Sugar Ray Robinson KO power

[Fireball]

In everyones haste to emphasize Ray as the best now and forever into the future his awesome KO power is spoken about.
If he was so all fired awesome in the power department, why couldn't he line up a few title defences in a row that had Thomas Hearns/Pipino Cuevas/Julian Jackson type of KO's?

[spudder56]

In everyones haste to emphasize Ray as the best now and forever into the future his awesome KO power is spoken about.
If he was so all fired awesome in the power department, why couldn't he line up a few title defences in a row that had Thomas Hearns/Pipino Cuevas/Julian Jackson type of KO's?

I dont think Sugar Ray had the concussive power of the three you mention but he was a wonderful Boxer

[BoxBuzz]

For what it's worth I believe if those three were lined up in a single year of SRR defences, he would have indeed KO'd two out of three of those guys....I do think all these fights would have been fun to watch.

He might have had to settle for a one sided UD with Pipino.

[Fireball]

I'm not going to say how'd it go actually fighting those guys. Powerwise those more contemporary guys are in the stratosphere. Skillwise I rate these guys Pipino<Julian<Tommy<Ray. Tommy wiht his skill, height and power had a chance to beat Ray a time or 2 in a tourney. Jackson and Cuevas, they would have to land a lucky punch, very lucky.
Tommy losing twice to Iran Barkley, I don't know what to make of that.
As far as chin goes, Ray was at an extreme advantage on the other guys... As far as power, not necessarily.

[Ambling Alp II]

KO percentages can be deceiving. Robinson fought much better competition. He stopped 6 different Hall of Famers in his career.
He could hit extremely hard. The left hook that knocked out Fullmer is a perfect example. Fullmer was out from that one punch and he had a great chin.

[Sven Tingstrom]

In everyones haste to emphasize Ray as the best now and forever into the future his awesome KO power is spoken about.
If he was so all fired awesome in the power department, why couldn't he line up a few title defences in a row that had Thomas Hearns/Pipino Cuevas/Julian Jackson type of KO's?

I dont think Sugar Ray had the concussive power of the three you mention but he was a wonderful Boxer

Gene Fullmer might possibly give you an argument on that.

[Controversial]

Yes he may not have been as deadly or as concussive as the fighters mentioned but he was still a fantastic puncher, the amounts of stoppage wins a testament to that. Lennox Lewis wasn't as deadly as Tyson, or as powerful as Foreman or Shavers, but he was still a hard puncher.

[Fireball]

KO percentages can be deceiving. Robinson fought much better competition. He stopped 6 different Hall of Famers in his career.
He could hit extremely hard. The left hook that knocked out Fullmer is a perfect example. Fullmer was out from that one punch and he had a great chin.

The hook Robinson hit Fulmer with was loopy and telegraphed fom his hip. Robinson, being so fornicating fast (Roy Jones-ish), he didn't need perfect technique to land it. Not trying to downgrade that punch however as it did KO the iron jawed fullmer, just here to tell you that the left that Jersey Joe Walcott KO'd Ezzard Charles with was probably the best left hook I ever saw, literally came out of nowhere.

[The Great John L]

I'm not exactly sure what this thread is about. If the OP is saying that there aren't a list of highlight reel KOs showing Robinsons power, then I think he just needs to poke around a bit on youtube, because he had a lot of them. Did he hit as hard as Cuevas, Hearns and Jackson? Nobody really knows, but he's certainly in the ballpark with those guys.

[loaded_gloves]

Robinson was a tremendous puncher.

It's frightening, the users who the internet unearths.

[barry]

Robinson absolutely hit as hard as Hearns, Cuevas and Jackson! Put each of those three guys against the same competition for 25 years and see what kind of KO% they have! Robinson had a slew of vicious knockouts against great competition. Cuevas had a good chin until Hearns, but Cuevas could not stand up to the punishment that Fullmer could and Robinson KO'd Fullmer with one shot while going backwards...that alone compares to any KO by anyone...not just the three mentioned! Not too many fighters in history can hold the crown of being the best of all-time in two of the original 8 weight classes!

[The End]

Robinson absolutely hit as hard as Hearns, Cuevas and Jackson! Put each of those three guys against the same competition for 25 years and see what kind of KO% they have! Robinson had a slew of vicious knockouts against great competition. Cuevas had a good chin until Hearns, but Cuevas could not stand up to the punishment that Fullmer could and Robinson KO'd Fullmer with one shot while going backwards...that alone compares to any KO by anyone...not just the three mentioned! Not too many fighters in history can hold the crown of being the best of all-time in two of the original 8 weight classes!

You still post ? Great to see some more knowledge around here

[Jaclem]

robinson was one of the hardest punchers ever in the middleweight division. carmen basilio said he was the hardest hitter he ever faced.

in his over-the-weight matches when he was welter champ he often didn't go for the kayo unless he had a good reason.

Two examples:
he disliked the very good george costner because he took the name sugar. result. kayo first round.

rematch - kayo first round. years later ray said it was true he didn't like costner using the name sugar, but also he knew costner was a dangerous puncher and didn't want to take any chances with him.

another over-the-weight as welter champion was against a fighter named gene buffalo. buffalo came in at under 147, which put robinson's welter title at stake. result--one round kayo.