Robinson great middle while still a welter
Posted: 05 Mar 2003, 00:23
I think sugar Ray's middleweight greatness started before he won the title, reached it peak when he won it from LaMotta, and if he had strayed reitred after the maxim loss, his bieng the best would be beyond dispute.
1942..third year of fighting. had 14 fights, with a win over LaMotta w10.
LaMotta was the middleweighjt other middleweightsd wouldn't fight.
1943 had 6 fights, lost 10 to LaMotta
1944 had five fights then into army.
1945 had nine fights with two wins over LaMotta and a draw with middleweight Jose Basora
1946 had sixteen fights, including wins over middleweights Dave Clark, ossie Harris, and got off floor to Kayo Artie Levine, who often tangled with light heavies.
1947 had 10 fights, including win over middleweight Georgie Abrams.
1948 had fiver fights, including win over middleweight Henry Brimm
1949 had seventeen fights, including draw withg Brimm and wins over Middies Don Lee and Earl Turner
plus..made official debut as middleweight with kayo over Steve Belloise
1950 had 20 fights. wins over middies jean Walzack, robert Villemain, kayo one over Basora, kayo 12 over Bobo Olsen, and beat Jean Stock Luc Van Dam, Walzack again and Villemain again. All middies...and he was still a welter this year as he defended that title with a win over Charlie Fusari.
1951 had eleven fights, starting year with kayo win over LaMotta for middleweight title. toured Europe, beating middleweights including Cyrille Delannoit, only fighter to beat Cerdan except for LaMatto
Lost 15 to Randy Turpin, first time ever lost to aman in his own weight division, kayoed Tyrpin in return bout.
1952 had three fights, decision over Olsen and kayo 3 over Graziano
and lost decision to Joey Maxim challenging for light heavy crown.
Sports writers at this time said both Robinson and Graziano were past their prime.
1954...came baclk from retirement with an exhibition
1955 had seven fights, lost second one to tiger Jones and then in December won middle title back with two round kayo over Bobo Olsen, at age 35 in his 138th fight.
I'm not goiing into the rest of his middie career..losing it, winning it back, etc. Unfortunately when poeple talk about Robinson as middlewieght champion, they start with the LaMotta title win,a nd then include all thjose comeback fights, when it is my opinion that the LaMotta win was the end of his real peak years.
If anyonme wants to pick up onm this, be my guest. I have more to say, but will let the numbers take care of themselves for now.
Too tired to proofread. Numbers are right; some words may be garbled.
1942..third year of fighting. had 14 fights, with a win over LaMotta w10.
LaMotta was the middleweighjt other middleweightsd wouldn't fight.
1943 had 6 fights, lost 10 to LaMotta
1944 had five fights then into army.
1945 had nine fights with two wins over LaMotta and a draw with middleweight Jose Basora
1946 had sixteen fights, including wins over middleweights Dave Clark, ossie Harris, and got off floor to Kayo Artie Levine, who often tangled with light heavies.
1947 had 10 fights, including win over middleweight Georgie Abrams.
1948 had fiver fights, including win over middleweight Henry Brimm
1949 had seventeen fights, including draw withg Brimm and wins over Middies Don Lee and Earl Turner
plus..made official debut as middleweight with kayo over Steve Belloise
1950 had 20 fights. wins over middies jean Walzack, robert Villemain, kayo one over Basora, kayo 12 over Bobo Olsen, and beat Jean Stock Luc Van Dam, Walzack again and Villemain again. All middies...and he was still a welter this year as he defended that title with a win over Charlie Fusari.
1951 had eleven fights, starting year with kayo win over LaMotta for middleweight title. toured Europe, beating middleweights including Cyrille Delannoit, only fighter to beat Cerdan except for LaMatto
Lost 15 to Randy Turpin, first time ever lost to aman in his own weight division, kayoed Tyrpin in return bout.
1952 had three fights, decision over Olsen and kayo 3 over Graziano
and lost decision to Joey Maxim challenging for light heavy crown.
Sports writers at this time said both Robinson and Graziano were past their prime.
1954...came baclk from retirement with an exhibition
1955 had seven fights, lost second one to tiger Jones and then in December won middle title back with two round kayo over Bobo Olsen, at age 35 in his 138th fight.
I'm not goiing into the rest of his middie career..losing it, winning it back, etc. Unfortunately when poeple talk about Robinson as middlewieght champion, they start with the LaMotta title win,a nd then include all thjose comeback fights, when it is my opinion that the LaMotta win was the end of his real peak years.
If anyonme wants to pick up onm this, be my guest. I have more to say, but will let the numbers take care of themselves for now.
Too tired to proofread. Numbers are right; some words may be garbled.
