Happy Birthday Sugar!

On this date in 1921 one of if not the greatest boxers of all time was born Walker Smith Jr.

he borrowed the name of a fighter named Ray Robinson to box as an amateur so his mother wouldn't find out he was boxing. Undefeated as an amateur boxer with an 85-0 record including 69 knock outs,with 42 of them in the first round.

He Turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights. The first he lost was a hard fought decision to another great of the time Jake LaMotta, Robinson would go on to fight LaMotta 6 times winning five of these.

Robinson won his next 93 straight fights which is incredible when today a fighter would be lucky to have half the amount of these fights in his career let alone win them.

A six time world champion, winning the Welterweight Title and then the Middleweight Title five times. His career lasted 25 years. beating many of the greatest boxing champions of his day, among them LaMotta, Kid Gavilan, Gene Fullmer, Carmen Basilio, Randolph Turpin and Carl "BoBo" Olsen.

Robinson was only stopped once in over 200 fights, that's right once in 200 fights and scored over 100 knockout victories in his time in the ring another tremendous feat.

A Marvellous fighter with speed, knock out power in both hands and as good a boxing brain any fighter would wish to have earning himself the name Sugar by being said to be as sweet as sugar.

The title P4P was invented from him as a way to distinguish a fighters ability regardless of their weight class.The word legend gets thrown around a lot now but he was a man who surely was worthy of the title.

Il end with one interesting fact for you that I didn't know until looking it up today that Sugar once owned an entire city block in Harlem which I think is pretty cool and shows the money he earnt through his trade.

A fighter im sure all of you know about and his achievements but I do feel a mention on his birthday is worthy.

Happy birthday to the greatest boxer to ever lace 'em up.

DoubleD22 wrote:The title P4P was invented from him as a way to distinguish a fighters ability regardless of their weight class.

Common misconception, the phrase was actually first used in reference to Benny Leonard.

Is that so Union? I didn't know that I was always told it was Robinson.

thank you for pointing this out now I can look a little smarter when talking boxing with my friends.

Happy to help, as always.

Pure inspiration.... one day if I have a son, Ray or Robinson are names I may use!

Sugar Floyd Louis wrote:Pure inspiration.... one day if I have a son, Ray or Robinson are names I may use!

Why not use Ray's real name Walker? Then you have him named after the greatest boxer ever and Walker Texas Ranger played by Mr CHUCK NORRIS. Doesn't get any cooler than that..

A genuine legend of the sport and along with the likes of Ali considered to be the greatest of all time. Sadly seems to have been forgotten nowadays but was an inspiration to the greats that followed him like his namesake Sugar Ray Leonard and of course Mr Ali himself.

paperbag_puncher wrote:

Sugar Floyd Louis wrote:Pure inspiration.... one day if I have a son, Ray or Robinson are names I may use!

Why not use Ray's real name Walker? Then you have him named after the greatest boxer ever and Walker Texas Ranger played by Mr CHUCK NORRIS. Doesn't get any cooler than that..

good suggestion!

Thats a lot of pressure to put on you're son naming him, after an ATG boxer in Sugar Ray and a man who can......

whistle in French, win X FACTOR using sign languge, rub two sticks together and make fire, and count to infinity...TWICE amongst other things.

More like he can rub fire together and make sticks!

Also if a zombie bit Sugar ray instead of him turning into a zombie the zombie would turn into Robinson!