SportsCentury Greatest Athletes #24: Sugar Ray Robinson

Originally aired in 1999. This was the 30-minute version that aired as part of the SportsCentury countdown.

[@SuperPrince1007]

Sugar Ray Robinson # 24, are you kidding me? He easily should be in the top five. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer of all time. I don't care what race or color you are you have to love Sugar Ray Robinson. He made boxing look beautiful and there will never be another Sugar Ray Robinson.

[@SuperPrince1007]

@sliverjadedragon Absolutely!!!

[@SuperPrince1007]

@sliverjadedragon I agree with you 100%.

[@brandnew9834]

Ali, Joe Louis, and Floyd Patterson all said Sugar Ray Robinson was the P4P greatest ever.

[@trebordraw]

1,000,000,000 percent.

[@w.morales9823]

On point, he really elevated boxing to a whole new level. Not only as a sport but as a art form also.

[@wheelchairmanjon]

Today’s boxers cannot hold a candle to sugar Ray Robinson

[@raygan1221]

Pactards will say: Pacquiao surpassed Robinson. He is the only 8 division world champion in boxing. No one ever did it. Not even Sugar Ray Robinson.

[@rovillamarte3698]

@@raygan1221 is your idol capable of fighting 20 times in a year? 15 hard rounds each time? Ha? No limits on knockdowns! It's either you get KO'd or you quit ! CAN HE DO IT? I don't think so boy! Your idol is a mere mortal ! SRR is a METAHUMAN boy!

[@matepavic6929]

@@raygan1221 There were only 8 decisions in his time.

[@brandnew9834]

No one alive really has seen Robinson at his peak. Some old timers have said Roy Jones Jr. at his peak was comparable in terms of physical ability.

[@bryonwatkins1432]

That is a fact!!!! Not even Floyd Jr!!!! No way in hell!!!!

[@quincyrobinson8139]

This is crazy asf He should be #1 P4P EASILY.

[@unknownjohnson6137]

Whoever produced this documentary had been smoking dope when ranking the fighters! SRR was number one! ☝️

[@meanmanename5612]

I don't know if he's still number one athlete but he certainly should be ranked better than number 24. You got to take athletes from different sports into account. What about the athletes that were stars in different sports? Best pound for pound boxer imo. Kind of rough to put them in number one because you got people like Wilt Chamberlain who had crazy vertical and were stars and track and field. You've got athletes like deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. Jim Thorpe. Ever heard of him? But I agree with you that number 24 is crazy. I see top 10 or at the worst top 15. I think most people think number 24 is crazy

[@craigfinley2507]

@@meanmanename5612 we talking about boxing . The other people were great in their sports. But we are talking about boxing. He was the best ask Joe Louis, ask Mohammid Ali. They will tell you and they were two greatist boxers.

[@chuckcollins2349]

Best ever pound for pound...no question!

[@andrewkennaugh1065]

Chuck Collins ...Right... except a heavyweight will always win...!😉 One of those strange anomalies!!😃😘

[@chuckcollins2349]

@@andrewkennaugh1065 yes a good big man will beat a good little man, but that's why there's weight classes.

[@unknownjohnson6137]

Best ever period!!

[@DGA2000]

SRR was just the greatest fighter who ever lived. You're talking about a man who had 201 fights with 19 losses. 15 of those loses came AFTER THE AGE OF 36. 98 straight wins BEFORE his first loss! LEGEND! PERIOD!

[@ryanmuldoon7864]

My all-time favorite. My dads is Roberto Duran. Two of the greats.

[@parkerbohnn]

I drank with him at Whisky a go go in Toronto, Canada. He was visiting Sully's Gym and George Chuvalo me and Roberto went out for drinks. Roberto can drink and likes whisky. Duran and Aaron Pryor were my favourite boxers.

[@brandnew9834]

Hands of stone.

[@lewisjohnlewis6590]

121-1!! A record that will never be matched. The greatest ever boxer, fighter no question!

[@seanhennsey2605]

Boxer yes but this is all athletes so he where he's at the only other boxer in front of him is Ali and Rocky Marciano

[@xcythgaming2069]

@@seanhennsey2605 the point is, Ali and Marciano shouldn't be in front of him.

[@meanmanename5612]

That wasn't his record. He went on two streaks. I know he got beat more than one time. I think he fought Jake LaMotta six times but never put him down cuz the guy was just too freaking hard-headed and tough. Out of those six fights did Jake win one?

[@lewisjohnlewis6590]

@@meanmanename5612 la motta beat Ray on points once...

[@lewisjohnlewis6590]

And I might add a ko record of over 50% which by Ray's own admission he stood fighters up to keep him on his toes!! A complete one-off that none of the modern era boxers could match despite all the bravura!!

[@tommackay7433]

People who really know about boxing know that Sugar Ray was the greatest pound for pound of all time. When Ali says someone is better than him, you gotta believe it.

[@meanmanename5612]

But they're talking about athletes of all sports right? From all over the world in different sports. I still believe he should be top 10 - 15 at worst. Boxing he's number one pound for pound imo

[@lewisjohnlewis6590]

@@meanmanename5612 yea stupid to compare boxers with sprinters etc...a complete nonsense imo, The Sugar Man was King of the Ring....Nuff said!

[@IndianJS]

RIP SUGAR RAY ROBINSON🖤

[@hoponpop3330]

My uncle who went to many fights in NYC in the 1940’s and 1950’s said Ray was the best of All-time.

[@pjtheory]

ESPN has a history of putting forth laughable lists and this ranking may be their magnum opus. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer who ever lived, yet he can't even break ESPN's Top 20 list of the all-time greatest athletes. Placing Robinson at #24 makes this entire list irrelevant.

[@APOCALYPSE_X-MEN]

How is it laughable, when the only two boxers ahead of him on the list are Ali and Joe Louis? This is a SportsCentury ranking....not boxing. Sure, he could have been top 20, but #24 makes this "irrelevant?" You sound like a butthurt fanboy.

[@pjtheory]

@@APOCALYPSE_X-MEN In the 1st half of the 20 century, the 3 biggest sports were baseball, horse racing, and boxing. The greatest boxer pound for pound in the ENTIRE century doesn't crack the top 20 of this list and there are 2 boxers ahead of him on this very same list. That is the epitome of a laughable and irrelevant list.

[@trebordraw]

@@APOCALYPSE_X-MEN its laughable because no boxer should be ahead of him. definitely not ali, ali's record is very unremarkable, great human being, as a boxer not in same league as sugar ray, he even said it himself.

[@surveying482]

Ali was better

[@pjtheory]

@@surveying482 Ah, no. Robinson was considered the best pound for pound fighter in boxing history because he had no weaknesses. He had knockout power in either hand, terrific hand and foot speed, a granite chin, high boxing IQ, awesome jab, and he was a great body puncher. Ali was an average puncher, relying on an accumulation of punches to score knockouts, and he probably didn't throw more than 50 body punches in his entire career.

[@fasteddie5105]

EASILY THE GREATEST MOST COMPLETE FIGHTER IN HISTORY ❤️❤️❤️MY LOVE N RESPECT FOR EVERY MAN WHIEVER PUT ON A PAIR OF GLOVES

[@thomasgrizzell9730]

Robinson image will live on FOREVER the man was .F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S. 🐐

[@PedroGonzalez-ub9dl]

Thank you for appreciating a REAL boxer

[@Kingkodiakbear]

So fast so beautiful so powerful so smart. Ray Robinson was the greatest.

[@m.a421]

Just finished reading sugars book He had faith till the end Even when everything looked bleak he never lost hope 🥊

[@darrellvinson6329]

There was none better than this fighter,THE GREAT SUGAR RAY ROBINSON!!!

[@Anonymous-wc5ch]

The Brilliant Musical Score from Gattaca is used in this documentary around 18 minutes in

[@whitneywilliams317]

Ali, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson are the four fathers of boxing.

[@King-jj6mo]

Jack Dempsey

[@whitneywilliams317]

@@King-jj6mo Dempsey is the fifth.

[@kristalmacleod3215]

HIS Jaw was Incredable'

[@andu1854]

The best boxer on Fight Night Champion,

[@yaderblen2890]

Robinson the best boxer in human history

[@darbyfehr3062]

So sad though.... My favorite of all time 💕

[@paxguns]

Thank you for posting. The White Americans should be ashamed of themselves for what they did to Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis in the boxing ring and also Paul Robeson and Marin Anderson, two of the greatest singers of all time.

[@jonathantaylor8290]

the true greatest of all time sugar ray Robinson a true boxing great" if Floyd mayweather would had a fight with ray Robinson " he would of his ass wiped by ray Robinson " Robinson is the best fighter of all time hands down.

[@parkerbohnn]

@@jonathantaylor8290 There's an entire list of boxers from the past who would have thumped Floyd junior. Aaron Pryor, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and the list goes on and on.

[@jonathantaylor8290]

@@parkerbohnn SUGAR RAY ROBINSON IS BY far grearest boxer of all time he would have destroyed floyd mayweater " in five rounds " at the top of his peak in boxing " he was fast and had great punching power" something that floyd never had .

[@parkerbohnn]

@@jonathantaylor8290 I know and I also know Floyd junior only fought guys that were green, over the hill or injured. There was probably about 12 boxers from the past in Floyd's weight class that would have either won a decision or knocked Floyd out.

[@infiniteuniverse9528]

#24 is embarrassing low for ESPN. Frankly this guy was greater than Jordan. After all Sugar Ray got paid to be hit for a living, and the other athletes got paid to play with a ball for a living. There is no comparison. When Ray got you hurt, the Devil would come out. He completely mastered every skill in the sport and checked every box. RIP GOAT

[@nancysmith9487]

Absolutely amazing boxing... thank you for sharing, guessing that Alzheimer's may have been a blessing, not have worried about all that was loved then lost or taken away by those you trust... But will always be remembered. Sounds like life start on the bottom,work your way to the top, only to end up on the bottom. Important to be good,do good,love lots. Rip sir and sorry for you and your families life struggles.

[@futuresite11]

Beautiful. Just Beautiful.

[@unbakablemuffin4029]

24? Thats fucking disgusting, what he accomplished in his career is far more impressive then any ball player.

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

13:49 Maxim always pisses me off when he makes the wisecrack about air conditioning. No one is saying Robinson fought in hotter conditions than Maxim. They say the heat beat Robinson because that was what prevented him from finishing the fight and winning as he had an unassailable points lead. He was MILES AHEAD on the scorecards. Maxim always chose to overlook that when talking about this fight.

[@nancysmith9487]

Sir I'd be willing to bet the one them trained in those conditions seeing it would be an advantage... Plus how many other fights have been fought in those conditions. Is the question

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

@@nancysmith9487 It was, at the time, the hottest temperature for a world title fight. It's the only fight I can think of where the referee had to be replaced so humidity may well have been an additional factor. Both fighters would have trained for this and would therefore have been training in similar conditions. Robinson was weaker than Maxim and had to wrestle against 15 and a half pounds more in the clinches than Maxim did. All 3 judges gave Maxim only three of the thirteen rounds. Robinson should certainly have paced himself to conserve more of his energy but it's obvious that he would have easily won the fight if it had taken place in less extreme conditions.

[@billycharles]

Maxim paced himself. Joey Maxim was a “plodding” boxer not unlike Joe Louis. SRR moved as a boxer and over the rounds he suffered heat exhaustion

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

@@billycharles It's true that Maxim conserved his energy but even if you put that to one side, Robinson still had more to contend with in the heat than Maxim did. It's obvious that Maxim would have lost the fight in less extreme conditions.

[@falanajerido875]

Hi your father was a great man i hope his son ray Robinson 2 hope to meet you you live close to me

[@Joshua-uw7wm]

Like I always used to say don't let that smile fool you that's just how his face rest

[@robertnahum5823]

He is #1. Greatest pound for pound Boxer ever not only by the numbers but by the Greatest names in the sport. His brains and techniques were the best ever.

[@yoinkhaha]

LOL #24 that's insanity. How could you take this series seriously after a whammy like this

[@silverguard8105]

How did he not get an hour long episode?

[@rockyfish3115]

Ray Robinson there was him and then the rest no one came close maybe Charlie zelenoff🤣 but in all seriousness Robinson, Greb, Langford, pepp,

[@VictorAHunter]

Robinson, Ail, Langford, Armstrong and Mayweather top 5 boxers personally with pep coming 6th

[@VictorAHunter]

@@andrewherndon4367 watch out AJ might here you🤫🤫

[@raygan1221]

Pactards will say: Pacquiao is the GOAT. He already surpassed Robinson. He's the one and only 8 division world champion in boxing. Sugar Ray Robinson is only 2. Not even close.

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

20:38 Unfortunately, Turpin was so desperate for money at this point that he would have seriously considered Basilio's offer.

[@parkerbohnn]

Should have been ranked in the top 3. Greatest boxer who ever lived bar none.

[@imadeyoureadthis1500]

Sugar Ray Robinson had his last fight and retired 12 days before Ali fought Patterson in the 1st fight

[@meanmanename5612]

Don't forget about Willie Pep. Most people don't even know who he is. My dad is a long follower of boxing and I mentioned Willie Pep to him today and he didn't recognize. Check out Willie pet defense and his fee step and I was still used today. Floyd and Pernell, respectfully, you are not the best defensive fighters in history but that would be Willie Pep

[@thankful316]

Wow the dream still have me over here in SHOCK IM DEVASTATED

[@brianwilling9403]

I have SRR at #2 behind Ali. My # 3 is Bruce Lee.

[@BhagyanagarRE]

Man he shud be right thr at the top of the list along with Babe ruth Jack Dempsey Muhammad Ali Carl Lewis Michael Jordan Maradona Pele Borg....

[@tercelken]

"Who's punch couldn't crack a potato chip" Wow!🤔 That's funny.

[@theglaok]

After watching this I understand why there were so many Italian American boxers in this era due to corruption and the mob.

[@Refuse2Lose33]

Good documentary but is that Eric Serra's score to the movie Goldeneye I hear? 😂

[@lonestar6709]

24th?! Top three for me.

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

17:19 This is really sloppy by the makers of this documentary. It gives the impression that Basilio is talking about the rematch with Robinson when he's actually referring to their first fight.

[@innersoul4376]

Only 24 for the GOAT the disrespect

[@Ricorican77]

To have Muhammad ali say he's the best p4p ever to fight is deep

[@wiggywil]

Roy Jones Jr vs. Sugar Ray Robinson...BOTH IN THEIR PRIMES..who ya got?

[@unbakablemuffin4029]

At middleweight, Sugar Ray Robinson. I love Roy jones, but he didnt have as deep of a skill set as Sugar Ray Robinson.

[@billycharles]

SRR= GOAT

[@kristalmacleod3215]

Boxer's should be N-1 THINK of their LIFE'

[@No-zf3dz]

3:10

[@billhoare7404]

Who wins Sugar Ray Robinson or Sugar Ray Leonard??

[@AnkleMuncher]

Hes a top 5 easily wtf

[@tharpporter]

Top 3 easy

[@KingKoss]

Even the people who hates blacks couldn't stop loving him 🤌

[@scottthefunk]

Imagine SRR v Roy Jones jnr

[@LeftHookLegend]

13:40

[@jameskiffin502]

he is the best because he never met aussie aborigine dave sands who died tragically in his prime in a road accident in his twenties ..he was cheated out of a title match with ray by promoters .boxing experts said he was in the same class as robinson .if ray was the best dave would have been on a par or second best .what a pity they never met

[@100sailorman]

only 24th for the greater boxer of all time?

[@cameronhamilton7439]

How many think he would have been too much for floyd mayweather? I think sugar ray would have made it look real easy 🤔

[@melvinsims5379]

Willie Pep was just as good or better than Sugar Ray.But they were from the past.It's time to forget about both of them and watch the Top Rank video{The Monster-Naoya Inoue.Then you will see today's greatest fighter.Long live Inoue!

[@jamesdicker2962]

FOHWTBS.

[@falanajerido875]

Ali wanted to be ray Muhammad Ali

[@craigfinley2507]

Sugar Ray was the greatest fighter ever, and can you believe Mayweather said he was better than Ray ,Ray fought 123 fights before he lost one. Technically Mayweather lost to modonna, he was the only man he gave a rematch to that I know of. I think Dela Hoya beat him, check that fight out Dela Hoya was way more agressive, they gave it to Floyd because he lived in Vegas and he can bring them money. So I believe he lost two fights for real.

[@truthhitman7473]

Sugar Ray Robinson should have listened to God instead of that Catholic priest.

[@derrickwilliamson5843]

Yea and they did what they have been doing since we got here in chains they robbed him blind

[@falanajerido875]

Sad he should of had a great business partner

[@kevinwaters5872]

If Sugar isn’t top ten , then the list is crap. Boxing is actually the most racially diverse sport on earth. Every country has a boxing champion. And Ray was the greatest of all times.

[@LeftHookLegend]

12:25