August
25, 1950
Sugar
Ray Robinson KOs Jose Basora
Sugar Ray Robinson
(born Walker Smith Jr.; May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989) was an African
American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all
time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight
and middleweight
divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound
for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of
weight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
in 1990
Robinson stated in his autobiography that one of the main
considerations for his move up to middleweight was the increasing difficulty he
was having in making the 147 lb (67 kg) welterweight weight limit.
However, the move up would also prove beneficial financially, as the division
then contained some of the biggest names in boxing. Vying for the Pennsylvania
state middleweight title in 1950, Robinson defeated Robert
Villemain.
On August 25, 1950, in defense of that crown, he defeated Jose
Basora, with whom he had previously drawn. Robinson's 50-second first round
knockout of Basora set a record that would stand for 38 years. In October 1950,
Robinson knocked out Bobo Olson a future middleweight title holder.
Renowned for his flamboyant lifestyle outside the ring,
Robinson is credited with being the originator of the modern sports "entourage".
After his boxing career ended, Robinson attempted a career as an entertainer,
but struggled, and was challenged financially until his death in 1989. In 2006,
he was featured on a commemorative stamp by the United States Postal Service.
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