Basilio on Robinson "When he died.. I said, I don´t give a ****....."

Michael Jordan's opponents never cared for him either. Because he'd cut their f-ing throats so many times (competitively speaking).

A lot of great athletes have that thing in them that's like chewing on tin foil. It's a big part of what makes them great.

Basilio was probably bothered the most by the fact that he knew that Robinson defined him. Without the victory over an aging Sugar Ray, Basilio would be a footnote who only true purists knew about. The fact that his own obit starts with "Carmine Basilio, who once beat Sugar Ray Robinson ..." says it all.

 

I don't like egomaniacs more successful than me either.

 

People tend to be full of it. Death normally doesn't bother me deeply. (although, I do shake my head when I see stories like the Newton massacre and realize how screwed up the world can be)

 

No, he legitimately had an issue with Robinson, as did most of his oponents. Robinson treated them like dirt outside of the ring and he would often go home and beat his wife.

The first time Basilio met Robinson, Robinson blatantly brushed him aside and walked past without even giving Carmen a nod. He acted better than everybody in the room and had a very arrogant ego about him which pissed people off for obvious reasons.

Gene Fullmer also had very negative feelings about Robinson the person.

Carmen and Gene didn't really have problems with many, but Robinson really pissed them off.

 

Well Carmen just didn't like him he was quite opposite to Basilio personality wise and Basilio held a grudge

 

Ike Williams didn't like Robinson either.

 

Was there anybody who did genuinely like him, having trouble of thinking of someone now

 

I think its a pretty nasty comment myself.

 

It seems a bit extreme holding a grudge over someone blanking you. Was that all it was between them?

 

Well what seems more extreme is giving a **** about someone you only knew from being rude to you and having fights with.

If Basilio never had any positive experiences when coming across Ray, then he's entitled not to give a **** about him IMO. Basilio is known as a pretty sound guy, also he may've felt shafted with the decision in their rematch.

 

What's the story there? I didn't know they had much interaction beyond Robinson trying to get a fight with him and Williams declining...If memory serves me right.

 

Seems like such an oddball relationship deadpan, quiet, dry Louis and loud, obnoxious Robinson. Have no clue how they got along

 

Robinson played real hardball over money, and when he demanded more, it had to come from someplace, and often it came out of the other guy's end. Also, Fullmer and Basilio (and Paul Pender) were a little put off (more than a little, actually) by all the 'greatest p4p' hype.