Sugar Ray Robinson - The Greatest Athlete of All Time

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by I Know Everythi, Sep 4, 2014.



  1. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,673
    7,673
    Oct 22, 2015
    But he lacks the biggest attribute a boxer MUST have heart and determination. He pretty much quit a few times after his team fell behind in a few of his championships. So in my opinion he's not the greatest basketball player much less athlete in history. And besides comparing a boxer to a basketball player is almost impossible. A team sport concept is completely different from a single person athletic sport. Does Lebron win a championship without good players around him? Does Jordan? Rice? Etc. And Lebron has clearly shown he's a front runner, but when the odds are against him he folds, than he blames. That type of mentality would be exposed quickly in boxing.
     
    ETM likes this.
  2. RealDeal

    RealDeal Pugilist Specialist Full Member

    1,539
    1,556
    May 2, 2009
    Had Zion Williamson been born about 50 years earlier, he’d be heavyweight champion of the world imo.
     
  3. META5

    META5 Active Member Full Member

    1,087
    1,235
    Jun 28, 2005
    Have to agree with anybody that suggests that RJJ was a better pure athlete than SRR.

    Greatest performing athlete, I could see the argument but as a pure athlete RJJ may be the best combination of explosive speed, reflex and power there’s been. Mike Tyson would rank extremely highly here too.
     
    Brixton Bomber and Ra's Al-Ghul like this.
  4. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

    12,608
    10,369
    Mar 19, 2012
    Wilt Chamberlain

    7-1 250-300lbs
    He was a track and field standout in high jumping. His strength the stuff of legend. He also played a mean game of basketball.
    After he retired from the NBA Chamberlain took up volleyball and was ok the world class level.
    He had 20,000 women

    Thread/
     
    louis54 likes this.
  5. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

    12,608
    10,369
    Mar 19, 2012
    I don't know about better. Perhaps just as good. We don't have film of Robinson during his physical peak. That would be like having no video of Roy Jones at '60 and '68.
     
  6. louis54

    louis54 Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,187
    1,295
    Mar 20, 2013
    Maybe Jim Brown but Robinson is up there
     
    hdog likes this.
  7. META5

    META5 Active Member Full Member

    1,087
    1,235
    Jun 28, 2005
    Better fighter yes. Undoubtedly. But p4p, RJJ likely moves faster, punches faster and hits harder. Add in his ability to play basketball to a decent level and I am
    quite happy to rank RJJ top of the tree - even with his supplements and vitamins advantages.

    SRR is right up there but I think RJJ and Mike Tyson rank higher p4p for me just based on explosive speed, power and reflex.
     
  8. thanosone

    thanosone Love Your Brother Man Full Member

    6,499
    2,410
    Sep 23, 2007
    What if he has China in that chin tho?
     
  9. Brixton Bomber

    Brixton Bomber Obsessed with Boxing banned Full Member

    21,988
    6,083
    Sep 21, 2013
    Agreed.

    Mike was quicker than Roy, and that's saying something considering the weight difference.
     
  10. Brixton Bomber

    Brixton Bomber Obsessed with Boxing banned Full Member

    21,988
    6,083
    Sep 21, 2013
    Lebron is an animal.

    I watched a HL Reel of the guy last night and it's scary to think someone that big can move the way he does.

    Phenomenal athlete.
     
    surfinghb likes this.
  11. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,963
    13,367
    Aug 26, 2017
    No doubt … Given his size, weight, height … He definitely has a case .. Especially when he can move like a 6'2 guy
     
    Brixton Bomber likes this.
  12. Ballista

    Ballista New Member Full Member

    43
    49
    Mar 5, 2019
    Well i'm a cross country runner so for me Eliud Kipchoge is the greatest athlete of all time ;)
     
    Seamus likes this.
  13. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

    12,608
    10,369
    Mar 19, 2012
    I couldnt say it unless I saw some prime footage of 147lb Robinson at his physical peak. He was explosive at 160 in his early 30s. I would guess he was off the charts.
     
  14. The Morlocks

    The Morlocks Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,717
    8,910
    Nov 21, 2009
    And most impressive of all.......laid the hard wood to a prime Pam Greir.
     
    surfinghb likes this.
  15. META5

    META5 Active Member Full Member

    1,087
    1,235
    Jun 28, 2005
    This is the biggest shame.

    With prime SRR I have to take a leap of faith based on an extrapolation of what we can see post-prime, factored in with anywhere from a 10 - 20, maybe up to 30/40% improvement based on what respectable writers and fighters of his time tell us about his WW abilities. Similarly, we never saw a 1968 or 1969 Ali in the ring, but I can only extrapolate how sharp his right hand lead would have been during that period. I cannot, however, use this non-verifiable version of him when I play hypothetical H2H.

    With RJJ and Mike Tyson, we got to see it. It’s there on film and so I don’t have to imagine or extrapolate to bridge any gaps. Perhaps, if SRR’s WW footage were available in HD colour and multiple angles my rankings would be completely different.