Sugar Ray question

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by jgorst05, Dec 11, 2012.

  1. jgorst05

    jgorst05 Active Member Full Member

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    This may be a stupid question but where did the nickname sugar come from? Were any boxers known by that name before Robinson or if not why did people start calling him sugar? Thanks
     
    jgorst05, Dec 11, 2012
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  2. MadcapMaxie

    MadcapMaxie Guest

    Basically when the press went into Robinson's dressing room after a fight one of them said "That's one sweet fighter you got there" to which, I believe, his manager replied "Sweet as sugar" and the name stuck.
     
    MadcapMaxie, Dec 11, 2012
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  3. jgorst05

    jgorst05 Active Member Full Member

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    Thanks
     
    jgorst05, Dec 11, 2012
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  4. the_bigunit

    the_bigunit Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Just FYI, the journalist's name was George Gainford, if I'm not mistaken.
     
    the_bigunit, Dec 11, 2012
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  5. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Robinson was still an amatuer. He was fighting in Watertown NY. According to Robinson he had just scored one of his few early knockouts when a fan said to Gainford 'thats one sweet fighter youve got there' and a lady in the front row said "sweet as sugar".

    A writer named Cates put it in the paper the next day. Sugar Ray Robinson.
     
    ETM, Dec 11, 2012
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  6. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    That's how I heard it too.
     
    Stevie G, Dec 12, 2012
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  7. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    If Walker Smith had never changed his name,I wonder if he'd have been called Sugar Walker Smith ?
     
    Stevie G, Dec 12, 2012
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  8. FastHands(beeb)

    FastHands(beeb) Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I believe the "Ray Robinson" name because Walker Smith borrowed another boxer's card in order to box on the show in question...the boxer's name was Ray Robinson...
     
    FastHands(beeb), Dec 12, 2012
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  9. MadcapMaxie

    MadcapMaxie Guest

    Sugar Walker Smith Jr just doesn't have any pizazz
     
    MadcapMaxie, Dec 12, 2012
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  10. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    True.
     
    Stevie G, Dec 12, 2012
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  11. tezel8764

    tezel8764 Boxing Junkie banned

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    Yeah Shane Mosley gave him the nickname.
     
    tezel8764, Dec 12, 2012
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  12. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Wingin' Walker Smith!
     
    Saintpat, Dec 12, 2012
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  13. Theron

    Theron Boxing Addict banned

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    No. Gainford was Ray's trainer and manager, he actually got Ray Robinson from a bartender he met when he wasn't allowed to fight because he was too young- his real name was Walker Smith , then after his fight somebody said that's one sweet fighter you have there and a women near them said sweet as sugar- this is the actual story
     
    Theron, Dec 12, 2012
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  14. Bollox

    Bollox Active Member Full Member

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    Wallopin' Walker
     
    Bollox, Dec 13, 2012
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