Sugar Ray Robinson biography
Sugar Ray Robinson, byname of Walker Smith, Jr., (born May 3, 1921, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.—died April 12, 1989, Culver City, California), American skilled boxer, six occasions a world champion: as soon as as a welterweight (147 kilos), from 1946 to 1951, and 5 occasions as a middleweight (160 kilos), between 1951 and 1960. He is taken into account by many authorities to have been one of the best fighter in historical past.
He received 89 novice fights with out defeat, combating first below his personal title after which as Ray Robinson, utilizing the novice certificates of one other boxer of that title with the intention to qualify for a bout. He received Golden Gloves titles as a featherweight in 1939 and as a light-weight in 1940.
Robinson received 40 consecutive skilled fights earlier than shedding to Jake LaMotta in one in all their six battles. On December 20, 1946, he received the welterweight championship by defeating Tommy Bell on a 15-round determination. Robinson resigned this title on successful the middleweight championship by a 13-round knockout of LaMotta on February 14, 1951. He misplaced the 160-pound title to Randy Turpin of England in 1951 and regained it from Turpin later that yr. In 1952 he narrowly missed defeating Joey Maxim for the light-heavyweight (175-pound) crown and some months later retired.
Robinson returned to the ring in 1954, recaptured the middleweight title from Carl (Bobo) Olson in 1955, misplaced it to and regained it from Gene Fullmer in 1957, yielded it to Carmen Basilio later that yr, and for the final time received the 160-pound championship by defeating Basilio in a savage struggle in 1958. Paul Pender defeated Robinson to win the title on January 22, 1960, and likewise received their return struggle.
Robinson continued to struggle till late 1965, when he was 45 years previous. In 201 skilled bouts, he had 109 knockouts. He suffered solely 19 defeats, most of them when he was previous 40. His excellent capacity and flamboyant character made him a hero of boxing followers all through the world. In retirement he appeared on tv and in movement photos and shaped a youth basis in 1969.