Why Was Robinson Great?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009.


Page 1 of 5
  1. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,096
    4
    Apr 28, 2008
    Linked the entire 3 round fight with Graziano. Most everyone agrees this guy was if not the greatest p4p one of the top three or four. Like most things, it's never one thing that makes a fighter great. You could say a guy has a great chin, a great right hand; or a guy has a killer left hook or hand speed rivaled by few; but when you start piling up attributes like these that's when you get into the territory of true greatness...

    In this fight with Graziano, Ray is a master at the game of distance. He stays just out of Rocky's reach, circling surprisingly enough to Rocky's right, toward his right hand; but his arc, just at the end of Rcoky's lunge. Also I am once again in awe of Robinson's left hand. Does anybody hook off the jab as well? Double, triple hook off the jab?! Here, he uses his left almost exclusively until he lulls Rocky into expecting yet another left and he gives him one at a little past 8:00, a token, set up hook, positioning Rocky into the ropes. Then comes back with a right, another left to stretch Rocky out, then a payoff KO right hand that's one for the highlight reels. Sweet indeed.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l2PC5It1HI
     
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    #1
  2. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

    14,241
    157
    Mar 4, 2009
    TheGreatA, Jul 30, 2009
    TheGreatA, Jul 30, 2009
    #2
  3. PetethePrince

    PetethePrince Slick & Redheaded Full Member

    28,760
    84
    May 30, 2009
    Stylistically a bad fight for Graziano. Doesn't have the tools or defensive to beat Robinson.
     
    PetethePrince, Jul 30, 2009
    PetethePrince, Jul 30, 2009
    #3
  4. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,096
    4
    Apr 28, 2008
    Thoroughly enjoyed those links GreatA, thanks!

    Yeah, Pete, Ray was all wrong for Rocky. But Ray was all wrong for alotta guys.
     
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    #4
  5. itrymariti

    itrymariti Cañas! Full Member

    13,728
    47
    Sep 6, 2008
    This is my favorite ever KO.
     
    itrymariti, Jul 30, 2009
    itrymariti, Jul 30, 2009
    #5
  6. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,096
    4
    Apr 28, 2008
    You gotta look for a while to find a better example of a boxer frustrating a stalker primarily with movement. Ray senses when Rocky's ripe for finishing, the combination that does it is not all that miraculous, pretty simple really. But the dismantling had already been done, mostly through elusiveness.
     
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    #6
  7. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    38,034
    91
    Nov 10, 2008
    Robinson is great as he was so naturally gifted and worked hard. He had everything.

    Every punch in the book, pefect
    ring generalship, perfect
    speed, super quick
    power, lots of it
    footwork, perfect

    only thing he lacked was a great defence but he had excellant reflexes and a great offence that covered for it, He is the most complete fighter ever!
     
    GPater11093, Jul 30, 2009
    GPater11093, Jul 30, 2009
    #7
  8. itrymariti

    itrymariti Cañas! Full Member

    13,728
    47
    Sep 6, 2008
    I liked how Ray just lined him up, patiently took him apart and then ended it with a mouthpiece-popping bomb. Great KO.
     
    itrymariti, Jul 30, 2009
    itrymariti, Jul 30, 2009
    #8
  9. Bill Butcher

    Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member

    28,518
    82
    Sep 3, 2007
    Thanks for this, Id seen it before but not for a while & from the different camera angle.

    Anyone that doesnt have Robinson top of their p4p list is in need of a lie down :dead
     
    Bill Butcher, Jul 30, 2009
    Bill Butcher, Jul 30, 2009
    #9
  10. Bill Butcher

    Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member

    28,518
    82
    Sep 3, 2007
    Bill Butcher, Jul 30, 2009
    Bill Butcher, Jul 30, 2009
    #10
  11. round15

    round15 Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,370
    45
    Nov 27, 2007
    Speed, Power, Accuracy, Athletecism. No other fighter in the history of the sport illustrated all of the qualities that made Robinson the fighter he was.

    Only, Ali, Armstrong, maybe a prime Roy Jones Jr and maybe Floyd Mayweather Jr, if he fights long enough can be mentioned in the same sentence as Robinson.
     
    round15, Jul 30, 2009
    round15, Jul 30, 2009
    #11
  12. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,826
    99
    Aug 5, 2004
    W.C. Heinz once related an interesting story about Robinson. "One afternoon I got to the gym early, and over in a big corner, in the half light, I saw Robinson working on the big bag. I stood there and marveled at his natural grace, the speed and fluidity with which he turned on his variety of combinations. It seemed to me that at the age of thirty he looked better than ever, and then he stopped and turned around. It was Johnny Saxton. . .”
     
    john garfield, Jul 30, 2009
    john garfield, Jul 30, 2009
    #12
  13. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,096
    4
    Apr 28, 2008
    Haven't seen much of Saxton, JG.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijq4bu7Qxwk
     
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    Chinxkid, Jul 30, 2009
    #13
  14. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,096
    4
    Apr 28, 2008
    Any left hand aficionados like to illuminate on Ray's rapid fire hook uppercut? He sure seemed to use it a lot, and in rapid succession, too.
     
    Chinxkid, Jul 31, 2009
    Chinxkid, Jul 31, 2009
    #14
  15. Duodenum

    Duodenum Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,604
    290
    Apr 18, 2007
    When discussing Robinson's greatness, his heart is usually overlooked (as Ali's would have been had he never returned from exile). For a skinny guy like that to never be punched into a stoppage defeat despite competing into his middle 40s over a total of 300 amateur and professional contests suggests something beyond pure athleticism.
     
    Duodenum, Jul 31, 2009
    Duodenum, Jul 31, 2009
    #15
Page 1 of 5