What made Sugar Ray Robinson so good?

Mark STILL does not realizing reach is a meaningless statistic? It’s SPEED, TIMING, SKILL. Try not to forget.

 

Sugar Ray Robinson had class, footwork maturity, power,skill, and speed to defeat many an opponent. George Gainford, his trainer, instilled discipline into Robinson. Ray was clean living and avoided dirty money. The underworld had respect for him as he said no, and he was was respectable as well. He did not use profanity towards his opponent's. He was a good sport, with good manners, not like the ones today that are in dire need of Kaeopectate, because of worthless words that are just spewing out. He was a good human being, and cared about others. He did not cry to the promoters, wanting a 30 million dollar purse. A young Cassius Clay, told Robinson, You Are The King, My Master, and My Idol. That says a lot. Great Fighter.

 

He was better with women

 

Reach is definitely not a meaningless statistic. If someone has equal speed and timing but one has a 6inch reach advantage then the difference in jabbing would be evident.

 

LMAO! @mark ant cracks me up with some of his threads..maybe it's his way of playing possum. Just when a person thinks he's a novice...

 

Good Post, I did not know that, Thanks. I do know that Robinson was in Ali's camp during the 1st Liston fight in 1964, also at the famous weigh in. He also tried to persuade Muhammad to submit to the military draft, for fear that Ali could go to prison, which he did not, just his license and his title to defend. Ali was vindicated by the U.S. Supreme Court, on June 28 1971.

 

Ali was definitely better with women than Robinson was.

 

Robinson beat all the women in several weight classes. Legend.

Seriously though, Robinson was a better casanova IMO.

 

Untrue. Factors such as the ability to slip and otherwise avoid a jab would be a huge factor. Point is only a true boxing amateur looks to reach before looking at so many other comparative attribute.

 

I didn't say you should look at it before other attributes. In fact I said the opposite, I said if the other attributes are equal then reach definitely matters.
You make a good point about the jab, and slipping it but a longer reach makes that harder, fighting on the inside is easier with a shorter reach.

Calling Reach meaningless is the mark of some one who hasn't boxed against someone who can.

And what's up with Amateurs? Some of the best fighters ever are/were amateurs.

 

@mark ant : By just watching your video (and especially if you´ve boxed a little) you can see, that he throws very quick, explosive hooks on the spot. Sometimes doubled in combination with the same arm while moving. Thats simply something else than hitting the spots with straight punches, since hooks generate more power. Regarding punching abilities, that alone is pretty fine.

 

God given physical gifts of speed, power, reflexes, height, weight, reach. Great trainers, being well schooled, actually knowing HOW to fight. And timing, coming along when some of the best fighters in history were right around the welterweight weight, and his longivety and the overall success of that longivety. Ali also fits this scenario, also Ray Leonard with every Criteria with exception of longivety.