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
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.
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.
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...
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
