Yes, he's known as the greatest fighter, but were the list of small things that made him better than others, what were the small things he could do that others tried to but couldnt. On film, it looks easy to copy his style, yet it would be VERY difficult to actually do it the way he did it, very difficult to see the smallest thing that he did that made him win. what could he do that no one else could? For example Bert Sugar said he was the only fighter he ever saw who could knock out a man going backwards. Also, George Gainsford wasnt exactly known as a great trainer though he claimed to be, he didnt train any champions except Ray, its likely Sugar was natrually just the best, Gainsford dint mould Ray the way Blackburn did for Louis or the way Goldman did for Marciano, Ray did a lot of it by himself, another eason why he was the best.
One thing, is not actually a small thing, but hugr to his success. He was a bad man. There's a version of the sixth LaMotta fight on yt that's from a different angle than the usual one you always see. And his facial expressions, well he just looks evil, like he's trying to ruin LaMotta or something. I can never find it but i know McGrain knows where it is, (hint hint)
Mainly stuff like this, I would have thought (7:57-8:10): [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TiaxE1V3Qs[/ame] not to mention this (0:38 ): [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcyqmnXNY-w[/ame]
Some amazing footage there, the first is the Fusari fight isnt it? I just posted it in another thread! Edit: It can't be actually as he got the UD against Fusari, do you know who it is?
Not sure, I was trying to find out for a while but gave up. It's not Fusari though. Might be worth contacting the guy who posted it.
Yeah I sent him a message yesterday, lets hope he gets back to me. The first part of the video looks like the end of the Fusari fight then another fight starts. There's also there weigh in and early rounds of Fusari on his page as well!
Yeah, some really rare stuff. He also has some rare film of Robinson late in his career, and I think full versions of e.g. the Basilio fights which aren't on YouTube otherwise. It's a pity he doesn't tag them properly - nobody's going to find out about these gems if they're labelled with random numbers!
I was going to make a smart remark about it being Kevin Rooney but instead I'll agree and say I also think it's Bobo. Also after I thought about it, the Rooney comment didn't seem funny.
Whilst there is no doubt Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the most entertaining, dazzling fighters the sport has produced I certainly do not think it unfair to question his automatic supremacy as “best fighter of all time”. Although Robinson’s legacy brought much style and mainstream credibility to the sport I think there is a danger in getting carried away with one of boxing most gifted and popular champions. For all his ability and excitement sugar ray’s dominance was never quite so absolute as many fans think. Even before he was a middleweight champion. It has become a lazy cliché to defend Robinsons resume by saying his best years were before he contested the middleweight title where he was apparently quite flawless. This in fact does not entirely stand up. Artie Lavine and Jake laMotta both nearly knocked Robinson out during this period and split decisions with Marty Servo (who Graziano knocked out easily) and georgie Abrams (who cerdan and zale beat more clearly) were considered controversial and bood by the fans. Henry Brim, a forgotten fighter, drew with this peak version of pre middleweight champion Robinson even though Dave Sands and Graziano would knock Brim out. In title fights as Welterweight champion Ray struggled with another Graziano KO victim Charlie Fusari -on points. This is not to suggest any of these fighters who made lighter work of things were better than Robinson but it does demonstrate he was far from outclassing everyone. Robinson would go on to beat Graziano himself later but this was as a middleweight champion when Ray was supposedly past his best in a division where he lost that title in his first defence 3 times and got 9 chances at challenging for it. Still, this period provided all the drama and built the legend within his great career. It is remarkable to think someone who fought Henry Armstrong was still around to fight Terry Downs. Imagine a fighter who for 20 years was capable of beating all the best fighters least once in a 3 fight serries? There have been less charismatic champions who have appeared just as flawless over a period against would be champions in challenges for their title. I just think it a pity more champions don’t qualify so automatically as Robinson. It is my belief that there is a level that all the greatest fighters reach and that fate decides if they get the opportunities to shine to their full potential. Robinson was among those greats.
**** man, the Robinson myth has properly ****ing exposed here. I mean, it's not like an active athlete can have the occasional bad night, or like a fighter who has hundreds of bouts against ranked opponents might justifiably be taken to a close decision by one or two. What a ****ing chump and a fraud.
And yes, of course his best years were before his Middleweight title efforts. Like any other fighter who relied heavily on speed and athletic gifts, Robinson's peak years were in his mid-twenties (and even the film we do have of him attests to that). Obviously, once his body started to fade, he wasn't going to be the same. No-one in their right mind could think that the shell that returned from the brink of death and delirium was the same as the man that was blowing away opponents with rapid fire more than ten years prior.