Sugar Ray Robinson vs. George Costner (2nd meeting)

Ray Robinson 154 lbs beat George Costner 150 lbs by KO at 2:49 in round 1 of 10

• Date: 1950-03-22
• Location: Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

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"I was in Philadelphia once for a fight with George Costner, a tough puncher who also liked to call himself Sugar. In the days before the fight, he kept telling the sportswriters how there was going to be only one Sugar, meaning him. But after the referee gave us the instructions in the middle of the ring, I held out my gloves. 'Better touch gloves now,' I told Costner. 'Because this is the only round. Your name ain't Sugar, mine is.' Two minutes and forty-nine seconds later, Costner didn't look so sweet."

From Sugar Ray, the autobiography of Sugar Ray Robinson [1]

• Attendance - 11,700
• Gate - $53,752
• Robinson's purse - $15,000
• This bout - according to the AP - was originally scheduled to take place on December 12th, 1949. However, it was postponed due to Robinson injuring his left shoulder when he knocked out Vern Lester on November 13th. It was then rescheduled for Convention Hall in Philadelphia for February 22nd, 1950. But on January 16th, Pennsylvania commission physician, Dr. Williard G. B. Terry, stated that Robinson still needed some rest following a recent illness before he could meet Costner and State Athletic Commissioner John Dagrosa okayed a postponement until March 22nd so Robinson could get into shape. Robinson even signed a new set of contracts and posted a cash forfeit of $2,500 as a show of good faith. However, although Robinson did meet Costner on the rescheduled date, and despite his claimed injuries, illnesses and being out of shape, he actually fought five times between the Lester fight and the twice-postponed Costner bout. He fought George LaRover on January 30th, Al Mobley on February 13th, Johnny Dudley on February 18th, Aaron (Tiger) Wade on February 22nd and Jean Walczak on February 27th.