Why is Sugar Ray Robinson considered the GOAT ?

With all due respect, greats like Sugar Ray Robinson fought the opponents that were put in front of them, realistically a fighter cannot fight opponents from the past or future, only us posters can only make such fantasy matches in our unique imaginations. Years ago fighters did not promote their own fights, fighters were fighters and promoters promoted fights. Sugar Ray Robinson was not a boastful fighter, he had class and tremendous skill, he let his dukes do all his talking in the ring. Robinson won the World Middleweight Title 5 times. Resumes are resumes, skill and winning fights should be the only thing that should matter. The negative thing about Robinson is that he fought on way past his prime, losing to fighters that he could have beaten in his heyday.

 

Since when were the likes of lamotta, basilio and giardello cans pluse if you have problem with the "cans" on robinsons record, you should stay a country mile away from the likes of greb and rosenblooms records.

 

This isn't going to end well

 

Get an effin Grip,

the man fought Top 10 Opponents and Dozens of Top Noted Fighters for 25 YEARS.

 

You should really read about him before making such sweeping statements. Robinson wasn't fighting cans, he had one of the highest levels of opposition in boxing history, as you'd expect being in the danger zone of its greatest era. Furthermore, what's wrong with fighting cans? Do you berate Chavez? Or Duran? They have plenty of keep busy fights as well. Robinson's résumé is insane. He beat:

Sammy Angott, 3 times
Marty Servo, twice
Fritzie Zivic, twice
Maxie Berger
Jake LaMotta, 5 times
Izzy Jannazzo, 4 times
Henry Armstrong
Kid Gavilan, twice
Bobo Olson, 4 times
Randy Turpin
Tommy Bell
Rocky Graziano
Gene Fullmer
Carmen Basilio
Denny Moyer
Ralph Dupas
Holly Mims
Jose Basora
Aaron Wade

Robinson was, at one point, fighting the top welterweights in the world, then while weighing in as a welterweight, was taking on some of the best middleweights as well. Not to mention staying undefeated for 90 fights, and only having one defeat in 130 fights across 11 years. Then after a three year retirement, he came back and beat the cream of the crop in the next era of middleweights - another strong one, at that - and managed to win the title back another three times. Robinson's records speak for themselves when you learn about who he beat; but it's not just about who he beat, it's the way he beat them, and the fact that at his best, none of them could beat him. I don't have Robinson at number one, but any list that doesn't have him top five is a complete shambles.

 

PRECISELY!

 

They say the term best pound for pound fighter was invented for Sugar Ray Robinson. The problem is that 60 years later it is still a sacrosanct belief. I'm not saying that Robinson isn't the GOAT but to suggest that it might be Manny Pacquiao or Roy Jones Jr ot anyone else will bring hellfire down upon you. I do think that's a problem.

One more thing, to go in a different direction. Robibnson was probably the greatest welterweight of all time but just a great middleweight. This is much like Roberto Duran who is on a very short list of possible greatest lightweights but just very good to great at other weights.The memorable fights those two were in as well as Muhammad Ali's fights, post-exile, as compared to pre-exile, were all because they were older and their skills had eroded enough that others could now challenge them. Remember Robinson-Basilio and Duran-Hagler fondly but they were at their peak in fights we barely hear about.

 

I think the second paragraph is a great point.

Regarding the first, I think it depends on criteria. If you're talking about best head to head or best single win then SRR is up there but unlikely to be the top. In terms of total career resume Pacquiao and RJJ don't have much of a case, even though it wouldn't surprise me if they both beat SRR if we could only get them in a time machine and dress them up as taxi drivers looking for a couple extra bucks on a Saturday night.

 

Fantastic reply!

 

Man, I can remember when the trolling used to be just below bang average on here, it was great.

 

Within two years of turning pro he had beaten the present LW champion (twice I think), the previous WW champion (also twice if I remember correctly) and a future MW champion. Who matches that for starters?

Then he went 90+ fights unbeaten. All of these weren't great fighters, of course, but included most of the top WWs and MWs at the time, including a total of six victories over Gavilan and LaMotta. Yes, he didn't fight Williams or Burley, but I have never understood how you can "duck" someone who is a division (two divisions today) above you.

It wasn't until after his comeback, well past his prime, that he started to rack up defeats, but even then he managed to win the MW title another three times.

Tell me who outdoes that?

 

Boyscouts been cancelled this morning has it?

 

And then you have idiots who think Mayweather Is the greatest of all time (including himself)!

Laughable absolutely Laughable.

 

Those were the days.