For other boxers named "Sugar Ray", see Sugar Ray (disambiguation).
Sugar Ray Robinson
Robinson in 1947
Born
Walker Smith Jr.
(1921-05-03)May 3, 1921
Ailey, Georgia, U.S.
Died
April 12, 1989(1989-04-12) (aged 67)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Statistics
Weight(s)
Lightweight
Welterweight
Middleweight
Light heavyweight
Height
5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Reach
72+1⁄2 in (184 cm)
Stance
Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights
201
Wins
174
Wins by KO
109
Losses
19
Draws
6
No contests
2
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
New York Golden Gloves
1939 New York
Featherweight
1940 New York
Lightweight
Intercity Golden Gloves
1939 Chicago
Featherweight
1940 New York
Lightweight
Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.[1] He is often regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, pound-for-pound.[2][3][4][5][6]
Robinson was a dominant amateur, but his exact amateur record is not known. It is usually listed as 85–0 with 69 knockouts, 40 in the first round. However it has been reported he lost to Billy Graham and Patsy Pesca as a teenager under his given name, Walker Smith Jr. He turned professional in 1940 at the age of 19 and by 1951 had a professional record of 129–1–2 with 85 knockouts. From 1943 to 1951 Robinson went on a 91-fight unbeaten streak, the sixth-longest in professional boxing history [7] behind Pedro Carrasco with 93,[8] Jimmy Wilde with 95,[9] Buck Smith with 102,[10] Packey McFarland with 104,[11] and Young Griffo with 107.[12] Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and won the world middleweight title in the latter year. He retired in 1952, only to come back two-and-a-half years later and regain the middleweight title in 1955.
He then became the first boxer in history to win a divisional world championship five times (a feat he accomplished by defeating Carmen Basilio in 1958 to regain the middleweight championship). Robinson was named "fighter of the year" twice: first for his performances in 1942, then nine years and over 90 fights later, for his efforts in 1951. 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".[13] As of July 2023, BoxRec ranks Robinson as the greatest boxer, pound-for-pound, of all time.[14] He was named the best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) in both of its all-time ratings, in 2006 and 2019.[15][16]
Renowned for his classy and flamboyant lifestyle outside the ring,[17] Robinson is credited with being the originator of the modern sports "entourage". After his boxing career ended, Robinson attempted a career as an entertainer, but it was not successful. He struggled financially until his death in 1989. In 2006, he was featured on a commemorative stamp by the United States Postal Service.[18]
^Sugar Ray Robinson. International Boxing Hall of Fame.
^Dan (May 12, 2020). "Sugar Ray Robinson Again Named Greatest Boxer of All Time". IBRO. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
^Carlson, Dave. "The 100 Greatest Pound for Pound Boxers Of All Time". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^"ESPN: All-Time Greatest Boxers". ESPN. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^"ESPN: Boxing – AP Fighters of the Century list". ESPN. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^Eisele, Andrew (February 22, 2018). "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". LiveAbout. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^"Sugar Ray Robinson's record". BoxRec. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
^"Pedro Carrasco". BoxRec. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^"Jimmy Wilde". BoxRec. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^"Buck Smith". BoxRec. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^"Buck Smith". BoxRec. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^"Young Griffo". Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^Eisele, Andrew. "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". About.com Sports. Archived from the original on January 8, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
^"BoxRec ratings: world, pound-for-pound, active and inactive". BoxRec. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
^"IBRO All-Time Ratings - Pound For Pound 2006" (PDF). International Boxing Research Organization. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
^"IBRO All-Time Ratings - Pound For Pound Results" (PDF). International Boxing Research Organization. December 31, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
^"Sugar Ray Robinson". Biography. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
^"Philately – Sugar Ray Robinson Stamp". United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
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