Robinson, Sugar Ray (1921-1989), won fame as one of the greatest boxers in history. He got his nickname, “Sugar Ray,” after a sportswriter described him as “a sweet fighter … sweet as sugar.” Robinson held the welterweight title from 1946 to 1951 and then won the middleweight championship five times.
Robinson defeated Jake LaMotta in 1951 to win the middleweight title for the first time. That same year he lost it to Randy Turpin and then won it back. He retired as champion in 1952 but returned to the ring in 1954. In 1955, he regained the title by defeating Bobo Olson. Gene Fullmer won the title in 1957. Robinson won it back and lost it to Carmen Basilio that same year. In 1958, he again regained the title. In 1959, the National Boxing Association stripped Robinson of the title because he failed to defend it within a year. But he retained the New York State Athletic Commission version of the championship, losing that title to Paul Pender in 1960. Robinson retired from boxing in 1965. He had won 174 of his 201 professional fights, 109 by knockouts.
Robinson was born on May 3, 1921, in Ailey, Ga. He grew up in New York City. Robinson’s given and family name was Walker Smith, Jr. Robinson died on April 12, 1989.
