Sweet as Sugar

At welterweight, Sugar Ray Robinson was the best there ever was. He whipped Kid Gavilan twice. The Kid, who held the the world welterweight title from 1951 to 1954 and posted seven successful title defenses, was never knocked out or stopped in more than 140 professional fights. That's a tough opponent. Robinson defeated Sammy Angott thrice. Angott was lightweight champion from 1940-1944. Also a tough fighter, Sammy only once failed to go the distance in 131 fights. Robinson defeated world welterweight champions Marty Servo twice, Fritzie Zivic twice (once inside the distance), and outpointed the legendary Henry Armstrong (who still holds the record for most title defenses at 147 lbs and who failed to go the distance only twice in 180 fights). Robinson himself held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, successfully defending it five times. He never lost the welterweight title in the ring. In fact, no welterweight ever defeated him.

Being the best welterweight ever wasn't enough for Ray. After defeating top middleweights, such as Georgie Abrams and Steve Belloise, Robinson won the world middleweight championship in 1951 by stopping rugged Jake LaMotta in the 13th round (a brutal fight known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre). Ray lost the title to Randy Turpin on decision while on tour in England (his victory lap), but regained it by stopping the Brit in the tenth. Robinson defended the championship twice, including a knockout win over former champion Rocky Graziano. He retired in 1952 after failing in a bid for the light heavyweight title against Joey Maxim. (Robinson was winning the fight handily, but collapsed in the 110 degree heat. It was the only time in 200 fights that Robinson did not finish a fight.)

Robinson returned to the ring at age 34 (the age when most fighters retire) and won the world middleweight championship three more times, setting a record for the number of championships won at that weight (five times in all). He knocked out Carl Olson (twice) and Gene Fullmer, and outpointed former two-time welterweight champion Carmen Basilio. He lost the title to Paul Pender on a close decision. He lost the rematch, as well. By this time the old master was fading. Still, he drew with Fullmer in a bid for the NBA title (a fight many thought Ray won) before losing the rematch on points. He fought on until the age of 44, always competitive against top-level competition.



If you consider his 15-round victory over Charley Fusari to be the end of his welterweight career (he never fought again at or below the welter limit), then he finished that phase of his career with an incredible record of 109-1-2. He wouldn’t get his shot at any world title until his 75th fight. Robinson registered 108 knockouts over the course of his 25-year career (1940-1965). He carried a knockout punch in either hand, knew ever punch in the book (and then some), and had astonishing recuperative powers. He is without question the greatest boxer pound for pound who ever lived. As noted, he's number one at welterweight. I rank him number two at middleweight, right behind Marvin Hagler.