Robinson, Sugar Ray (Walker Smith Jr.)

Impact on the world

Compiled a professional record of 129-1-2 by 1951 including a 91-fight unbeaten streak, the sixth-longest in boxing history, and held both the world welterweight and middleweight titles; he has been ranked the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time by sportswriters, trainers, and fellow champions including Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis.

Life & background

Born Walker Smith Jr., Robinson turned professional in 1940 and built a 129-1-2 record by 1951, including a 91-fight unbeaten streak from 1943 to 1951. He won the world welterweight title in 1946 and the middleweight title in 1951, defeating rival Jake LaMotta in their sixth and final bout, known as the 'St. Valentine's Day Massacre.' He served 15 months in the U.S. Army alongside Joe Louis, where the pair toured performing exhibition boxing matches for troops, though Robinson clashed with superiors over discriminatory treatment of Black soldiers. He is widely ranked the greatest pound-for-pound boxer in history by sportswriters, trainers, and champions across generations, including Muhammad Ali, who idolized him and unsuccessfully sought him as a manager.

Sources

1. International Boxing Hall of Fame (1990 inductee); Biography.com