost on succeeding generations of fighters.
“All kinds of fighters copied his style, including Muhammad Ali,” said former light heavyweight champion Archie Moore, who was Robinson’s close friend for almost 50 years. “Ali got a lot of his style from Robinson.”
Ali, then Cassius Clay, also got Drew “Boudini” Brown, Robinson’s long-time corner man, as a present from the ex-champ after Ali turned pro.
Even those who barely remember Robinson as a fighter were shaken Wednesday.
“Upon hearing the news that Sugar Ray passed away, I was stunned,” said Sugar Ray Leonard, who asked for a moment of silence from a crowd of onlookers at his training session at the Sheraton PGA Resort. He is preparing for a June 12 bout with Thomas Hearns. “I idolized the man. I met him on several different occasions, and I was impressed with him every time. He will be deeply missed, not just in the boxing world, but throughout the entire world.
“Someone once said Sugar Ray Robinson was the best pound-for-pound fighter ever. I would second that motion. Someone also asked me to compare myself to him. There’s no comparison at all. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest.”
SUGAR RAY ROBINSON’S RECORD
1940
Oct. 4–Joe Echevarria, New York TKO 2
Oct. 8–Silent Stafford, Savannah, Ga. KO 2
Oct. 22–Mistos Grispos, Bronx W 6
Nov. 11–Bobby Woods, Philadelphia KO 1
Dec. 9–Norment Quarles, Philadelphia TKO 4
Dec. 13–Oliver White, New York TKO 3
1941
Jan. 4–Henry LaBarba, Brooklyn TKO 1
Jan. 13–Frankie Wallace, Philadelphia KO 1
Jan. 31–George Zengaras, New York W 6
Feb. 8–Benny Cartagena, Brooklyn TKO 1
Feb. 21–Bobby McIntyre, New York W 6
Feb. 27–Gene Spencer, Detroit TKO 5
March 3–Jimmy Tygh, Philadelphia KO 8
April 14–Jimmy Tygh, Philadelphia TKO 1
April 24–Charley Burns, Atlantic City KO 1
April 30–Joe Ghnouly, Washington TKO 3
May 10–Vic Troise, Brooklyn TKO 1
May 19–Nick Castiglione, Philadelphia KO 1
June 16–Mike Evans, Philadelphia KO 2
July 2–Pete Lello, New York TKO 4
July 21–Sammy Angott, Philadelphia W 10
Aug. 27–Carl Guggino, Long Island City TKO 3
Aug. 29–Maurice Arnault, Atlantic City KO 1
Sept. 19–Maxie Shapiro, New York TKO 3
Sept. 25–Marty Servo, Philadelphia W 10
Oct. 31–Fritzie Zivic, New York W 10
1942
Jan. 16–Fritzie Zivic, New York TKO 10
Feb. 20–Maxie Berger, New York TKO 2
March 20–Norman Rubio, New York TKO 8
April 17–Harvey Dubs, Detroit TKO 6
April 30–Dick Banner, Minneapolis KO 2
May 28–Marty Servo, New York W 10
July 31–Sammy Angott, New York W 10
Aug. 21–Ruben Shank, New York KO 2
Aug. 27–Tony Motisi, Chicago KO 1
Oct. 2–Jake LaMotta, New York W 10
Oct. 19–Izzy Jannazzo, Philadelphia W 10
Nov. 6–Vic Dellicurti, New York W 10
Dec. 1–Izzy Jannazzo, Cleveland TKO 8
Dec. 14–Al Nettlow, Philadelphia TKO 3
1943
Feb. 5–Jake LaMotta, Detroit L 10
Feb. 19–Jackie Wilson, New York W 10
Feb. 26–Jake LaMotta, Detroit W 10
April 30–Freddie Cabral, Boston KO 1
July 1–Ralph Zannelli, Boston W 10
Aug. 27–Henry Armstrong, New York W 10
1944
Oct. 13–Izzy Jannazzo, Boston TKO 2
Oct. 27–Sgt. Lou Woods, Chicago TKO 9
Nov. 17–Vic Dellicurti, Detroit W 10
Dec. 12–Sheik Rangel, Philadelphia TKO 2
Dec. 22–Georgie Martin, Boston TKO 7
1945
Jan. 10–Billy Furrone, Washington TKO 2
Jan. 16–Tommy Bell, Cleveland W 10
Feb. 14–George Costner, Chicago KO 1
Feb. 24–Jake LaMotta, New York W 10
May 14–Jose Basora, Philadelphia D 10
June 15–Jimmy McDaniels, New York KO 2
Sept. 18–Jimmy Mandell, Buffalo TKO 5
Sept. 26–Jake LaMotta, Chicago W 12
Dec. 4–Vic Delacurti, Boston W 10
1946
Jan. 14–Dave Clark, Pittsburgh TKO 2
Feb. 5–Tony Riccio, Elizabeth, N.J. TKO 4
Feb. 15–O’Neill Bell, Detroit KO 2
Feb. 26–Cliff Beckett, St. Louis KO 4
March 4–Sammy Angott, Pittsburgh W 10
March 14–Izzy Jannazzo, Baltimore W 10
March 21–Freddy Flores, New York KO 5
June 12–Freddy Wilson, Worcester, Mass. KO 2
June 25–Norman Rubio, Union City, N.J. W 10
July 12–Joe Curcio, New York KO 1
Aug. 15–Vinnie Vines, Albany, N.Y. KO 6
Sept. 25–Sidney Miller, Elizabeth, N.J. KO 3
Oct. 7–Ossie Harris, Pittsburgh W 10
Nov. 1–Cecil Hudson, Detroit KO 6
Nov. 6–Artie Levine, Cleveland KO 10
Dec. 20–Tommy Bell, New York W 15
(Won vacant World Welterweight title)
1947
March 27–Bernie Miller, Miami TKO 3
April 3–Fred Wilson, Akron, Ohio KO 3
April 8–Eddie Finazzo, Kansas City TKO 4
May 16–Georgie Abrams, New York W 10
June 24–Jimmy Doyle, Cleveland TKO 8
(Retained World Welterweight title)
Aug. 21–Sammy Secreet, Akron, Ohio KO 1
Aug. 29–Flashy Sebastian, New York KO 1
Oct. 28–Jackie Wilson, Los Angeles TKO 7
Dec. 10–Billy Nixon, Elizabeth, N.J. TKO 6
Dec. 19–Chuck Taylor, Detroit TKO 6
(Retained World Welterweight title)
1948
March 4–Ossie Harris, Toledo, Ohio W 10
March 16–Henry Brimm, Buffalo, N.Y. W 10
June 28–Bernard Docusen, Chicago W 15
(Retained World Welterweight title)
Sept. 23–Kid Gavilan, New York W 10
Nov. 15–Bobby Lee, Philadelphia W 10
1949
Feb. 10–Gene Buffalo, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. KO 1
Feb. 15–Henry Brimm, Buffalo D 10
March 25–Bobby Lee, Chicago W 10
April 11–Don Lee, Omaha, Neb. W 10
April 20–Earl Turner, Oakland TKO 8
June 7–Freddie Flores, New Bdfrd, Mass. TKO 3
June 20–Cecil Hudson, Providence TKO 5
July 11–Kid Gavilan, Philadelphia W 15
(Retained World Welterweight title)
Aug. 24–Steve Belloise, New York KO 7
Sept. 9–Benny Evans, Omaha, Neb. TKO 5
Sept. 12–Charley Dotson, Houston KO 3
Nov. 9–Don Lee, Denver W 10
Nov. 13–Vern Lester, New Orleans KO 5
1950
Jan. 30–George LaRover, New Havn, Cnn. TKO 4
Feb. 13–Al Mobley, Miami TKO 6
Feb. 22–Aaron Wade, Savannah, Ga. KO 3
Feb. 27–Jean Walzack, St. Louis W 10
March 22–George Costner, Philadelphia KO 1
April 21–Cliff Beckett, Columbus, Ohio TKO 3
April 28–Ray Barnes, Detroit W 10
June 5–Robert Villemain, Philadelphia W 15
(Won vacant Pennsylvania World Mid. title)
Aug. 9–Charley Fusari, Jersey City, N.J. W 15
(Retained World Welterweight title)
Aug. 25–Jose Basora, Scranton, Pa. KO 1
(Retained Pennsylvania World Middleweight title)
Sept. 4–Billy Brown, New York W 10
Oct. 16–Joe Rindone, Boston KO 6
Oct. 26–Bobo Olson, Philadelphia KO 12
(Retained Pennsylvania World Middleweight title)
Nov. 8–Bobby Dykes, Chicago W 10
Nov. 27–Jean Stock, Paris TKO 2
Dec. 9–Luc Van Dam, Brussels KO 4
Dec. 16–Jean Walzack, Geneva W 10
Dec. 22–Robert Villemain, Paris TKO 9
Dec. 25–Hans Stretz, Frankfurt, W.Grmany KO 5
1951
Feb. 14–Jake LaMotta, Chicago TKO 13
(Won World Middleweight title)
April 5–Holley Mims, Miami W 10
April 9–Don Ellis, Oklahoma City KO 1
May 21–Kid Marcel, Paris TKO 5
May 26–Jean Wanes, Zurich W 10
June 10–Jean de Bruin, Antwerp TKO 8
June 16–Jean Walzack, Liege TKO 6
June 24–Gerhard Hecht, Berlin NC 2
July 1–Cyrille Delannoit, Turin, Italy TKO 3
July 10–Randy Turpin, London L 15
(Lost World Middleweight title)
Sept. 12–Randy Turpin, New York TKO 10
(Regained World Middleweight title)
1952
March 13–Bobo Olson, San Francisco W 15
(Retained World Middleweight title)
April 16–Rocky Graziano, Chicago KO 3
(Retained World Middleweight title)
June 25–Joey Maxim, New York L-TKO 14
(For World Light Heavyweight title)
Dec. 18–Announced retirement
1953
Inactive
1954
Oct. 20–Announced return to ring
1955
Jan. 5–Joe Rindone, Detroit KO 6
Jan. 19–Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Chicago L 10
March 29–Johnny Lombardo, Cincinnati W 10
April 14–Ted Olla, Milwaukee TKO 3
May 4–Garth Panter, Detroit W 10
July 22–Rocky Castellani, San Francisco W 10
Dec. 9–Bobo Olson, Chicago KO 2
(Regained World Middleweight title)
1956
May 18–Bobo Olson, Los Angeles KO 4
(Retained World Middleweight title)
Nov. 10–Bob Provizzi, New Haven, Conn. W 10
1957
Jan. 2–Gene Fullmer, New York L 15
(Lost World Middleweight title)
May 1–Gene Fullmer, Chicago KO 5
(Regained World Middleweight title)
Sept. 23–Carmen Basilio, New York L 15
(Lost World Middleweight title)
1958
March 25–Carmen Basilio, Chicago W 15
(Regained World Middleweight title)
1959
Dec. 14–Bob Young, Boston TKO 2
1960
Jan. 22–Paul Pender, Boston L 15
(Lost World Middleweight title)
April 2–Tony Baldoni, Baltimore KO 1
June 10–Paul Pender, Boston L 15
(For World Middleweight title)
Dec. 3–Gene Fullmer, Los Angeles D 15
(For NBA Middleweight title)
1961
March 4–Gene Fullmer, Las Vegas L 15
(For NBA Middleweight title)
Sept. 25–Wilf Greaves, Detroit W 10
Oct. 21–Denny Moyer, New York W 10
Nov. 20–Al Hauser, Providence TKO 6
Dec. 8–Wilf Greaves, Pittsburgh KO 8
1962
Feb. 17–Denny Moyer, New York L 10
April 27–Bobby Lee, Port of Spain KO 2
July 9–Phil Moyer, Los Angeles L 10
Sept. 25–Terry Downes, London L 10
Oct. 17–Diego Infantes, Vienna KO 2
Nov. 10–Georges Estatoff, Lyons, France TKO 6
1963
Jan. 30–Ralph Dupas, Miami Beach W 10
Feb. 25–Bernie Reynolds, Santo Domingo KO 4
March 11–Billy Thornton, Lewiston, Maine KO 3
May 5–Maurice Robinet, Sherbrke, Canada KO 3
June 24–Joey Giardello, Philadelphia L 10
Oct. 14–Armond Venucci, Paris W 10
Nov. 9–Fabio Bettini, Lyons, France D 10
Nov. 16–Emile Saerens, Brussels KO 8
Nov. 29–Andre Davier, Grenoble, France W 10
Dec. 9–Armond Venucci, Paris W 10
1964
May 19–Gaylord Barnes, Portland, Maine W 10
July 8–Clarence Riley, Pittsfield, Mass. TKO 6
July 27–Art Hernandez, Omaha D 10
Sept. 3–Mick Leahy, Paisley, Scotland L 10
Sept. 28–Yolande Leveque, Paris W 10
Oct. 12–Johnny Angel, London TKO 6
Oct. 24–Jackie Cailleau, Nice, France W 10
Nov. 7–Jean Baptiste Rolland, Calen, Frnce W 10
Nov. 14–Jean Beltritti, Marseille, France W 10
Nov. 27–Fabio Bettini, Rome D 10
1965
March 6–Jimmy Beecham, Kingston, N.C. KO 2
April 4–East Basting, Savannah, Ga. KO 1
April 28–Rocky Randall, Norfolk, Va. KO 3
May 5–Rocky Randall, Jacksonville W 8
May 24–Memo Ayon, Tijuana L 10
June 1–Stan Harrington, Honolulu L 10
June 24–Harvey McCullough, Richmnd, Va. W 10
July 12–Ferd Hernandez, Las Vegas L 10
July 27–Harvey McCullough, Richmnd, Va. W 10
Aug. 10–Stan Harrington, Honolulu L 10
Sept. 15–Bill Henderson, Norfolk, Va. NC 2
Sept. 23–Harvey McCullough, Philadelphia W 10
Oct. 1–Peter Schmidt, Johnstown, Pa. W 10
Oct. 5–Neil Morrison, Richmond, Va. TKO 2
Oct. 20–Rudolph Bent, Steubenville, Ohio KO 3
Nov. 10–Joey Archer, Pittsburgh L 10
Dec. 10–Announced retirement
ELECTED TO BOXING HALL OF FAME, 1967
Bouts-202, KO-110, WD-65, D-6, L-18, KO by-1, No contest-2
