Obituary Sugar Ray Robinson

Press, 14 April 1989, Page 44

Obituary Sugar Ray Robinson

NZPA-Reuter New York Sugar Ray Robinson earned his nickname and a reputation as one of the greatest boxers of all time with a smooth, sweet style that carried him through a career that spanned 25 years. Robinson, who died yesterday, aged 67, won world titles in the welterweight and middleweight divisions and in his mid-40s fought 15 bouts in the year before he retired. Outside the ring his extravagant taste and fondness for high living earned him another nickname — “the man with the pink Cadillac.” Robinson won 174 of his 201 fights, 110 by knockouts, drew six, lost 19 and took part in two no-contests. But his record was even more impressive than that. In his glory years his record was 123 wins, one loss and two draws and he won most of his five middleweight titles at an age when almost every boxer has long retired. “Everybody in boxing is stunned because his contributions to the sport were so great,” the promoter, Bob Arum, said yesterday. “He was without question the greatest fighter ever in the history of boxing.” The legendary heavyweight champion, Joe Louis, once called Robinson “the greatest fighter ever to step into the ring.”. The heavyweight, Max Schmeling, hailed him as “the greatest ... scientific. was wonderful to

see.” Robinson was born Walker Smith Jun. on May 3, 1921, in Detroit, but was raised in the Harlem district of New York where he learned to box in a neighbourhood gymnasium. He was said to have borrowed the name Robinson from an older boy to compete in a boxing match while he was under the required age, while “Sugar Ray” was bestowed by sportswriters because he fought so sweetly. Before becoming a professional he won 89 amateur fights and became a Golden Gloves featherweight champion at the age of 17. Two years later Robinson turned professional. His first opponent was Joe Escheverria, who lasted just over a round before being knocked out in New York on October 4, 1940. Wins and knockouts piled up quickly, a lone defeat — quickly avenged — coming at the hands of Jake LaMotta in 1943. After serving in the army in 1943 and 1944, he returned to boxing and reached the top, gaining the world welterweight title on December 20, 1946, by outpointing Tommy Bell. On June 24, 1947, a successful defence of his title, ended in tragedy. Robinson pounded Jimmy Doyle to the canvas in eight rounds and the challenger did not ' get up, dying 17 hours later. i