How good was Ray Robinson?

I'm glad someone else finally noticed how great Robinson's right hook to the body was. Almost every crouching fighter he faced would get nailed with that right hook to the ribs and it seemed extremely effective.

 

Thats pretty interesting Manassa I never knew her through that right with inverted knuckles. Do you know of any other fighter that used this punch as well as Robinson?

 

Can't think of any. He crucified Basilio with it. Actually, saying that, Basilio used the punch very well too, but it was more of a taxing inside bludgeon than a sharpshooting lightning bolt.

 

I'm pretty sure he whacked Turpin a good few times with that punch when he assualted him during the rematch against the ropes.

 

LaMotta wasn't sleeping easy after their sixth fight either.

 

That sure was manslaughter. Robinson should have been arrested for the beating he gave LaMotta that night.

"You never knocked me down Ray"

My response

"He maybe never knocked you down Jake, but he whopped your ass five times".

 

Damn just watched the basilio fight again and wow did he nail him wit that one a lot. I think it was so effective because it was such a strange punch to use against a crouching fighter. Instead of trying to get an uppercut on the inside nailing them with that right around the side was much more unexpected and robinson nailed him right on that floating rib almost every time.

 

Yeah, that right punch to the back of the ribs ****ed up both basilio & lamotta & probably many others.

Someone mentioned moore & charles, I dont think thats fair as they were much bigger than srr physically, even big enough to fight competitvely at hwt later on.

It still baffles me why ray never chased the maxim rematch, even tho he wasnt big enough for 175, his boxing talent was so high level that I truly believe srr could have beaten all but the very best lt-hwts, just look at how easily he was beating the much larger maxim, it was a ****in cake-walk until the 13th.
Maybe a fight in dec or jan would have been better for robinson.

 

Contrary many beliefs, I don't have Sugar Ray at #1 pound for pound FOR MIDDLEWEIGHT (I do have him at #1 pound for pound all time though). I actually have Carlos Monzon at the #1 spot for middleweight. Many people tend to look at Ray's middleweight career while overlooking him as a welterweight. He was prolly by far the greatest welterweight in the history of the sport.
If Ray didnt take away his best middleweight years by taking a break from boxing my analysis might be different.

 

Appreciate the vote of confidence, McGrain, but I never comment on fights I haven't seen live.

I thought Sugar's victory in '45 at the Garden was clear-cut.

 

Ray Robinson was slick he had very good reflexes and movement. His defense wasn't great, but at times he could leave his hand's low and make an opponet miss with his head movement.

 

The fact that Charles and Moore had moved out of 160lbs when Robinson moved into the class has to be factored in here I think. Not sure when Booker/Marshall moved up.

A Burley fight definately should have happened. Same with Cocoa Kid & Williams.