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I thought he was like 38 when he fought Maxim, but I was looking at the dates and he was only 31-32 years old... I was just surprised because that isn't that far removed from his prime, also he lost to Turpin two fights before that. I thought Ray was already an old man by these fights.
I think that is sbout correct. He wasn't that old then but he'd had a hell of a lot of fights, and a lot more afterwards where he was sitll more than competitive with the best in the world for a few more years.
He probably never was the greatest fighter of all time at middleweight. His prime was at welter but he's remembered for his middleweight achievements.
It's similar to Evander Holyfield. We regard him as one of the greatest of all time's at heavyweight and he is, but his real prime was as a crusier. If Evander would have been a bit heavier and never fought at cruiser he may not be regarded quite so highly as he is although I don't dispute for a second that either of them are all time greats in the divisions that made them famous.
He was beating Maxim well by all accounts before he tired and dehydrated.
That weight was very high for him also.
It was rumoured at the time that Robinson and Floyd Patterson had signed to fight each other although that was derailed after Patterson got battered by Sonny ListonQuote:
Originally Posted by hitmandonny
Don't think you are right about Robinson signing to fight Patterson. Check this video out I enjoyed it immensely.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EU4eiH_TV_s
http://youtube.com/watch?v=b2XuX-36Y...elated&search=
First I have heard of that rumour, he would have got destroyed by Patterson. But agreed Welter was where he was untouchable.
I disagree that Holyfield was in his prime or at his best at cruiserweight, its just a weaker division, he was clearly better as a heavyweight. I think that Robinson was better as a welterweight, but what suprises me is that he was having a hard time with tough, but not overly skilled guys before he became significantly old.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bilbo
It was mentioned on the Sugar Ray pound for pound documentary I believe, I own the ESPN Boxing Classics sets with about 20 dvd's of classic fight material and all the old Ali, Sugar Ray documentaries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
By the way fantastic boxsets if you can find them at a decent price, I was able to get both sets brand new for £30
Now they seem to being for £40 each :-\
I've dug out my dvd collection. It's on the Sugar Ray Pound For Pound documentary.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
It was in the spring of 1959. He flies out to Los Angeles to enter negotiations with Floyd Patterson with hundreds of people waiting for him at the airport after learning of a rumour that he's there to arrange a fight with Patterson.
Getting off the plane an interviewer asks him if the rumours are true and he confirms a million dollar offer had been made and he was in Calafornia to work on negotiations.
The narrator then goes on to say the fight was derailed after Patterson suffered a shock loss to Ingemar Johannson.
By the way it's a brilliant documentary and well worth looking out for.
Cc for the Robinson La Motta vids, thats the first time I've actually seen La Motta say his famous 'Diabete's quote'!