how did sugar ray robinson die

Never mind the weight class. Rewind to 1951: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Born Walker Smith, Jr., he borrowed the name of a fighter named Ray Robinson to box as an amateur so his mother wouldn't find out. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/robinson-sugar-ray-1921-1989, Eggert, Mike "Robinson, Sugar Ray 19211989 Turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights. Contemporary Black Biography. Ten of his losses came after he was 40. ''If I had the chance to do it over again, I'd do it the same way. Along the way he fought many boxing legends, including Jake 'Raging Bull' LaMotta, Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basilio. Angott had agreed to the fight only in a non-title bout. Doyle died the next afternoon in a Cleveland hospital. On Oct. 2 in New York, Robinson engaged in the first of six legendary fights he was to have over a period of nine years against Jake LaMotta. Smith fought under that name that night, and he would never be known as anything else for the rest of his career. Also Read:Who Is Sugar Ray Robinsons Wife Millie Wiggins Bruce? You never got me down. The win marked the end of Robinsons reign as the welterweight champion, what some have called his prime period, but started a longer career in the middleweight ranks. After his return to boxing, Robinson was never again the unbeatable force he had been during his prime, but he still had some of his most memorable fights during this period. After a year the family moved to Harlem, where Robinson attended Cooper Junior High School; he earned spending money by working at a fruit stand. Robinson scaled 157 1/2 to Maxims 173 at the weigh-in. He weighed 85 pounds when he started. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Bob Dambacher, a Coroner's office spokesman, said Thursday an examination of Robinson's body showed he died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or hardening of the heart's arteries. After more than five years, Robinson was reunited with LaMotta at Chicago Stadium on Feb. 14, 1951. Three weeks later, Robinson avenged himself by beating LaMotta again. In the eighth round, just as in the dream, Robinson hit Doyle with a devastating left hook. Robinson won the vacant welterweight (147 pounds) championship on December 20, 1946, in a fifteen-round decision over Tommy Bell. It was a hot night and the temperature in the ring was over 100 degrees. When a light hitter like Joey Archer can drop me, he decided, I know its time to quit., Exactly a month later, Madison Square Garden organized a sentimental celebration of Robinsons long and splendid career. Just a year later, on Oct. 31, 1941, he got his chance, after running off a string of 25 consecutive victories that earned him the accolade of uncrowned lightweight champion. Robinson got $15,000 for the Zivic bout in New Yorks old Madison Square Garden but, he said: Id have fought for free. 1 by Bert Randolph Sugar, then the editor of The Ring magazine. After defeating Fusari and subsequently defending the Pennsylvania middleweight title against Jose Basora and Carl "Bobo" Olson, Robinson spent the final weeks of 1950 on a European tour. In June of 1936, at the invitation of Reverend Frederick Cullen, Robinson began to frequent the Salem-Crescent Gym and Athletic Club in the basement of Salem Methodist Church, at 129th Street and 7th Avenue. if (document.images) There was the basement of the Salem Methodist Church, where Robinson learned to box after moving to Harlem from Detroit at age 11. Career: Professional boxer, 1940-65. ''Sugar Walker Smith wouldn't have been the same.''. It started with his brutal, 10-round victory in New York. Equipment and facilities were all available free of charge. Died April 12, J 1989. Sugar Ray Robinson, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and by 1958, he had become the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. There he was, cruising in his custom flamingo-pink. In defending his title in 1947, Robinson knocked out Tommy Doyle in eight rounds. Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) was one of the first African American athletes who became well-known outside the boxing arena. It was also the only fight of his career in which he failed to complete the match. LOS ANGELES -- Boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson died of heart disease after suffering diabetes and Alzheimer's disease for a number of years, officials said Thursday. Even more ignominious was the decision in favor of Archer. Similarly, on August 9, 1950, he donated all but one dollar of one prize purse to cancer research, in memory of Valentine, who had died of cancer and was a friend and Golden Gloves opponent to Robinson. Robinson, whose skills, resiliency and longevity in the ring were legendary, had been a victim of Alzheimers disease for six years, but the cause of his death was not immediately attributable, a spokesman for the L.A. County Coroners office said. Encyclopedia.com. He appeared on television and in movies and also started a youth foundation in 1969. The fighter was briefly known as Ray (Sugar) Robinson, until it was decided Sugar Ray sounded better. Robinson, whose skills, resiliency and longevity in the ring were legendary, had been . He lost the decision. The first bit of controversy in Robinsons career stemmed from that army hitch. The Smiths had moved from Dublin, Georgia, to Detroit, Michigan, along with their two daughters, Marie and Evelyn, just weeks before Robinson's birth. That bout, on July 22, 1955, earned him a shot on Dec. 9 in Chicago against then middleweight champion Carl (Bobo) Olson. Larry Holmes, the Easton Assassin, is known as much for his retirements and comebacks as his skill in the bo, 1954- Jimmy Doyle died on the day after the fight, after undergoing surgery. Robinson died in 1989 in Culver City, California. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sugar-ray-robinson, "Sugar Ray Robinson On January 22, 1960, in a 15-round split decision against Paul Pender, the referee decided in favor of Pender. So here, try to understand the cause of Sugar Ray Robinson death & struggles during his final days. Dino Woodard, a former sparring partner for Robinson, said that he helped train Davis and that he was a respectable boxer who always wore protective headgear to protect his trumpet-playing lips. May 3, 1921born in Detroit as Walker Smith Jr. Oct. 4, 1940wins first pro fight by KO over Joe Escheverria. By his last retirement in 1991, boxer Sugar Ray, Frazier, Joe 1944 Robinson was often resented by his contemporaries for defending his interests at the bargaining table as determinedly as he defended his titles in the ring. Robinson's sixth-round knockout of Joe Rindone in Detroit on January 5 was followed by a loss to Ralph "Tiger" Jones on January 19 in Chicago. He died in Culver City, California, on April 12, 1989, at the age of 67. On May 29, 1943, soon after his induction into the Army, Robinson married Edna Mae Holly, a dancer, in Chicago. Just four days later he defeated Silent Stefford in Savannah, and once again it was a second-round knockout for Robinson. From the Archives: Dith Pran, Killing Fields was his story, From the Archives: Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79; legendary actress, From the Archives: Benjamin Spock, Baby Doctor for the Millions Dies, From the Archives: Simon Wiesenthal dies at 96; Nazi hunter loyal to the dead, From the Archives: Pioneering Photographer, Filmmaker Gordon Parks Dies. Statue of Randolph Turpin in Market Square, Warwick, Warwickshire, England Dhe contract for the London fight stipulated that, in the unlikely event the Englishman won, a rematch would be held in New York in September. He was born in Detroit on May 3, 1921. var navcontributecold = new Image(); THE TECHNICAL BREAKDOWN: Sugar Ray Robinson - The Sweet Science if (document.images) { In 1952 he fought Joey Maxim for the light heavyweight championship at Yankee Stadium. . Five months later he lost the title for the first time, on a 15-round decision, to Randy Turpin in London. Sometimes we got the best of it in the past.". navpostcardcold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_postcard_cold.gif"; The referee stopped the fight in the 13th round with LaMotta in a state of utter helplessness after a struggle that turned into a slaughter, according to the New York Times writer who covered the contest. After basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Robinson reported for duty as a corporal and was assigned along with Joe Louis to entertain the troops. And unfortunately, Sugar Ray Robinson death cause was kept hidden from the public domain for several years but was later published after people worldwide demanded the information. Some historians claim he was never beaten as an amateur, although others say he lost twice. ." The NBA stripped Robinson of his title for not defending it, but other jurisdictions continued to recognize him as the champion until he lost that distinction to Paul Pender in Boston in January 1960. Professional boxer, businessman The fight was held on the hottest night of the year in New York City. Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Early Years Robinson was born Walker Smith Jr. on May 3, 1921, although the location is a source of debate. Robinson won his first forty fights (twenty-six knockouts) until Jake LaMotta beat him on a decision in 1943. Retrieved June 29, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/robinson-sugar-ray. Robinson was picked as the winner, which came as no surprise to anyone. Robinson announced his return to boxing on October 20, 1954 and fought a six-round exhibition bout against Gene Burton in Hamilton, Ontario on November 29. 2. Sugar Ray Robinson, generally considered the best pound-for-pound fighter who ever lived, died today in a Culver City hospital emergency room after a long illness. Robinson used a mix of street savvy and business acumen to steer clear of mob fixers and vulture promoters, Mr. Barnes said, and insisted on representing himself when negotiating purses and television paydays, because he was the one taking the blows.. In 1997, as part of its 75th anniversary, Ring magazine picked the best fighter pound-for-pound of the last 75 years. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. Robinson was a fluid boxer who possessed a quick jab and knockout power in both hands. Jan. 22, 1960loses middleweight title to Paul Pender. On March 25, 1958, in a rematch against Basilio, Robinsonat age 36regained the middleweight title for an unprecedented fifth time in a 15-round decision. Then, on June 25, he fought what many fans consider to be one of his best fights, a fight he actually lost, for Joey Maxims light-heavyweight title. '', ''Mister,'' said Robinson, ''it's my business to get him in trouble.''. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sugar Ray Robinson Death Cause And Obituary. He retired from the ring shortly after losing a 10-round decision Nov. 10, 1965 in Pittsburgh to a plumber named Joey Archer. Armstrong, who earned the nicknamed Hurricane Hank for his all-out boxing style, attempted a comeback in 1943 at age 30, but retired soon after losing to Sugar Ray Robinson on August 27. Robinson won the New York Golden Gloves championship at featherweight (126 pounds) in 1939 and lightweight (135 pounds) in 1940. The traveling entourage for Robinson consisted of his wife; Gainford, his manager; a male secretary; three trainers; a golf pro; a personal barber; an odd-job man; a chauffeur; and a midget court jester. Ron Flatter noted that he was "as much a part of the New York scene in the forties and fifties as the Copa and Sinatra." He had, of course, written a rematch clause into his contract for the fight, but in June he lost that fight as well. Robinson made no attempt to bulk up to the light-heavyweight limit of 175 pounds, fighting instead at his natural weight of 157 and giving away almost 20 pounds. I see a lot of bad in boxing. Making the 147-pound limit became a problem for Robinson, and on Aug. 9, 1950 he defended his welterweight crown for the last time against Charley Fusari in Jersey City, winning an easy 15-round decision. Encyclopedia.com. Married three times: second wife Edna M. Holly, from 1943-60; third wife Millie Johnson, from 1965-89. In 1963 Holly obtained a Mexican divorce. By this time, Robinson was really somebody now, as he later recalled. Feb. 14, 1951stops LaMotta to win middleweight title. Muhammad Ali called Sugar Ray "the king, the master, my idol.". Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In lieu of flowers, the family asked the contributions be made to the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation. Robinson went after the light-heavyweight championship, fighting Joey Maxim on June 25, 1952. One night in Kingston, N.Y., near Albany, the promoter needed a flyweight. He owned a nightclub in Harlem called Sugar Ray's, and also a dry-cleaning shop, a lingerie shop and a barber shop. Robinson was not prepared for the test that the British middleweight would bring. . Robinson married Millie Bruce in 1965, and the two would remain together for the rest of his life. Sugar Ray came home and, two months later in New York, he regained the championship from Turpin before 61,370 fans at the Polo Grounds, winning on a 10th-round TKO. Gainford happened to have in his pocket the fight card of one Ray Robinson. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. An eighth-round TKO of Jimmy Doyle in 1947 proved to be a tragic title defense for Robinson. I want to come out with money. Walker Smith Jr., aka Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who broke opponents' bones from 1945 to 1965. But two years later, he was back in the ring, regaining the middleweight championship by beating Carl "Bobo" Olsen three times. Oct. 2, 1942wins decision in first of six brutal fights with Jake LaMotta. Then the champ took command in the bloody "St. Valentine's Day Massacre." I sagged through the ropes and onto the ring apron and sprawled there.. Roberts, who led USC to victory over Longhorns in segregated Texas, dies at 87, Former WWE wrestler Mike Mantaur Halac dies at 55, Search Obituaries & Guest Books on Legacy.com, Honor a loved one, place an obituary notice, Milan Kundera, Czech novelist known for The Unbearable Lightness of Being, dies, Architect Robert Mangurian dies a key member of SCI-Arcs founding generation, Andrea Evans of One Life to Live and The Bold and the Beautiful dies at 66, Jeffrey Carlson, known for groundbreaking All My Children role, dies at 48, Peter Nero, Grammy-winning pianist and Philly Pops conductor, dies at 89, George Tickner, original guitarist and co-founder of Journey, dies at 76. ." SPORTS OF THE TIMES; The Original Sugar Ray 'Never Lost' In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. He fought also in Geneva, winning a ten-round decision against Jean Walzack. Two months later, however, Robinson regained the title by beating Turpin in a 10-round technical knock out (TKO). In 1939, Sugar Ray Robinson was born. "That was the thing about Robinson," boxing trainer and historian Teddy Atlas told writer Borges. Since New York state law forbade anyone under the age of 16 to box, however, Smith needed fake credentials. Robinson, who stood 5-feet-11-inches tall, never finished junior high school, having slowly abandoned his studies as his amateur boxing career materialized. Gainford was short one boxer for a show, and decided to use Smith. Then he moved up and won the vacant Pennsylvania middleweight title in 1950 with a unanimous decision over France's Robert Villemain. In November and He came back cautiously over the course of that year, with five knockouts, including a sixth-round knockout in a title defense against Chuck Taylor in Detroit. He also played a few bit parts in movies and television. (June 29, 2023). At the weigh-in next day, Robinson said he would not fight Doyle. 'No Regrets', ''I went through four million dollars, but I have no regrets,'' he once said. Robinson fought at a pace that would be unheard of today. Jimmy Doyle (boxer) Robinson did not let the tragedy slow him down, however, and he won five more fights, all by knockout, before the year was over. Sugar Ray invited Miles to come up, and he come up every day when he was in town, said Mr. Woodard. He won by a unanimous decision, and fought a second defense on April 16 against Rocky Graziano , defeating the contender by a knockout in the third round. navgallerycold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_cold.gif"; Aside from a hitch in the Army, Robinson's World War II life was marked by the beginning of his rivalry with LaMotta. Over the course of his professional career Robinson earned an estimated $4 million dollars and was known for his generosity as much as for his fighting ability. In the 1960s, when Harlem was in decline as a jazz and cultural mecca, Robinson moved to Los Angeles. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. He grew up poor in the Black Bottom section of that city. Although the two stayed together for many years, Robinson by his own admission was not the most faithful of husbands. He died, having burned through his glory and his millions, at age 67 after suffering from Alzheimers disease. Not done spawning rivalries, Robinson lost his title on Jan. 2, 1957 to Gene Fullmer. This time, Robinson was outweighed by 15 pounds and had not trained properly. Although he never held another title, Robinson fought nearly fifty times more over the course of the next five years, losing in only twelve of these contests. Robinson lived in larger-than-life style, with a pink Cadillac convertible, fur coat, and flashy diamond jewelry. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'cold.src'); And the verdict in the room Tuesday night seemed unanimous that he ranked just as high in the realm of Harlem night life. The two met again in Chicago on May 1, two days before Robinsons 37th birthday. I wont stay in this business too long., But later when the face had become rough and grainy and scar tissue had collected around both eyes, he commented pensively: I wanted to quit while I was on top, but you cannot choose your endings.. The last few years of Rays life werent easy since he was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus & later suffered from Alzheimers during the final years. Robinson, however, regained the championshiphis fifthin his favorite arena, Chicago Stadium, on March 25, 1958. "Sugar Ray Robinson The New York Times Book of Sports Legends, edited by Joseph J. Vecchione, New York: Random House, 1991, p. 264. But everybody liked him.". After knockouts of Bernie Miller, Fred Wilson, and Eddie Finazzo, Robinson won a ten-round decision against George Abrams in New York City on May 16, 1947. Robinson literally made his name boxing. ." Carpenter remembered Robinson explaining, I was never hit with so many jabs in my life and I couldnt do a thing about it. Because the fight had been held in Chicago, the boxing writers who were there decreed the fight another Valentines Day Massacre. The fight was recreated in the 1980 Martin Scorcese film bio of LaMotta, Raging Bull, with Robert DeNiro as LaMotta, following Robinson around the ring after the fights conclusion taunting, You never got me down, Ray. An early look at the future champ prompted Gainford to say he was "sweet as sugar." But Penders flicking and moving caught the judges fancy. In those days he had nothing.. I dont want to keep fighting like Joe Louis. Robinson, of course, was boxing's original Sugar Ray, a nickname that has been usurped by several other athletes named Ray, notably Sugar Ray Leonard, also a middleweight and welterweight champion in recent years. Sugar Ray - Wikipedia 1921-1989 Sugar Ray Robinson was born Walker Smith Jr. on May 3, 1921, in Detroit to a Georgia farm couple who had moved to Michigan about a year earlier. But he got a shot at Fullmers NBA title at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on Dec. 3, 1960. Robinson thought he had been the victim of a hometown decision. Sugar Ray Robinson, friends said, insisted on keeping his hair straightened, greased and waved. Undefeated as an amateur boxer, 85-0, with 69 knockouts, 42 of them in the first round. He hit me with a right hand in my mid-section and when I doubled up, he let go with a left hook to the jaw. (June 29, 2023). When he finally reentered the ring, he lost the title for good. They said, Oh, thats Miles Davis. Sugar Ray agreed to train him., He hurt a few musicians who didnt want to listen, Mr. Johnson said of Davis. According to Ron Borges in HBO World Championship Boxing sportswriter Jack Case, who saw a young Robinson fight at the Salem Crescent Gym in New York in 1939, told Robinson's manager, George Gainford, "That's a sweet fighter you've got there." Robinson, inevitably at his most resourceful during the toughest of times, seized the moment. He died from heart problems on April 12, 1989, having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for several years prior. The first seven rounds were fairly even, with Robinson outboxing and outpunching LaMotta in. He won Golden Gloves championships in both featherweight and welterweight classifications and retired undefeated as the world welterweight champion in 1952. With his boxing artistry and knockout power in either fist, Robinson, who had also been the world welterweight champion, inspired the description ''pound for pound, the best,'' a phrase designed to transcend the various weight divisions. He managed also a brief career as a tap dancer, and his Ray Robinson Enterprises spanned the better part of a city block in New York City on 7th Avenue, between 123rd and 124th Streets. Sugar Ray Robinson, 67, Dies - Los Angeles Times Robinson originally aspired to be a doctor, but after dropping out of DeWitt Clinton High School (in the Bronx) in ninth grade, he switched his goal to boxing. Moreover, diabetes, hypertension & frequent overdose of lethal brain-dulling drugs led the legendary boxer to the verge of a miserable death. In spite of a virus and his 36 years, Robinson pounded Basilio, closing his left eye, and won a split decision to gain the middleweight championship for the fifth -- and final -- time. And there was the string of buildings Robinson bought at Seventh Avenue and 124th Street where he opened Sugar Rays, which attracted celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Nat King Cole and Elizabeth Taylor.
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