Ask boxing historians to name the greatest fighter of all time and one name comes up more than any other: Sugar Ray Robinson. The very phrase pound for pound was coined by writers trying to explain how good he was.
Over a career spanning 25 years and more than 200 fights, he ruled the welterweight division and won the middleweight title a record five times. Here is his story, and you can shop every design in our Sugar Ray Robinson collection.
Sugar Ray Robinson Fact File
| Birth name | Walker Smith Jr. |
| Date of birth | 3 May 1921 |
| Place of birth | Ailey, Georgia, USA |
| Died | 12 April 1989, Los Angeles (aged 67) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Reach | 72½ in (184 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Nationality | American |
| Divisions | Lightweight to light heavyweight |
| Nickname | Sugar Ray |
Career History
| Years | Division / milestone | Record and notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1940–1943 | Early career | 40–0 before first defeat, to Jake LaMotta |
| 1943–1951 | Unbeaten streak | 91 fights without defeat |
| 1946–1951 | Welterweight | World champion |
| 1951–1958 | Middleweight | World champion five times |
| 1940–1965 | Professional career | 201 fights: 174 wins (109 KOs), 19 losses, 6 draws, 2 no contests |
Robinson's commonly quoted amateur record of 85–0 is disputed, so we have not included it in the table.
From Georgia to Harlem's Golden Gloves
Born Walker Smith Jr. in Ailey, Georgia, he moved to Harlem with his mother at 12. Too young for an amateur card, he boxed using the ID of a youth called Ray Robinson, and the name stuck. The Sugar came after a spectator said he was sweet as sugar.
He won New York Golden Gloves titles at featherweight in 1939 and lightweight in 1940, then made his professional debut on 4 October 1940 with a second-round stoppage.
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Forty and Oh, Then 91
Robinson won his first 40 professional fights before Jake LaMotta beat him on points in Detroit in February 1943. It was a rare blip: he then went 91 fights without defeat.
On 20 December 1946 he outpointed Tommy Bell over 15 rounds for the vacant world welterweight title, a belt he held until 1951.
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Five Times Middleweight King
On 14 February 1951 he stopped LaMotta in the 13th round, the fight that became known as the St Valentine's Day Massacre, to become middleweight champion.
He lost and regained the title against Randolph Turpin in 1951, beat Bobo Olson in 1955, knocked out Gene Fullmer with a famous left hook in 1957 and edged Carmen Basilio in 1958 to become the first boxer to win a divisional world title five times.
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The Final Bell
Robinson first retired in 1952 after his light heavyweight title challenge against Joey Maxim, then returned in 1955. He fought on into his forties before announcing his final retirement on 11 November 1965.
He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1942 and 1951, and was part of the inaugural class of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
Honours
World titles
- World welterweight champion: 1946–1951
- World middleweight champion: five reigns (1951, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958)
Amateur
- New York Golden Gloves: featherweight (1939), lightweight (1940)
Individual
- Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year: 1942, 1951
- Ring Magazine Hall of Fame (1967)
- International Boxing Hall of Fame, inaugural class (1990)
Outside the Ring
Robinson was one of the first sporting celebrities, famous for his style and his glamorous restaurant, Sugar Ray's. In 1969 he founded the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation to support young people in inner-city Los Angeles.
FAQs
How old was Sugar Ray Robinson when he died?
Sugar Ray Robinson died on 12 April 1989 in Los Angeles, aged 67.
Where was Sugar Ray Robinson born?
He was born Walker Smith Jr. in Ailey, Georgia, in the United States.
How tall was Sugar Ray Robinson?
Robinson stood 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) with a 72½ in reach.
What was Sugar Ray Robinson's record?
His professional record was 174 wins (109 by knockout), 19 losses, 6 draws and 2 no contests from 201 fights.
How many times did Sugar Ray Robinson win the middleweight title?
Five times, between 1951 and 1958, making him the first boxer to win a divisional world title five times.
What was the St Valentine's Day Massacre?
It was Robinson's 13th-round stoppage of Jake LaMotta on 14 February 1951, which won him the world middleweight title.
Shop the Sugar Ray Robinson Collection
Celebrate the original pound-for-pound king with our made-to-order designs, printed in the UK.
Shop every design in our Sugar Ray Robinson collection. Explore the full boxing collection for more champions of the ring. Want your own name on the back instead? Design a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Sugar Ray Leonard Career Story and Marvin Hagler Career Story.
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